AUSTIN, Texas - - Puerto Ricans are in anguish since Maria ripped through the island and updates trickling out of the island are few and far in between.

“I haven’t been able to reach all of my family, specifically the ones on the west coast and northwest. Power is completely out no one has power. Water is also harder and harder to find,” said Jose Ivan Ducos.

Those here in Texas know one thing: Puerto Rico needs help.

“People need food, canned items. Babies need diapers, people need batteries because there’s not going to be electricity for a while. Those kind of very essential items,” said Ana Maria Tekina-Eiru Maynard.

The Lone Star State is home to a large Hispanic population which includes a number of Puerto Ricans.

“About 85 percent to 87 percent of the Puerto Rican population in Texas lives down the I-35 corridor basically,” said Maynard.

Staff saw a previously scheduled workshop to teach young kids about the island game of batu as an opportunity for the tight knit Puerto Rican community to come together.

“This workshop had been planned, we put it out on social media and invitations going out or weeks then Hurricane Maria hit. It was very simple to overlap hurricane relief with this event,” said Maynard.

Puerto Ricans living in San Antonio and Austin may be in the dark but together they have found comfort.

The Association of Puerto Ricans in San Antonio will pick up and send the items from Texas to Florida. Once there, the donations will be delivered to the island.