Faith Organizations Providing Help to Puerto Rico
List provided by PICO National Network
It has been more than 2 weeks since Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico and earthquakes caused death and destruction in Mexico, and several months since Harvey and Irma battered Texas, Louisiana and Florida.
In each case, recovery will take many months and years – but much depends on the scope and timeliness of the initial response. Families throughout Puerto Rico continue to experience tremendous hardship as they struggle to survive without electricity, water, access to fresh food, and medicines needed to manage chronic illness.
It is estimated that the island will be without power for at least 6 months and, currently, approximately 60% of the island is without water. That means it is up to us as people of faith and action to support our sisters and brothers in what is quickly turning into a major humanitarian crisis. Our brothers and sisters in Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Florida also need to feel our love and compassion.
As we continue to support organizing efforts to spur the administration to respond appropriately, we also want to urge you to continue giving to disaster relief and recovery efforts led by a variety of religious organizations. We are happy to report that your gifts from our previous appeals are helping to deliver generators and other critical supplies to communities in Puerto Rico, and is enabling a community of religious sisters to purchase essential similar supplies for families in Mexico City and Oaxaca.
See below for a list of religious organizations who have the experience and capacity to provide effective disaster-relief assistance to these communities who desperately need it. Thank you for your compassion and support.
Church of God Southeast Region (Iglesia de Dios Florida) Disaster Fund
Jewish Federations of North America
National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries
United Methodist Committee on Relief
National Latino Evangelical Coalition
The island of Puerto Rico–a disenfranchised U.S. colony which was already suffering from great economic neglect–has been hit by two devastating earthquakes in a matter of weeks. Though Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, the federal government has been reluctant to provide the support that mainland disasters in Houston and Florida have been receiving.
Puerto Rican relief will be a long-term effort. It is estimated that the island will be without power for at least 6 months and, currently, approximately 75% of the island is without water. This means that it is up to us as people of faith and action to support our sisters and brothers in what is quickly turning into a major humanitarian crisis.
A good resource for donating to Puerto Rican relief efforts on the ground is through the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC). NaLEC is a LIVE FREE partner and consists of a large network of Latino churches committed to justice in the public sphere, with hundreds of Latino partner congregations throughout the continental United States and Puerto Rico. NaLEC is coordinating the delivery of funds and supplies to their network of sister churches on the island, which are serving as designated centers for the distribution of food, water, generators, and other supplies.
In order to donate to this effort, please click on this link: https://fs7.formsite.com/NaLEC/form10/index.html
Let us also take this opportunity to educate ourselves about Puerto Rico and other U.S. colonies where millions of black and brown people are recruited to fight in our wars, but are not allowed to vote. For more information on this, please check out: http://www.equalrightsnow.org
Let’s help our sisters and brothers stay alive and free!
Oxfam
Since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, millions of its residents – US citizens – are struggling to survive without food, clean water, or electricity. Despite having the resources to do so, the US government’s emergency response has been inadequate – so we’re pursuing preparations to step up our resources to make sure the island’s 3.4 million residents receive immediate aid.
The situation is dire, Sandra. More than half of the island is without clean water. The threat of deadly waterborne diseases hangs heavily over rural communities. Families need our help.
Give now and your donation will go directly to help people suffering in the wake of this disaster.
It’s rare that Oxfam engages in disaster relief efforts in places where the government has the capacity to respond appropriately – but this is different. We cannot deny that this situation is exceptional. Puerto Rico needs help.
That’s why we’re calling on the President and Congress to immediately scale up emergency aid to help Puerto Ricans recover from this crisis, and to help the island rebuild sustainably.
We can’t afford to wait on the US government’s slow and inadequate response when people are in desperate need. So we’re not waiting – and we hope you aren’t either. Make an emergency gift now.
Millions of residents are currently without electricity due to a downed electrical grid. Food and fuel are in desperately short supply. The elderly and the sick are at grave risk as hospitals run out of fuel to keep generators running.
That’s why we’re doing everything we can to support local organizations to meet Puerto Ricans’ most urgent needs right now. We’ll also be supporting the people of Puerto Rico to advocate in Congress for more resources to rebuild back stronger than they were before.
Sandra, can we count on your support during this time of grave challenge for Puerto Rico? Step up with an emergency donation now.
Thank you for stepping up to help your fellow Americans during this time of extraordinary crisis.
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