Generators and clean water filtration systems headed to Puerto Rico from Raleigh

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Water, power, and light, those are three things a group out of Raleigh put on a cargo plane bound for Puerto Rico.

Stefan Youngblood is the director of When Grace Happens, a nonprofit that helps the homeless.

Because of the help he's received from local churches and the homeless he serves, Youngblood was able to gather and pack up hundreds of pounds of supplies to take to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

In addition to generators, bug spray, mosquito nets, battery powered lights, and radios, he's also sending 200 water filtration systems which were donated from Wine to Water, a company based out of Boone.

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"This one filter provides 250 gallons of fresh water a day," said Youngblood, adding that each system lasts for 10 years.

The filter doesn't take out chemicals, so he said anyone who gets the system will get a one-hour crash course on how and when to use it.

The supplies are being flown via American Airlines. The company started an internal program called "Operation Puerto Rico Strong " on September 22.

A spokesperson for American Airlines said employees have been allowed to fly a generator and 150 pounds of supplies, each, to Puerto Rico, free of charges.

How you can help Puerto Rico locally

The group plans to fly out of RDU airport with the life-saving supplies on Friday.

The program also ends on Friday but since it started, American Airlines said more than 1,900 employees have taken part.