Celebrities Are Sending Help to Puerto Rico

Planes, volunteers and at least one cruise ship are coming to Puerto Rico’s aid after Hurricane Maria devastated the island last week.

Private citizens and companies are spearheading their own relief efforts, and some are reaching into their own pockets.

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez pledged $1 million toward hurricane relief efforts in an announcement made alongside New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday. Lopez, the daughter of Puerto Rican parents, said she was still waiting to hear from some family members who live on the island, according to The Associated Press.

The storm made landfall on Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 20 and ravaged the U.S. territory. It was the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in 80 years.

Lopez also has teamed with ex-husband Marc Anthony to create the “Somos Una Voz” relief alliance, the name of which translates to “we are one voice.” A number of artists and celebrities have joined the coalition, which brands itself as an “alliance of artists working together to rush food, shelter, medicine, power and communications to those in need from the effects of the recent natural disasters.”

Members of the cause include: Alejandro Fernandez, Alejandro Sanz, Alex Rodriguez, Alex Sensation, Bruno Mars, Camila, Chayanne, Daddy Yankee, Ed Sheeran, Edward Norton, Enrique Santos, Fat Joe, Fonseca, Gente de Zona, Gloria Trevi, J Balvin, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessy & Joy, Jimmy Smits, John Leguizamo, Jose Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra, Kany Garcia, Laura Pausini, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Luis Fonsi, Maluma, Magic!, Marco Antonio Solis, Mario Domm, Nacho, Narciso Rodriguez, Nicky Jam, Paul Simon, Pitbull, Prince Royce, Ricky Martin, Romeo Santos, Silvestre Dangond, Vin Diesel, Yandel and Zion & Lennox.

Martin also donated $100,000 to relief efforts and set up an online fundraising campaign, while Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee was sending truckloads of supplies donated by his fans, according to the AP.

And the help hasn’t stopped there.

Rapper Pitbull reportedly lent his private plane to transport cancer patients to the U.S. mainland for chemotherapy treatments, while billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban loaned the team plane to Puerto Rican player J.J. Barea, allowing Barea to drop off supplies and pick up some of his family members.

Barea returned with a bleak description of the island, according to the Dallas Morning News: “You go to Puerto Rico and fly in and look out the window and it’s beautiful. The water’s blue. People are moving and you feel the vibe. Yesterday, you look out the window and it was dead, completely dead. People are struggling.”

Barea encouraged help, saying “it’s going to be a long, long process” to restore conditions on the island.

Meanwhile, Miami-based cruise line Royal Carribbean has canceled a Sept. 30 trip by its Adventure of the Seas ship, which would have departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship instead will be used to aid in evacuation and supply efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were struck by Maria as well as Hurricane Irma this month. (Megan Trimble)

And in another relief campaign, the five living former U.S. presidents earlier this month launched the One America Appeal as a fundraising effort that’s focused on storm relief in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. On Tuesday, former President Barack Obama announced on Twitter that the campaign would be expanded to include Hurricane Maria victims.