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!