Abbvie to donate $100M for health, housing in Puerto Rico

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Drug maker Abbvie says it will donate $100 million to improve access to health care and housing in a Puerto Rico struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria. | File photo

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Drug maker Abbvie says it will donate $100 million to improve access to health care and housing in a Puerto Rico struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria.

The biopharmaceutical company said Tuesday that half the amount will go to Direct Relief and the other to Habitat for Humanity International.

Direct Relief would provide health centers with solar power, battery storage and generators, and fund mobile health units. Meanwhile, Habitat for Humanity would help repair and build homes starting in the metropolitan area of San Juan.

The announcement comes amid criticism that the U.S. territory is not prepared to face a new hurricane season that starts June 1. More than 14,000 power customers across the island remain in the dark more than eight months after the Category 4 storm hit.

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