ORLANDO, Fla. — FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program officially ends Friday.
- Organizations are coming together to help displaced families
- Judges announced they would not extend TSA again
- MORE: Crisis in Puerto Rico
And about 40 families displaced from Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria may end up on the streets of Central Florida.
Organizations have come together to try and place those families in affordable housing.
The Hispanic Federation will also give out checks to those who qualified for financial assistance.
Judges extended the TSA program several times, but two weeks ago it was announced judges would not do so again.
Organizations have come together to find solutions, primarily affordable housing in nearby counties. In the meantime, they have negotiated rates as low as $59 a night at the Kissimmee Ramada hotel for families to pay on their own.
"We need to get all the help that we can get to identify housing units in the area even outside of Orlando. We need to be able to give them options, so that we can provide a shelter, housing, a place that they can call home," said Freddie Agrait, director of the Abrazo Boricua, an organization that helps displaced Puerto Rican families.
On Friday, the Hispanic Federation will be giving out checks to families who qualified for financial assistance to help with their transition.
The organization is handing out financial assistance up to $1,000 to families who qualify for the help. This money is to be used for whatever the family may need, including moving to another hotel that is giving them a discounted nightly rate.
Vamos4PR, another organization heavily involved in helping displaced families, struck a deal with the Ramada hotel in Kissimmee to charge these families a discounted nightly rate of $56.
The organization said that 12 displaced families are moving Friday to the hotel with special rates.
Sasha Rosario Pagan is one mother who had to move hotels on Friday and checked in at the Ramada with her boyfriend and three kids.
“I’ve been everywhere trying to make ends meet and provide for my family, but it’s been very challenging,” she explained.
The mother has no plans to return to Puerto Rico, despite the challenges she’s encountered when it comes to finding a job and a permanent home.
“There’s no life for my kids in Puerto Rico. There’s so much crime and murders. The island is at a very bad stage right now,” said Pagan.
The Episcopal church Jesus de Nazaret will pay for Pagan’s room for the weekend. After that, she has no plan and hopes she can get more assistance.