Catastrophe strikes in Puerto Rico. What can you do to help?

On December 28th, 2019, The tropical island of Puerto Rico was shaken down to its foundation. Barely two years since experiencing devastation at the hands of Hurricane Maria, this small paradise was struck by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake that would be the first of many to come over the next few weeks. Mere hours later, an even stronger earthquake rumbled the island. These quakes continued well into January, with a catastrophic 6.4 magnitude event striking on January 7th, which was closely followed by two smaller, yet still terrifying quakes within half an hour.

In the aftermath, buildings crumbled, roads were left inaccessible, and lives were forever changed. Those with homes still standing were afraid to return to them for fear of being inside when the next tremors began. Thousands were left to sleep in cars, shelters, tents, or even sidewalks. Schools, churches, government buildings, and tourist attractions were severely damaged or reduced to rubble. Running water became unavailable for hundreds of thousands of residents. Power plants were damaged, leaving hundreds of thousands more without electricity. One power plant that supplies electricity to over a quarter of the island will not be completely restored for over a year. The total damages are estimated to be in excess of $3.1 billion.

While non-profit organizations and government agencies are scrambling to provide relief, the damage caused is insurmountable for these organizations alone. We at Artlicity have compiled a list of reputable charities and organizations offering relief in the form of donations and volunteers. Check out the links below and consider donating to one of the organizations listed. Some offer general aid while others offer support for specific needs, such as food, home repair, or mental health.

Direct Relief – https://secure.directrelief.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2924&mfc_pref=T&2924.donation=form1

Visit this site to fill out a form to donate. Be sure to check “Direct my donation to:” and choose “Puerto Rico Earthquakes”

Hispanic Federation – https://www.hispanicfederationunidos.org/donate-now-earthquake-emergency

At this website, you can choose for your donation to be applied to general relief and recovery or to mental health services for victims of the earthquakes.

International Medical Corps – https://give.internationalmedicalcorps.org/page/54412/donate/1

All Hands and Hearts – https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/give/42579/#!/donation/checkout

Choose “Puerto Rico Relief” at the “What would you like your donation to support?” list.

American Red Cross – https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/

While the American Red Cross website does not offer a way to donate to Puerto Rico specifically, donations can be specified for disaster relief. You can also text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation (charged through your phone carrier) or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Nuestra Escuela – https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/helping-families-terribly-impacted-by-earthquakes/

Nuestra Escuela has set up a fundraising campaign through GlobalGiving aimed at helping families rebuild their homes.