Relief Efforts after Hurricane Fiona

In the immediate wake of Hurricane Fiona, which battered Puerto Rico on Sunday, September 18th, and Monday, September 19th, and left at least two dead, most residents of the island are still without power, water service, or both.

The Category 3 storm dumped up to 32 inches of rain in some regions, leading to catastrophic flooding and mudslides that threaten to continue. Authorities have only begun to assess the damage.

We have been receiving several questions as well as requests for amplifying relief efforts being made to support the communities in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Please see this list of resources we have gathered and will continue to update. Thank you to our colleagues at the Latina/o Studies Program and the Institute for the Studies of the Americas for the initial lists.

Our thoughts, prayers, and energy are with our community as they rebuild again after this natural disaster.

• Mutual-aid group Brigada Solidaria del Oeste is collecting donations of emergency essentials including water-purification tablets, solar lamps, water filters, and first-aid kits. The organization is collecting monetary donations as well.
• Donate to the Puerto Rican Civic Club of San Jose, California, which is raising funds for solar lights and gas generators.
• Taller Salud, a women-led nonprofit based in Loíza, Puerto Rico, is accepting donations of nonperishable food items, disposable containers, gallons of water, adult and baby diapers, and more. The group is also accepting cash donations via PayPal and some disaster-relief essentials including water filters and solar lanterns.
• Comedores Sociales de Puerto Rico is a community kitchen with programs fighting food insecurity on the island. Monetary donations are accepted here.
• The Hispanic Federation has helped rebuild homes, health centers, and farms, supply solar panels, and more through community-based projects following the devastation of Hurricane Maria.
• The PRxPR Relief and Rebuild Fund, run by the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico, has delivered humanitarian aid to the island in the wake of Hurricane Maria’s devastation.
• COPI – https://copipr.com/
• Casa Protegida Julia de Burgos – https://casajulia.org/
• List of Additional Relief Sites