Sail Relief Team was founded in 2017 as a way to assist in recovery efforts all over the Caribbean in response to the devastating Atlantic hurricane season. The mission of Sail Relief Team is to assist in emergency preparedness and disaster relief efforts in remote and under-served coastal communities. Sail Relief Team, like all of our other efforts, operates through grants, supporter donations, and volunteer work.

The initial effort that spawned Sail Relief Team was the disaster response in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria made landfall as a massive category five storm causing flooding and knocking out power to the entire island. After raising emergency funds we worked with other nonprofits and new volunteers using support boats to respond to immediate needs as efficiently as possible. We aided in search and rescue efforts, provided first-aid and clean drinking water, and also methods of communication. Using sailing vessels allows us to operate in devastated communities in a self-sufficient manner. By doing this we are able to contribute resources to affected communities while not being a burden on an already tremendously overwhelmed infrastructure.