Coral Gables Bank Pitches In For Puerto Rico

CORAL GABLES, FL — As recovery efforts continue in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, a Coral Gables bank has pitched in with a shipment of nearly 5,000 bottles of water. The Quontic Bank shipment of 16.9 ounce bottles weighs more than 2.5 tons, according to bank officials.

"Many of our customers are either from Puerto Rico or have friends and family there — and they're hurting in the wake of the hurricane. As a community bank, we have an obligation to look out for our community and help where we can," said Ray Duran, who manages Quontic Bank's Coral Gables location. "Quontic Bank sent 2.5 tons of water to Puerto Rico not only to help those devastated by the hurricane there, but to help create a culture of where people help one another whenever and wherever they can."

Headquartered in New York City, Quontic delivered some 200 cases of bottled water to a hurricane relief collection center in Miami for shipment to the island. The effort was organized by Florida State Sen. Rene Garcia, of Hialeah and Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban “Steve” Bovo, Jr. among others. The pallets were packed into a 40 foot shipping container and will arrive in Puerto Rico early next week along with other donations.

"It is great to see a community bank like Quontic bank lending a hand in a time of real need. This is a true testament of what community service is all about," said Bovo, who chairs the commission. "A community’s true colors are seen during times of trouble. It fills me with great pride to see the interaction of both public and private sectors coming together for a common good."

Bank officials estimated that one million people in Puerto Rico were still without clean water weeks after Hurricane Maria made a direct hit on the Caribbean island. Quontic operates a home mortgage office in Coral Gables.

"It's the right thing to do," explained Ryan P. Merritt, who serves as director of lending at Quontic and who personally donated 100 cases of water.

The donation will be distributed by Unidos Por Puerto Rico, a not-for-profit organization established by the First Lady of Puerto Rico. Univision PR will oversee the distribution to make sure that it gets distributed to remote parts of the island.

"Our community and world could use more corporate citizens like Quontic Bank, who believe in helping and giving back to those in need," added Garcia. "Thank you for meeting the challenge and helping so many in need."

Photo credit: Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images.