November 8, 2008 – Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
A new emergency response center was recently inaugurated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. The center is the third and largest church-run center on the island.
Church leaders and government officials attended the inauguration ceremony of the Albertina Lopez-Rodriguez Center, which attracted many church members and community members.
The new center replaces the smaller previous one which served the eastern region of the island and is named after Albertina Lopez-Rodriguez who for many years help run the old center, said Carmen Diaz, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) coordinator for the East region in Puerto Rico.
Wally Amundson, ADRA director for Inter-America, spoke to those gathered on the importance of the center as a focal point for the entire community.
“This is the best equipped community center in the country,” Amundson said. “It serves as national center for Puerto Rico, it has coordination with the government so all churches can respond should an emergency take place.”
“We have already aided more than 500 families with food bags and funds during the recent storms which have flooding our surrounded communities,” said Diaz.
Plans are for the center to be used for cooking, sewing, baking classes and any other training that can help with the economy after flooding and disasters, she added.
The center has two offices, one conference room, one kitchen, warehouse and a large enough room for training. It can shelter more than one hundred people in case of an emergency.
