Santander Donates $2 Million To Relief Efforts In Puerto Rico In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Maria

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Oct 03, 2017, 11:40 ET

BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Santander US announced today that the Company and its businesses have taken important steps to assist its customers, communities and employees affected by the devastating impact Hurricane Maria has had on Puerto Rico. Together, Santander US and its San Juan-based subsidiary, Banco Santander Puerto Rico (BSPR), will donate $2 million to local aid and relief organizations, divided between non-profit organizations aiding in the relief effort and a fund being established to help BSPR employees begin to recover from the after effects of this hurricane.

BSPR is also collecting donations for employees and qualified non-profit organizations at its branches and is organizing employee volunteer brigades to offer immediate assistance to employees who have been unable to contact family or need help with cleanup and repair.

"Like all businesses on Puerto Rico, Banco Santander was impacted by Hurricane Maria and we are working to return to normal operations as soon as possible so we can continue to serve our customers," said Scott Powell, Santander US CEO. "Puerto Rico is experiencing a massive humanitarian crisis and our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees and customers. These charitable donations and the employee fund are part of the way we can help our community when it needs us most."

In addition to BSPR donations, Santander US has also announced that it will match its mainland employee contributions to non-profit organizations aiding in the Hurricane Maria recovery efforts, up to $1,250 per employee donation. This match is in addition to the matching and other donations the Company made to Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Irma.

In Puerto Rico, BSPR, Santander Securities, LLC (SSLLC) and Santander Asset Management (SAM) are open for business on a special schedule, affording colleagues the time and flexibility needed to manage their personal affairs and assist family members. BSPR continues to work tirelessly to make as many branches and ATMs available to customers on the island as possible. The offices of Santander Consumer International, Puerto Rico – an auto loan servicing center – are closed; however, operations are continuing and calls are being handled at alternate sites on the U.S. mainland with no significant impacts to customers or service levels.

Fredy Molfino, President and CEO of BSPR, said, "In addition to working on Puerto Rico's reconstruction efforts, we are activating assistance programs for customers on the island to help them move forward." Molfino added, "We are firmly committed and are working hard every day to make our island stronger and even more beautiful and charming following the recent hurricanes. We will continue to help throughout the long rebuilding process."

To further assist its customers, employees and the community during this difficult time, BSPR is also:

Allowing customers to voluntarily defer personal loan and credit card payments for three months, if the customer's account was current as of August 31, 2017. Customers enrolled in direct debit payments need to authorize BSPR to suspend the deductions temporarily by calling 787-999-6221 for personal loans, and 787-625-2082, for credit cards.
Allowing customers to voluntarily defer mortgage payments for up to three months. BSPR mortgage customers interested in this benefit should call 787-625-2858 or send an email to [email protected] before October 31, 2017.
Providing stations at BSPR's main office in San Juan for charging cellular phones and other devices, and offering daily Wi-Fi access free of charge to the general public.
Setting up a collections center for necessities benefiting affected employees.
Transporting the volunteer employee brigades to employees' homes and providing supplies.

Contact Information for Customers:
BSPR customers can make transactions through the 'Santander PR' app from their smartphone or tablet, through the online banking service 'Santander eBanking' by accessing www.santander.pr or by calling 787-281-2000 or 1-800-726-8263 for information on how BSPR can assist them during this difficult time. BSPR will continue to post updates via social media at Facebook.com/santanderpr and Twitter.com/santanderpr.

SSLLC clients in Puerto Rico who need assistance can contact 787-759-5330 or 866-736-6475 between 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. AST. If clients receive a busy signal at these numbers and need immediate transaction support, they can call representatives in our Boston office at 617-514-5368 or 617-514-5413.

Santander Consumer USA (SC) customers who have questions about their accounts in the wake of Hurricane Maria can contact SC by phone at 888-222-4227 Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. AST, Friday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. AST and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. AST, or online at www.santanderconsumerusa.com. Customers with Chrysler Capital accounts can reach a service agent at 855-563-5635 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. AST and Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. AST, or online at www.chryslercapital.com.

About Santander Holdings USA, Inc.
Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A. (NYSE: SAN) (Santander), one of the most respected banking groups in the world with more than 125 million customers in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. As the intermediate holding company for Santander's U.S. businesses, SHUSA includes six financial companies (collectively, "Santander US") with more than 17,500 employees, 5.2 million customers and assets of over $135.1 billion. These include Santander Bank, N.A., one of the country's largest retail and commercial banks by deposits; Santander Consumer USA Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SC), an auto finance and consumer lending company; Banco Santander International of Miami; Banco Santander Puerto Rico; Santander Securities LLC of Boston; and Santander Investment Securities Inc. of New York.