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Hurricane Dorian is on record as the second most powerful hurricane to stir the Atlantic seas at 180 mph. It has devastated the Bahamas killing at least 45 people and the number is expected to rise. Thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed. Recently, around 130 Bahamians who were set to seek shelter in Florida were kicked off a ferry. So supplies and relief workers need support to help them and the other 75,000 residents left to deal with the chaos the hurricane left behind. Here are a few organizations that are doing the work:
1) Team Rubicon
The nonprofit is made up of over 100,000 volunteers and 70 percent of them are veterans. After seeing the impact of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 2010, Marines Jake Wood and William McNulty took action. The two brought together a group of veterans and they used their training and skills to help. This eventually grew into Team Rubicon. They will assist the Bahamas with route clearance and cleanup to make sure supplies get to people in need, and damage mitigation and assessment. You can donate to their efforts here.
2) Americares
Medical care is crucial when a storm hits. Americares provides that medical aid to those ravaged by disaster. The organization is the oldest one on the list and has been operating for 40 years. Now, they're in the process of assessing the medical needs of those in the Bahamas. They're sending medical teams along with emergency shipments of medicine. To contribute to their efforts you can click here.
3) World Central Kitchen
In 2010, celebrity chef José Andrés and his wife Patricia had a dream of solving poverty and hunger, and that dream evolved into World Central Kitchen. The organization provides food relief to areas turned upside down by natural disasters. They collaborate with local chefs, offer culinary training for food stability and create jobs. Andrés and his team went to Nassau and are identifying places where they can set up kitchens to serve those affected. To donate to the food program click here.
4) HeadKnowles
This Bahamian-based organization was created this year. What once was a small group of people on Facebook blossomed into a big movement. They first started providing relief for Hurricane Joaquin victims in 2015. They then assisted after Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and now are helping after the recent storm. Volunteers are asking for generators, tarps, air mattresses, baby formula, water filtration devices and several other items for the victims. You can find their GoFundMe page here.
5) Local Long Island Donations
Jibaritos with Troops and KBG have partnered to set up five locations where people can donate much-needed supplies. One of the stations, CSI Salon in Farmingville, is no stranger to charity work. Celebrity stylist and TV personality Martino Cartier, who owns the salon, created Wigs and Wishes, an effort designed to donate hair replacement and styling services to women battling cancer.
6) All Hands and Hearts
All Hands and Hearts was birthed out of the partnership between David Campbell and Petra Němcová in 2017. Like Team Rubicon, they dedicate their efforts to repairing damage left by natural disasters. Volunteers will be landing in the area and assessing the destruction starting Sept. 10. Their plan is to come up with creative short-term and long-term solutions to rebuild the community by cleaning up, fixing infrastructure and offering education to the youth. You can donate or volunteer here.
7) The New Florida Majority
This social justice organization encourages a culture of diversity and inclusiveness. The New Florida Majority works to expand democracy and help the disenfranchised and marginalized. Their partnerships with several local Florida organizations has allowed them to create centers that provide relief in the form of food, supplies and other resources. Originally, the centers were set up to help Floridians, but when they realized they would be sparred the brunt of the storm, they still continued their efforts to help those in the Bahamas. Donations can be made here.
8) Miami-Dade Cares
The Miami-Dade government has set up a movement, Miami-Dade Cares, and a website to coordinate donations for the Bahamas, which is just a short distance away from the Florida. Donations can be made here. There is also an Amazon wish list they've created with items such as axes, soup and toilet paper that are needed for the residents.
9) Airlink
The relief organization Airlink was formed in late 2009 and focuses on the transport of relief workers and provisions to areas dealing with storms and its aftermath. Similar to Team Rubicon, they sprung into action after the earthquake in Haiti struck. They've partnered with over 40 airlines like JetBlue and Spirit Airlines and over 80 nonprofits such as the previously mentioned organization Americares. You can donate to their efforts here.
10) NetHope
During a natural disaster, communication is more key than ever. NetHope partners with over 60 technology companies to improve the transfer of data among responders during crises while seeing how technology can continue to problem-solve. They've sent a team to consult with the government to see what communications needs can be met. To help the organization in their efforts, you can donate here.
The effects of Hurricane Dorian are everlasting, but we can at least make an effort to bring some relief to the victims by doing our part.