Puerto Rico’s international airports were closed in anticipation of the storm, and in the immediate wake of Maria, commercial airlines were unable to gain clearance for flights to deliver supplies. Yet, the need for emergency and medical supplies for the island’s people and communities remained high. That’s why Dan Williams, Walmart’s vice president of aviation, made the choice to use private company planes to carry critical supplies to the island.
To date, Walmart aviation has made four flights to Puerto Rico, carrying a variety of supplies and enough insulin to save 3,300 lives. In the video below, Dan talks about the island’s needs as his crew prepares for the third flight.
Dan and his pilots also carried paychecks for some of Puerto Rico’s 15,000 Walmart associates, many of whom were unable to electronically access them because communication systems were down.
While these flights have helped take care of some immediate needs, there’s much more left to be done. Jimmy Fallon of “The Tonight Show” announced on Monday night a collaboration with Walmart to donate $1 million to Puerto Rico relief through Feeding America and the Puerto Rico Food Bank. Throughout October, Walmart will also donate $2 to the Puerto Rico Relief Fund for every $1 donated, up to an additional $1 million. You can give here or through the Walmart app on your mobile device.
*Editor’s Note: Click here to view a version of the video with Spanish-language captioning.