Hurricane Relief
Irma and Maria: A Devastating One-Two Punch
2017 proved to be a difficult year for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hurricanes Irma and Maria, both category 5 storms with wind gusts of up to 178 MPH, impacted the USVI within two weeks of each other on September 6 and September 14. The damage caused by these hurricanes will forever be remembered by the citizens of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.
Hurricane Irma made landfall on the U.S Virgin Islands on September 6, 2017. The hurricane’s ferocious 185 MPH winds wreaked havoc on St. Thomas and St. John. St. Croix, Cane Bay Partner’s home, was mostly spared the storm’s full force, enabling a speedy response to her sister islands.
Unfortunately, Virgin Islander’s luck further worsened when Hurricane Irma made contact with St. Croix. The category 5 hurricane battered the island from September 19 to 20, downing power lines, tearing roofs from homes, and destroying infrastructure.
After both hurricanes, the office of V.I. Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett stated that 90 percent of buildings in the Virgin Islands were damaged or destroyed and 13,000 of those buildings had lost their roofs.
Cane Bay Partners Relief Efforts
David Johnson and Kirk Chewning were on the frontlines of civilian relief, offering supplies, financial contributions, and even Johnson's 40-foot center console fishing boat in evacuation efforts.
Following the devastation that Hurricanes Maria and Irma brought to the U.S Virgin Islands, Cane Bay Cares donated 75,000 pounds of aid:
- 25,000 pounds of food and aid;
- 18,000 bottles of water;
- 4,000 freezer packs to preserve medications;
- 800 LUCI solar lights;
- 44 generators and other supplies to citizens in need.
The incredible damage that these hurricanes caused in the U.S. Virgin Islands gave way to the Cane Bay Cares initiative, which still organizes and participates in various charitable efforts across the U.S Virgin Islands.
Get Involved Today
The Cane Bay Cares initiative is still active to this day. Participating in various philanthropic activities in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the award winning non-profit organization requires a steady supply of selfless volunteers and donations to continue nurturing the long-term needs of the community.
Cane Bay Cares is a service initiative of St. Croix-based Cane Bay Partners VI, LLLP. Cane Bay Cares was established after three strong hurricanes, including two Category 5 storms, Irma and Maria, caused much damage to St. Croix during September 2017. The initiative has a goal of providing relief to the citizens of St. Croix. To make this possible, we have partnered with St. Croix Foundation, which is a 501c3 nonprofit that was established in 1990. All donations to Cane Bay Cares are donations to St. Croix Foundation and are 100% tax deductible.
Cane Bay Partners VI, LLLP was formed in June 2009 and founded by internationally experienced business executives with many years of experience in the financial services industry. Focusing our efforts primarily in the financial services industry, our management consulting practice specializes in providing services to clients in need of sophisticated risk management models, debt collections organizations which require liquidation models and analytics, and portfolio management companies desiring a variety of services.
Since 1990, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has been advancing holistic community development as a pathway to economic prosperity, self-sufficiency, and sustainability. Established in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, today the Foundation is one of the premier place-based philanthropic leaders in the Virgin Islands. Having served as the conduit of over $37 million private and public sector dollars invested into the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Foundation’s impact has netted national recognition in almost every priority area – from economic development and community revitalization to public health, education reform, and nonprofit development. Our mission is to encourage greater philanthropic activity, to marshal resources, and to act as a catalyst to benefit the people of the Virgin Islands.