Want to help Puerto Ricans?
You want to help Puerto Ricans? Here are some ideas on what you can do to help rebuild Puerto Rico from the mainland.
Volunteer: There are many ways you can volunteer. Even children can be a part of volunteering. What do volunteers do exactly? They can help sort items at collection centers, they can help answer phones, help with donation drives. There are so many things that need doing. Even clean up.
Be a point of contact: During Maria, I was a point of contact of a few of my friends. I was calling their families from the Island to the states and vise versa. It was very rewarding to connect families.
Donations
Donate money: Money will always be needed. To buy supplies or even for shipping of goods. Make sure when you donate, you find an organization where proceeds go completely to the people and don’t get watered down by administration costs of said organization.
Donate goods: And please DON’T DONATE CLOTHES. The most wanted items during a catastrophe are water, food, medication, batteries, flashlights. And if you do want to donate clothes, make sure is clothes that you would wear. Not your rejects and under no circumstances should you donate used underwear. It’s just gross and well most of the time it gets thrown out at collection centers and not sent anyways.
Use your resources: Social media can be amazing to create awareness or get your friends to pitch in to your cause.
Information
Stay informed: During hurricane Irma and Maria a lot of friends were posting on social media information of what was going on. The problem was that information was changing almost every three hours. So that old information kept getting recycled when it was no longer accurate.
Ask: If you know anyone affected or who you think is more informed ask how to help. I have friends who know friends who know friends- how have they helped? They as the friend of the friend of the friend if they can help. And believe it or not that is a form of helping.
Emotional support: you can help people affected by the disaster emotionally supporting them online or in person.
I hope this helps in any way. I know there is much to be done and certainly there is a big need for help. If you find it in your heart to help the people of Puerto Rico or Mexico let me know. We are on a mission to build back the island. Even from afar.
Leave a comment of ways you’ve helped your community during trying times.
