Hurricane Matthew – Can you help?

In recent weeks, we have witnessed the devastating and tragic impact of Hurricane Matthew, which lashed the Caribbean, the coast and inland areas of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Those struggling face a variety of issues – flooded businesses and homes, washed out roads and a lack of power in many areas. Haiti was particularly hard-hit, with a death toll estimated at nearly 800. Our thoughts go out to those still staggering from the effects of the storm who are seeking safety for themselves and loved ones, shelter, food and clean water.

This is a time to aid those in need. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has developed the following list of nonprofit organizations working to bring results and relief. We will continue to add to this list in the coming weeks.

If you have questions about any of these or would like to make a gift from your donor-advised fund, please contact your philanthropic advisor. For your convenience, we have listed Philanthropy Team of the Community Foundation below.

Thank you,

Alicia Philipp

President, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Our Philanthropy team is standing by to help you make a difference!

Response for those affected in the US

Feeding America has compiled a summary of food banks affected by Hurricane Matthew in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Many of the food banks were able to continue operation and have already begun distributing food and water to affected areas. For more information about what’s happening in each area, please visit the Feeding America website for an update.

Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund is a partnership between United Way of Northeast Florida, United Way of St. Johns County, The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, and the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville to assist organizations helping those in Northeast Florida affected by Hurricane Matthew. Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund will make grants only to organizations helping individuals impacted by Hurricane Matthew in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties. The fund will provide resources to meet needs not met by government programs.

The Salvation Army’s Florida, Georgia and North & South Carolina Divisions have set up Incident Command teams at state and local levels. The Salvation Army has set up mobile feeding units in each of these states. These 75 mobile feeding units are capable of producing 1,500 meals per day.

Organizations working internationally

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are treating people for cholera, injuries and other medical conditions and providing support to medical facilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. Many communities along the coast in southern Haiti, as well as inland, were very badly affected by the hurricane. These are areas where basic water and sanitation were already insufficient, and health care provision was often weak and under-funded. The health risks now facing local people have greatly increased after the loss of lives and the damage and destruction of homes, health facilities and roads.

CARE is responding to this devastating storm with clean drinking water, food assistance and emergency supplies such as tarps for shelter, blankets and hygiene kits. CARE is currently providing meals to hundreds of people in evacuation shelters.

MAP International is delivering urgently needed medicines and emergency supplies to those caught in the destruction of Hurricane Matthew. MAP International has sent a container to Haiti including an Interagency Emergency Health Kit that has essential medicines and medical supplies. One kit can treat common diseases for up to 10,000 people for 90 days and is designed to provide healthcare coverage when health systems are disrupted. The organization is also preparing shipments with antibiotics, oral rehydration salts, first-aid kits and other disaster supplies to be rushed to Haiti in the coming days.

Medshare International has sent 11 pallets of supplies to Hope for Haiti, to provide bandages, antiseptics and other emergency response materials which will be used where Hurricane Matthew caused the most damage. Additionally, the organization has collected over 1,000 pounds of supplies from its three locations and is mobilizing volunteers in the US and partner groups in Haiti to sort, pack and distribute these supplies.

Oxfam – Working in coordination with local municipal authorities and the country’s civil protection department, Oxfam is now distributing hygiene kits which include personal cleaning supplies and water purification tablets. The organization is also delivering supplies of clean water to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea. Additionally, Oxfam is distributing temporary roofing material to help families patch their homes, hundreds of thousands of which the hurricane either destroyed or damaged.

Hurricane Matthew – Can you help?

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