As Christmas nears,

13-year-old Litza Pérez of Avalon Park is using her savings to buy about 15 solar lights to send to storm-damaged Puerto Rico and “give them a little bit of light during this holiday season.”

More than two months after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, at least 40 percent of the island is still without power.

Christmas is just around the corner, and traditionally, it is one of the brightest and most festive celebrations in the (Island of Enchantment).

With this in mind, 13-year-old Litza Pérez of Avalon Park decided to use her savings to buy about 15 solar lights to send to Puerto Rico and “give them a little bit of light during this holiday season.”

“Every year, my family makes a gesture of love for others. At school, they also teach us to give and help, so seeing how the island is in such a bad condition, I decided to help as much as I could,” Litza Pérez said.

Litza Pérez started asking all her friends at school and her mom’s friends to go online, find a solar light and donate it to her.

“Our school motto is ‘Come to learn, leave to serve,’ ” she said about St. James Cathedral School. “Everyone got very excited, and we have collected hundreds of solar lights, blankets and even tarps to send to Puerto Rico.”

“We want to bring hope to the most affected areas at the center of the island,” said her proud mother, Litza Figueroa. “I am from Adjuntas, for example, and there we have learned of houses that have been affected by fires provoked by use of candles. Because of that, and because it is difficult to get batteries, my daughter decided that the items we are sending to the island would be solar.”

“One solar light can light up a home without the need for batteries. We are asking for your generosity in donating a light to help us bring light and hope to the people of Puerto Rico this Christmas season,” reads part of the flyer distributed throughout Orlando and surrounding areas.

For Litza Pérez, the donation of an inflatable solar light, which she found available on Amazon for $11.99, can make a family happy. “They will not have to celebrate it [Christmas] in the dark anymore. With everyone’s help, with a donation that is not expensive, we can help,” she said.

“If you’re willing to make a difference, no matter how small, the important thing is that you start,” Litza Pérez said, adding that “it feels super good when you start to see that many people want to help you, and knowing that what you do will give joy to others is great.”

Those interested in participating can take their donations by Wednesday to St. James Cathedral in downtown Orlando.

If you have any questions, you can contact the family at 321-662-9514.