Tell Our Senators to Support Emergency Aid Package to Puerto Rico

From ELCA Advocacy (https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Publicly-Engaged-Church/Advocacy):

Congress moves on disaster aid for Puerto Rico. Take action at the ELCA Action Center. (NOTE: You do not need to be a member of the ELCA to act!)

The House of Representatives passed an emergency aid package for Puerto Rico (HR 5687) on February 7 in the wake of ongoing earthquakes and aftershock damages to the island. The new package comes as the Administration recently released half of the blocked allocated assistance to help Puerto Ricans recovering from severe storms like Hurricane Maria. Many now face additional damages across the region. Please urge Senators Casey and Toomey to support this aid as well.

As acknowledged in a statement by Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, our Lutheran brothers and sisters in the ELCA Caribbean Synod and national ministry partners of Lutheran Disaster Response have been active in assisting those of us in the greatest need of recovery. Still, nearly a month after the first earthquakes hit, only 20% of schools have opened their doors. Many people remain in outdoor conditions as aftershocks leave people concerned about returning to an unstable house.

Since Hurricane Irma and Maria hit the Caribbean in 2017, ELCA Lutheran Disaster Response has actively supported the Caribbean Synod and Lutheran Social Service of Puerto Rico (LSS-PR) in addressing survivors’ relief and recovery needs. As of today, more than 2,000 households have been assisted by LSS-PR. But the recovery is far from over. Two years after the 2017 hurricanes, more than 30,000 households are still waiting for assistance to have their homes repaired or rebuilt. The recent earthquakes have only accentuated the devastation many have experienced. CDBG funding from congress is desperately needed to assist survivors with building materials, furniture and labor so that they can rebuild their lives and homes. You can read multiple stories from Lutheran Disaster response here.

Showing support for disaster impacted communities is a longstanding standard and tradition in our national and Lutheran history. As lawmakers discuss an appropriate response, now is the time to tell your representatives to support a holistic emergency package that includes aid to those of us in the greatest need. With a growing number of natural disasters affecting our communities across the U.S., it is also a timely opportunity to express support for authorizing a formal Community Development Block Grant disaster program to ensure a fast-acting federal plan and recovery response to emergencies.

Send a customized message to your lawmakers from the ELCA Action Center to share why as a person of faith you care about helping survivors impacted by disasters.