San Antonio non-profit leader helps with cleanup from Hurricane Ida with supplies donated by Spurs

SAN ANTONIO — With eyes on Tropical Storm Nicholas—many are still dealing with the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ida.

A San Antonio man is in Louisiana right now assisting with cleanup efforts there.

The road to recovery is a long one—as Joseph Villarreal describes it for many people he’s spoken with in Louisiana.

“This is one of the worst that they have been affected by. And you know the devastation out here is just tremendous,” Villarreal said.

Speaking to us via FaceTime–Villarreal is staying in a shelter in Berwick, LA in order to assist with debris clearing and tree cutting.

Villarreal leads a non-profit called San Antonio Aware and Prepared. He brought cleaning supplies that he says were donated by the San Antonio Spurs, including work gloves, hand sanitizer and trash bags.

“It’s all hands-on deck still. You know there’s still a lot to be done. Even though a lot has been done, there’s still a long way from completion, a long time before they reach any sense of normalcy,”

The hurricane that made landfall as a Category 4 storm has left thousands without power, even weeks later.

Villarreal says what he’s seen is a reminder that communities can stay strong.

In the worst of circumstances.

“There’s a whole lot of devastation in the community. And neighboring states and cities and towns, and everybody is just coming together and getting stuff done,” Villarreal said.

He says he won’t forget the work done here and says it’s a reminder to be prepared for any storm.