Flying into Puerto Rico a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was going to support the work of Feeding America member food bank, Banco de Alimentos de Puerto Rico, which has been working hard to distribute food and supplies to people across the island. Of course, I had heard facts, figures and tales of destruction – from both the news and colleagues experiencing firsthand – but I’m not sure anything could have prepared me for the reality of what I saw.

The effects of Hurricane Maria were visible before our plane even landed. Blue tarps dotted the landscape, as people used them to replace lost or damaged roofs. Our first stop on the ground was to Banco de Alimentos in Bayamon. The food bank’s generator had run out of fuel, but I was surprised to see that lack of electricity wasn’t slowing operations down. Staff and volunteers were still packing supplies and distributing shelf-stable food to volunteers from local pantries, who were then taking it to the communities that needed it most.

On our second day there, we branched out of San Juan and followed volunteers to distributions in smaller communities. The vastness of the destruction was incredible. It was difficult to get around because of the damage to infrastructure – bridges collapsed, and roads were destroyed. People were without homes, running water and electricity. In one town, they were celebrating the children’s recent return to school – more than two months after the hurricane made landfall.

Despite the devastation, I was in awe of the resiliency and spirit of the Puerto Rican people. I was particularly humbled by a scene I encountered in Utuado, a community that suffered the greatest number of casualties from the storm. We visited the town to distribute bags of food and toys to local families who had lost everything. The town was in ruins, but as I surveyed the damage I came across an encouraging sight. A family had decorated their home for the holidays with painted tires and buckets, and strung coke cans as ornaments on their trees. They had placed signs in their yard that expressed and inspired hope and resilience. The family was home, and I was able to ask them about the decorations. “We wanted to be festive and spread joy because it’s almost Christmas,” the mother said. “But we don’t have electricity this year for lights and can’t access decorations, so we had to come up with another way.”

It was amazing to me that this family – and so many families in Puerto Rico – have gone without for so long and still find ways to be joyful. They have lost homes, they have lost electricity and they have lost jobs. It’s been months, and for some, relief is not even on the horizon. Yet, they remain hopeful in the darkness and persevere. Despite their great need, they continue to find ways to help one another.

From the family spreading holiday cheer in Utuado, to the food bank volunteers who dedicate weeks and months to feed their neighbors in need, I am in awe of the selflessness of Puerto Ricans in the face of this disaster. They seem to understand that the only way to overcome is by working together.

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Zuani Villarreal is Director of Communications at Feeding America. In 2016, she joined the national hunger-relief organization, having previously worked more than eight years at the San Antonio Food Bank, a member of Feeding America. She visited and volunteered in Puerto Rico in November and December 2017.