Still Talking about Puerto Rico (and Houston, and Sonoma County)

A quick update post, because I have been on travel forever (and ever and ever), and am heading out again soon, but wanted to do a quick update/reminder on Puerto Rico, and a few links for the CA wildfires.

There is still so, so much work to be done in all the areas that were hardest hit by the 2017 Hurricane season.  Top of mind, of course, is Puerto Rico.  I'm not going to be adding a ton of new links, but if you scroll through older posts (or use the tags), most of those organizations are still actively responding to the ongoing Humanitarian Crisis there.  Most of them are doing good jobs of keeping their websites up-to-date with their work, so you can see how they are helping, and how you, too, can help.

A couple new links, though:

• In addition to Save the Children (mentioned in previous posts, and an organization I still think is fantastic), UNICEF is also actively responding with a child and family focus in Puerto Rico.
• An organization that just recently crossed my radar is Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies that focuses on people with disabilities and specifically helping communities do disaster planning that takes into account people with disabilities, as well as providing replacement equipment like wheelchairs that might have been left behind or damaged in an evacuation or emergency.  They are responding across multiple disaster areas.

The California Wildfires

• The Napa Valley Community Foundation has established a disaster relief fund  As you should know by now, I'm an advocate for community foundations because they are - by and large - well-rooted in their local communities and likely to be responsive to local needs.
• There is a trouble rise in suicides among wildland firefighters. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation supports firefighters and their families.
• The California Fire Foundation has a program to get cash assistance to families who have suffered damage or loss to their homes.
• Local area shelters can still use help in supporting many displaced, or lost pets.

And don't forget to check previous posts for other ongoing work in Houston, in Somalia, with the Rohingya Refugee crisis, etc.

More to come.  Had a revelatory conversation with the Massachusetts Bail Fund yesterday that has me thinking about many many things around the criminal justice system, so a post on that still to come.  In the meantime - do good!

Puerto Rico (and other islands) - Part II

The news keeps talking about the "developing" humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, but I think it's pretty clear that it's a full-blown crisis and likely to stay that way for far too long.

Further, we must not forget that the U.S. Virgin Islands, not to mention much of the rest of the Caribbean were badly damaged by the storm season, and that rebuilding is going to take a very long time.

What can we do?

I think we can all continue to put pressure on our elected officials to make sure that aid packages for both Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are put together and delivered, both this year, and in coming years.  We can also advocate for an alleviation of the debt that Puerto Rico currently faces (although it  appears to be complicated about the extent to which executive action can actually "wipe out" the debt), and/or low-interest loans to help PR rebuild.

And, we can donate.

Frequent Flyer Miles
Several airlines allow you to donate frequent flyer miles that are then used by nonprofit agencies to fly skilled workers and/or volunteers to disaster zones.  See, for example, Delta, Southwest, or United

Cash (still one of the most important resources)
There are, of course, many funds that have been set up to support the short- and long-term needs in the areas impacted by the disasters that have unfolded. Below are a few that I'm highlighting either because I know their work and/or they are areas (e.g., the Keys) that I think have been overlooked or quickly forgotten.  As ever, please feel free to add good orgs that you know in the comments.

• Both Mercy Corps and Oxfam, organizations that typically work in the developing world, have launched relief missions to Puerto Rico, recognizing the dire situation there.
• I remain a fan of the work of Save the Children who are on the ground where most of the latest disasters have occurred and are also in Mexico.
• The Hispanic Federation's UNIDOS fund will address both immediate and long-term needs in Puerto Rico.
• The Heart of FL United Way is working on behalf of the United Way of Puerto Rico, and is coordinating the collection of both cash and goods at the request of their Puerto Rican partners.
• The International Community Foundation's Barbuda Fund will address the needs on this island that was nearly wiped out.  Donations to this fund will be matched 1:1 by the Waitt Foundation, up to $250,000.
• Community Foundation of the Florida Keys will address short- and long-term needs in the Keys, which had heavy damage, and have received far less media coverage than other areas.
• The Center for Disaster Philanthropy's 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Fund will address needs in a wide range of places, and have a lot of expert advice from which to draw.

Goods
As some areas begin to slowly move toward recovery, you may see calls for donations of specific goods.  Please pay attention to what is asked for and donate only what is asked for. Relief agencies have so many horror stories about inappropriate things being donated up to and including used tea bags (you can still get another cup of tea from this, and "they" have nothing.  Um. NO.)  Be respectful and give only something that you would genuinely want yourself.

Thank you for all you are doing, and all that you will do, as we move forward through this year that doesn't seem to want to give us a break.