The University of the Virgin Islands RTPark, (UVI RTPark), the Specialist Economic Development Program, has launched a special donation appeal to support the Fund For the U.S. Virgin Islands on the heels of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
The RTPark’s own headquarters on St. Croix suffered significant exterior and interior damage from Hurricane Maria on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 with the building losing its decorative winged roof and suffering tremendous water damage to its offices.
But despite its loss, the RTPark as a good corporate citizen is pitching in to help by supporting the FUND FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, (FFVI), which has been set up by the non-for-profit organization, the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, (CFVI), in collaboration with USVI Delegate to Congress, Hon. Stacey Plaskett.
The RTPark’s immediate goal is to provide financial support for the critical needs of U.S. Virgin Islands residents impacted by both Hurricanes Irma and Maria. These needs include:
· Water
· Food Supplies
· Clean-Up Supplies
· Batteries, Lanterns
· Diapers
· Baby formula
· Tarpaulins
Please support this effort by contributing a donation here.
“The devastation wreaked by Hurricanes Irma and Maria provides a unique opportunity for the US Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean region to build capacity and undertake a major program in smart, green resilient technology,” said Executive Director Dr. Gillian Marcelle. “The RTPark is ready to make a major contribution to this effort as a knowledge hub that brings together the impact investment community, the private sector, governments and the academic community.”
C. Knox LaSister, CEO, Smart, Inc. added that the islands of the Caribbean, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, must look at making improvements such as: enhancing building codes, changing infrastructure requirements to respond to need for more resilient structural integrity; improved power generation and management systems and smart water distribution management systems.
“The UVI RTPark headquartered in St. Croix is the perfect hub for generating this kind of innovative and strategic thinking; we can find creative and effective solutions necessary in this new environment,” he added.
For more information about the UVI RTPark, log on to uvirtpark.net or find us at Twitter @UVI_RTPark or on Facebook at UVI Research and Technology Park. You can also tweet about us using the hashtags: #Rebuild USVI or #USVIStrong.
SOURCE: UVI RTPark
