Some members of the Salvation Army in the Quad Cities are preparing to travel to Puerto Rico to help victims of Hurricane Maria. The group leaves on Saturday, and will stay for two weeks.
Captain Alex Velasquez, commander of the Adult Rehabilitation Center in Davenport, doesn't know his exact assignment, or even the location yet, but figures he'll do the same kind of work he's done following other disasters in the past.
"Physical support with meals and coffee - to first responders and to people who lost their homes. Making sure they're fed and providing social services to help them become self-sustaining again and help them develop a plan. And of course spiritual help."
He'll be part of a team assembled by the Salvation Army from several states, including some employees from the rehab center in Davenport.
"The way it works is we get deployed for tough cases like this for two weeks at a time. We can choose to stay longer or we can come back home for two weeks, and get re-deployed again."
Captain Velasquez has family in Puerto Rico - and one month after the hurricane he's heard from some, but others are still not accounted for.
