Puerto Rico Disaster Relief – Supporting Communities after Hurricane Fiona

Hurricane Fiona struck the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico on September 13^th, 2022. The storm brought with it massive rainfall, with some regions receiving over 30 inches. The flooding and it’s resulting damage, have cause the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service to declare a Public Health Emergency on the island, with the Puerto Rican National Guard being deployed to aid in Search and Rescue and humanitarian missions.

The damage brought on by Hurricane Fiona is compounded by Puerto Rico’s already beleaguered infrastructure. Even several weeks after the storm, hundreds of thousands living on the island are without electricity or access to clean water. Although Fiona may not have been as severe as Hurricane Maria in 2017, which killed over 3,000, the effects are compounding, as many of the damage brought on by Maria has yet to be repaired. Undoubtedly, Puerto Rico’s economy will take a multibillion-dollar hit and potentially leave some residents without power for months to come.

How to support current disaster relief efforts during the Annual Giving Drive:

Whenever a natural disaster or emergency strikes, one of the year-round resources we offer our employees is a one-stop list of King County Employee Giving Program nonprofits that are responding. Workplace Giving dollars are incredibly valuable for these organizations to plan for the unexpected and invest in long-term services.  Bookmark this page; we’ll add more organizations as they are approved!

*Tip* PeopleSoft is set up to process only one online transaction, we suggest you submit your disaster giving donation at the same time as your Annual Giving pledge. If you wish to provide other donations or pledges, simply download and submit the pledge paper form and email it to employeegiving@kingcounty.gov.

Listed below are several of the Employee Giving Program nonprofits (as well as their organization number) that are providing relief to the victims of Hurricane Fiona.

Organization	KCEGP Code	Summary
American Red Cross	9343	People in many areas of Puerto Rico are still living without power and running water more than a week after Hurricane Fiona hit the island. More than 270 American Red Cross disaster workers, many with no power or water themselves, are working around the clock with our partners to provide comfort and support. Some of the government opened and managed shelters are being powered by solar systems made possible by a Red Cross contribution of nearly $1.5 million after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Along with our partners, we delivered solar power to 160 schools at that time, many of them serving as emergency shelters today.
Americares	3540	Americares is offering assistance to health facilities in Puerto Rico and we are prepared to deliver medicine, relief supplies and provide emergency funding to help repair damaged health centers. The Americares team based in San Juan is contacting partner health facilities to assess the most immediate health needs. There likely will be a need to replace medication and medical supplies damaged due to the flooding and power outages. There is and will continue to be urgent need for: fuel support, solar power, hygiene kits, insulin, and psychological first aid.
International Medical Corps	3526	International Medical Corps is supporting recovery efforts across the island, focusing on ensuring that healthcare facilities can reopen their doors and maintain normal hours of operations. Teams have started assessments and begun distributing portable vaccine cold-chain equipment, medicines and other critical supplies. International Medical Corps will continue to focus on providing mental health and psychosocial support services to communities across the island that are coping with the loss and uncertainty caused by repeated disasters. As conditions ease, our teams will also continue to implement nutrition activities that educate parents, caregivers and children on the correct management of food in times of crisis, as well as counseling on breastfeeding and infant and young-child feeding (IYCF) practices for new and expectant mothers.
Islamic Relief USA	3595	Islamic Relief USA’s Disaster Management Team has been working closely with members of the National VOAD (National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) to build a humanitarian response to help families affected.
Mercy Corps	3505	In the wake of Hurricane Fiona, Mercy Corps is surging support to local organizations we have worked with since Hurricane Maria in 2017 so they can distribute urgently needed items like food, potable water, and hygiene products. The quick activation of Mercy Corps-supported Resilience Hubs after Hurricane Fiona illustrates how community organizations know their community needs best and are the best first responders during emergencies.
Oxfam America	3515	Oxfam has partnered with wonderful partners on the ground, and they are already working to assess and address the urgent needs of our communities. Among them: Casa Pueblo, Observatory for Gender Equity, Bosque Modelo, Resilient Power Puerto Rico, and Coordinadora Paz para la Mujer. From emergency access to electricity, to distributing solar lamps and clean water, they are working around the clock to help save lives, and then and get back on that path to recovery started in 2017.
Project HOPE	3513	Project HOPE has deployed emergency response teams to support teams on the ground in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Fiona, which has caused catastrophic flooding and left millions without water and electricity. As the storm strengthens and approaches Bermuda, Project HOPE will continue assessing the impacts on health facilities and identifying the most urgent medical needs of those impacted.
Salvation Army	3570	As Puerto Rico continues to battle with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, The Salvation Army is mobilizing its national Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) network to provide mass feeding, sheltering, clean-up support, personal hygiene kits, and emotional and spiritual care to survivors and first responders. Since Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico, an extensive network of highly trained EDS disaster professionals and volunteers has been on the ground serving the community across the island.
World Vision	3564	We maintain a system of pre-positioning sites, including several field sites in the U.S., that allows us to dispatch emergency relief supplies quickly when a hurricane or other disaster strikes. We partner with more than 40,000 churches worldwide, which can streamline delivery of supplies in hard-to-reach areas. During and after a crisis, we provide food, water, hygiene, and other basic relief items, including clean-up supplies. We also promote personal hygiene practices to guard against deadly disease outbreaks.

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