How We Can Help Survivors of Hurricane Fiona

Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico on Sunday, September 18, leaving at least 8 dead and most island residents without power and running water. (The death toll is expected to rise; Hurricane Maria left 2,975 dead). The then-Category 3 storm dropped up to 30 inches of rain in some areas within a 72-hour period, which caused flooding, landslides, and mass evacuations to shelters — though some 1,000 were trapped in their homes due to rapidly rising floodwaters. 

And as of Friday, September 23, the Puerto Rico Emergency Portal System reports that only 37 percent of island residents have electricity and about 400,000 people still don’t have running water. 

It’s been exactly five years since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, which caused massive damage that the community was still repairing when Fiona hit Sunday. Several nonprofits and organizations are on the ground, helping the people of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic with the overwhelming task of rebuilding yet again in Fiona’s wake. You can help support their critical work by donating to the following.

The Hispanic Federation is a nonprofit that provides support to Latino communities across the U.S. and is currently providing emergency relief services and supplies to those on the island. The Federation is also identifying NGOs in the Dominican Republic, which was also hit hard by Fiona through Tuesday and Wednesday.

​​Brigada Solidaria del Oeste is a Puerto Rican mutual aid fund that is asking for specific items like water purification tablets, solar lamps, first aid kits, and water filters. But the brigade is also taking monetary donations, too, which will be put to use helping those affected by the storm.

The nonprofit Global Giving has started the Hurricane Fiona Relief Fund with a goal to raise $1 million to help deliver food and emergency medical supplies to the island, provide safe shelters, clean water, and hygiene products to displaced Puerto Ricans, and support long-term recovery efforts spearheaded by local organizations.

Community-based feminist organization Taller Salud is also collection tangible donated goods as well as monetary donations. Nonperishable food items, diapers, toiletries, gallons of water, water filters, solar lamps, and more can be sent to the address listed in a Taller Salud Instagram.

PRxPR Relief and Rebuild fund was first launched as a response to Hurricane Maria and is still working with local organizations across the island to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged by Maria and now Fiona. PRxPR is also taking immediate action right now by delivering food, water, and essential items to those in need.

Comedores Sociales was founded in 2013 as a nonprofit to battle hunger in Puerto Rico. The organization wrote on Instagram that they’ve already received enough money to fund their emergency response efforts but are still taking tangible donations at their Caguas headquarters.

To help dogs and other pets stranded in shelters or in need of reuniting with their families, you can donate to The Sato Project, which is working to pet food and supplies to animals in need, and Defensa Animal de Puerto Rico, which has been working to help animals in Puerto Rico since 2013.

Members of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Red Cross are also working with Puerto Rican officials to provide disaster relief.

Though it will take time and strength to rebuild what the island lost in Fiona, by donating funds, food, or water to any of the above organizations, you can help our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico find a slice of comfort and get the island back on its feet just a little bit faster.

This post originally appeared on Apartment Therapy. See it there: How We Can Help Those Affected by Hurricane Fiona