A Newington company that helps Puerto Rican businesses with their finances is waiting to hear from both loved ones and business owners as the devastation there remains after Hurricane Maria.
“We are all in deep sadness right now for everything that they're going through,” Sonia Alvelo said.
For the past two years, Alvelo has helped facilitate Puerto Rican business owners the loans they need to operate.
“These type of programs they don't have them in Puerto Rico so we were the first company that brought this type of program there,” Alvelo said.
Her company Latin Financial serves as a brokerage from lenders in the U.S. to businesses in her native island but now after Hurricane Maria, Alvelo has heard silence from her family and only one phone call from a customer.
“The first person that he called besides his family obviously, he was like Sonia I need money for my business we need to be up and running, Alvelo said.
“We've facilitated many loans down there over 200 in last few years,” Brendan Lynch said.
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Alvelo’s fiancé Brendan Lynch says the company started working with one pharmacy and took off from there now working with the Association of Pharmacies and Association of Tourism.
“We work with just about every business type so we've funded grocery stores, mechanics, some of the bigger hotel chains a lot of restaurants and pharmacies, Lynch said.
Watching images of the devastation is almost too much for the couple to bare knowing the conditions their loved ones and businesses are dealing with but Alvelo says the Puerto Rican spirit will prevail.
“We are strong people and I know we're going to make it,” Alvelo said.
Sonia and Brendan were also planning on having their wedding in Puerto Rico next August, they’ll have to wait and see if the venue will still a possibility once they are able to communicate with people in the area.
