In the aftermath of this year’s series of devastating earthquakes in Puerto Rico, local nonprofits across the island are providing crucial services to thousands of affected Puerto Ricans.

Current and former NCRP nonprofit members and coalition partners supporting recovery efforts include Taller Salud, The Center for Popular Democracy’s (CPD) Maria Fund and coalition partner Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP).

Taller Salud’s work is threefold. It is raising money for organizations working in the impacted communities; setting up a fund to cover reproductive justice services and accepting donations for women’s health needs; and co-creating a public pressure advocacy campaign to allow Puerto Ricans to speak out in their time of crisis.

Meanwhile, HIP is on the ground in Puerto Rico and is organizing its network to direct resources to grassroots organizations and identify where to best drive support. Its urgent campaign goal is to raise $15,000 by Feb. 3.

Meanwhile, HIP is on the ground in Puerto Rico and is organizing its network to direct resources to grassroots organizations and identify where to best drive support. Its urgent campaign goal is to raise $15,000 by Feb. 3.

CPD is also using its Maria Fund, started in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, to mobilize long-term support for groups working on the island.

CPD’s Julio Lopez Varona says that these natural disasters would have a less devastating impact on the Puerto Rican people if greater investment was made in the island’s physical and social infrastructure.

Along with the physical destruction of buildings and loss of lives also comes a social, emotional and psychological difficulties for Puerto Ricans. The earthquakes displaced more than 4,000 people with many scared to return to their homes for fear of more to come. Only 20% of schools in Puerto Rico have reopened due to safety concerns, denying children a crucial part of their childhood: education.

To address this social turmoil, one NCRP member, Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción, has activated its civic engagement for disaster response strategy.

The current humanitarian crisis is yet another opportunity for the philanthropic sector to show how much it can lead in supporting impacted marginalized communities.

Read the full article about the Puerto Rico recovery efforts by Adam Fishbein at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.