Puerto Rican Disaster Hits Home for Staff At La Fabrica In Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE, MA —For La Fabrica co-owner Dennis Benzan and his team, including Puerto Rican celebrity chef Giovanna Huyke, the disaster caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico hit close to home. A large part of the management at Fabricia has roots in the U.S. Territory.

Benzan's parents migrated from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in the 1960s. One of La Fabrica's co-owners, Nivia Piña head chef Giovanna Huyke, and assistant manager Michelle Estaves are all from the island, with family still there.

Courtesy Photo by Giovanni Gonzalez for La Fabrica Central

Last week, the Latin restaurant hosted a fundraiser, collecting more than $50,000 for Puerto Rico relief efforts. The event went so well that the staff is planning another within the next few weeks. Additionally, sparked by the turnout and pressing need for aid, Benzan drafted a proposal to have Cambridge adopt sister cities in Puerto Rico to make it easier to give aid following the disaster.

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In the few days between Hurrican Irma and Maria, Benzan said, staff spoke about a hosting a fundraiser for the Puerto Rico.

On the Mass. Ave. sidewalk, Giovanna Huyke, who is famous in her native Puerto Rico as a TV cooking show personality, cookbook author and restaurant owner grilled and cooked up hundreds of plates of food for hungry patrons. La Fabrica staff collected monetary donations ($30 minimum for the buffet) and aid including clothing, food, water and toiletries.

Courtesy Photo by Giovanni Gonzalez for La Fabrica Central

Huyke said she's been racked with anxiety since Maria hit her homeland.

"I'm heartbroken," she said. "It took a week after it hit to hear from my family over there. When we did hear from them, they said they were OK but they were already rationing food to last longer."

Huyke said help hasn't trickled into the island fast enough, most of it being concentrated in San Juan. She said everything she's seen and heard from friends and family in Puerto Rico indicate that the island is so broken, things need to be rebuilt from the ground up.

"It's been tough," she said. "The fundraiser was a chance to laugh, cry and get together with people from Puerto Rico. It felt so amazing."

"We've been talking about hosting another event like that but we're still in the planning stages," she added. "It's also important to think about putting that money into energy efficient, long term solutions for Puerto Rico."

Benzan said hosting the fundraiser last week was an emotional event.

"To see people in the community come out and help their neighbors, this could be something that could spark activism" he said. "Trump has used this this as a political issue to bash Puerto Ricans, which isn't the first time. This is an opportunity to say we're humans, we're Americans and we need help and support."

"Not that we're asking for everything to be done for us, but when people are desperate for food and water and trucks to bring in those items, it's hard," he added. "We can recover but it's going to take a lot of coordination and support."

Sending aid back

La Fabrica Assistant Manager Michelle Estaves is enrolled in a Boston University, studying gastronomy and journalism. Estaves has lived in Boston for a few years and despite the distance, her family has managed to make the trip from Puerto Rico to visit.

Estaves said her family was lucky. Her family's home in Arecibo was mostly spared and they had prepared, stockpiling food before the storm hit. But, she said, they, like 95 percent of island are still without power. They happen to have a generator, but gas is scarce. Her family has told her that they've had to wait in line for 10 hours just to get some.

"I know what it is to be away from your family but with this situation it is completely different," she said, pausing to wipe a tear away. "It's the only thing I think about, what's going to happen, when I can talk to them and if they'll be OK."

"They're telling me they're OK but they're saying that because they want me to be calm and not panic," she added.

Over the past week, Estaves said she's had to conduct banking and other transactions for her family. That responsibility has grown in the past few days to include some of her friends and their families as well.
Estaves said she was surprised and heartened to see the turnout for the restaurant's fundraiser.

"It was so nice to talk to people and share stories, you know. Kind of like my family is not here but there are people here that care and want to help out," she said.

Courtesy Photo by Giovanni Gonzalez for La Fabrica Central

La Fabrica's Social Media manager Giovanni Gonzalez has extended family back in Puerto Rico and shared his plans for more direct help.

"We have family in Utuado and Vega Baja," he said. "The family in Vega Baja is closer to the capital and they've been able to get more help but our family in Utuado is right in the middle of the island and haven't seen any aid."

So he and family have organized shipments of supplies to Puerto Rico this week they'll personally deliver to family in need. After an internal family fundraiser, they've collected $3,000 and supplies.

"There's a risk doing this. It's a desperate time. We know we'll bump into some obstacles but we're willing to take the risk for the family," he said.

Despite the obstacles to come and the tragedy he saw first hand in Puerto Rico when he visited after Irma, he's also inspired.

"It was sad to see how devastating it was," he said. "To see people come out and support people, it gives you strength. I trust in the people of Puerto Rico, we are resilient and we will find a way out of this mess."

READ MORE: Puerto Rican Flag and Sister Cities In Cambridge

(Main Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

HAYALES DE COAMO, PUERTO RICO - SEPTEMBER 24: Karlian Mercado, 7, Carmen Maldonado, Carlos Flores and Jose Flores (L-R) stand on what remains of their home after it was blown away by Hurricane Maria as it passed through the area on September 24, 2017 in Hayales de Coamo, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico experienced widespread damage after Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, passed through.