Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces Joint Emergency Water Relief Effort with Afya Foundation to Support Puerto Rico During Water Shortage Crisis

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a joint water relief effort with the Afya Foundation, a Westchester-based humanitarian relief organization, and corporate donors to supply Puerto Rico with 26 emergency drinking water pallets in the midst of an ongoing severe water shortage. The Governor is committed to providing direct relief to Puerto Ricans during this emergency, with rapid humanitarian response efforts as well as community-led emergency operations currently underway.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

First of all, I want to thank all of you for joining us here at LaGuardia Airport for an important purpose. I want to acknowledge David Bourns, Afya's Chief Operating Officer; Milagros Gutierrez, Afya's Director of Special Projects; April Adams, the JetBlue Airways Manager; and Frank Nobre, the Head of Operations for Liberty Coca-Cola, as well as a number of other individuals.

We are here today because our friends in Puerto Rico are in crisis. And as a home - proud home - of over one million Puerto Ricans here in the State of New York, when our family needs help, we respond. And for a number of months now, a disaster has been declared, emergency declaration, because of the severe water shortage that literally people are having to ration water, going without water, and creating serious health risks for the individuals who live on the island.

So I wanted to let people know that we will not stand by. We know that over 500,000 have been without water since April '26. So we are flying, starting Saturday, 26 full pallets of emergency drinking water, the equivalent of 5,900 gallons of emergency supplies.

But in addition to providing direct water - and I want to thank Afya for everyone helping with this effort. I know you've been on the front lines for a long time. This is critical. But also, technical assistance to help long-term deal with the water shortages going forward to make sure that a family in Puerto Rico does not end up in this situation again.

So I just want to offer it now to David for a few words.