Rescue Efforts & Places to Donate - Texas, Mexico & Puerto Rico

A slew of natural disasters has hit across the globe. The key areas of impact include Mexico, the Southern States like Texas and the Caribbean Islands - with Puerto Rico seeing the devastating aftermath from the recent Hurricane Maria. Many are wondering how you can help and where to donate. I am a firm believer that alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much. If there is one thing I have been reminded of as I have seen the social media and news coverage, it is that we are first and foremost, brothers and sisters and in our darkest times of need, so many heroes come to light. It is a beautiful thing to see others working hard to help one another to overcome.

We've rounded up some organizations that have been vetted and some that are local sending funds and aid to some of the hardest hit regions .

Texas 
After Hurricane Harvey made landfall and dropped more than 2 feet of rain, thousands of people in Houston and along the Gulf Coast have been displaced. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the entire Texas National Guard.

You can donate to Global Giving's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund HERE.

Puerto Rico

Currently, the entirety of Puerto Rico is without power, and may not recuperate for months. Governor Ricardo Rosselló explains that the power grid is “a little bit old, mishandled and weak,” due to a long-existing recession. The total number of casualties from the hurricane is currently unknown, and an assessment of damage cannot be made until officials can safely flyover to survey what remains. The Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in Chicago has organized a fundraiser event, but donations can also be sent via PayPal. 

Mexico 

A devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mexico City on Tuesday, killing at least 139 people. With power and phone lines down, people are having trouble getting in touch with loved ones. To make matters more stressful, the country was already recovering from an earthquake that hit less than two weeks ago.

In the aftermath of the devastating September 19 earthquake that struck Mexico, people in and out of the country have urged others to donate to Topos, a Mexico-based organization that launched after the deadly 1985 earthquake. For three decades, the company has helped with relief efforts in Mexico and around the world. Although some are linking this to a fake donation center this is a real organization. PayPal confirmed that Brigada de Rescate Topos Tlatelolco A.C. had a legitimate account with the company, and that it was the only Topos group – of which there are several – that had one, according to Huffington Post.

Social media is also helping people locate loved ones and reconnect families. Google has activated even activated its people finder platform where people can share information about someone or ask for help locating a friend or family member and someone created a list a list of rescued people is growing on a public Google Spreadsheet.

I hope you that you can help where you can. Any donation helps, but even if monetary aid can't be shared, please consider sharing this post to get the word out about these organizations working to help aid in the relief efforts. 

Take care- 

Jen Lezan - Editor in Chief