Where and what to donate.
Five years after Hurricane Maria left a trail of death and destruction on the island, Puerto Rico is facing another storm-induced humanitarian crisis in the form of Hurricane Fiona. The hurricane touched down on September 17, unleashing torrential rain and gusts of wind up to 85 miles per hour — and now, over 1 million residents find themselves (once again) without electricity.
According to ABC News, over 1,000 people have been rescued by authorities so far, and all hospitals on the island are currently running on generators. What’s more, only 30 percent of people on the island have access to potable drinking water, the news network reports.
Given those statistics, it likely wouldn’t surprise you to know that most local aid organizations have a great need for survival items like food, batteries, solar products, and water. That’s where you can help — even if you don’t have any of those items, yourself.
Here are three excellent, locally-run organizations that need your attention and support as they work to provide aid to communities all over Puerto Rico.
Where to Donate to Help Puerto Rico During Hurricane Fiona
Brigada Solidaria del Oeste
Brigada Solidaria del Oste is a grassroots, community-led organization that has been working on the ground to provide support since Hurricane Maria touched down five years ago. You can help fuel this organization’s efforts by making a monetary donation, or by sending them water purification tablets, solar lamps, water filters, or first aid kits. They do not want water bottles, clothing, batteries, food, or medication. You can find more information on their Facebook page here.
Taller Salud
If you have extra water bottles or clothing, you can send them to Taller Salud, a feminist mutual aid organization providing disaster relief to the area. In addition to monetary donations, Taller Salud welcomes donations of the following items: Non-perishable food, toiletries, cutlery, disposable containers, solar lanterns, water filters, adult and baby diapers, gallons of water, pasta and pasta sauce, garlic, and onions.
The PRxPR Relief and Rebuild Fund
The PRxPR Relief and Rebuild Fund is run by the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico and is committed to investing 100 percent of donations toward the most critically affected communities. Their aid focuses primarily on providing food, water, and renewable energy to those impacted communities, and as such, they prioritize monetary donations as a way to keep their work moving.
