9 Ways To Help The Bahamas Recover From Hurricane Dorian

We are all saddened to hear of the tragedy in the Bahamas today. While we still don’t know the full extent of the destruction of Category 5 Hurricane Dorian, we can be confident that an already fierce, daily struggle to survive has taken a disastrous turn for many Bahamians.

Like most of you, I wanted to immediately know how I could help. So, I checked in with a few of my friends, people who, not coincidentally, I happen to admire most, and here is what I pulled together. In no particular order:

1. Donate to World Central Kitchen — If you know me, you know how passionate I am about World Central Kitchen and it’s work to deliver fresh meals to people in need! Founder Chef Jose Andres has been on the front line of Puerto Rico’s relief efforts following 2017’s Hurricane Maria. World Central Kitchen is already on the ground providing food to Grand Bahama and the Abacos.
2. Donate to Global Empowerment Mission — My good friend Michael Caponni has have been involved in supporting some of the most significant global tragedies over the last decade, personally assisting in over 200 various aid relief trips around the world. They need monetary donations to go towards purchasing flights and barges to transport aid. If you happen to be in Miami they have 3 warehouses and are accepting donations and volunteers.
3. Donate to The Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund — set up by the Bahamian government, is accepting wire transfers. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency has posted instructions here.
4. Donate to Mercy Corps — They have a team of 5,500+ humanitarians taking on the world’s toughest challenges to help people build better, stronger lives. They sent a field team that’s meeting with emergency managers and other organizations to coordinate response efforts. The organization is accepting money here.
5. Donate to the American Red Cross — The International Federation (IFRC) of the Red Cross and the Bahamas Red Cross are responding. A rapid assessment and response team is moving in to focus on emergency shelter and urgent needs. Red Cross volunteers and staff will also distribute meals and food rations to people who may have gone without food for days, before shifting their focus to distributing cash grants. The American Red Cross is accepting donations by phone at 800–435–7669 or online here.
6. Donate to The Salvation Army — their staff is setting up relief efforts as the first evacuees begin arriving from the Abaco Islands. The Salvation Army corps (church) on Eleuthera island is also ready to receive evacuees as they arrive.
7. Donate to the Grand Bahama Port Authority — The Grand Bahama Port Authority has established the Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation to provide relief to that island. It’s accepting donations and supplies.
8. Donate to Global Giving — Initially, the fund will help first responders meet survivors’ immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, hygiene products, and shelter. The fund will transition to support longer-term recovery efforts run by local, vetted organizations in The Bahamas, the United States, and the Caribbean.
9. Donate to The National Association of the Bahamas — Based in Miami and working with the Bahamas consul general there, has set up a Hurricane Relief Fund. also they set up a drop-off at Christ Episcopal Church in Coconut Grove, FL.

Learn more about the Bahamas — So often we send token amounts of charity to far-flung developing world destinations. Yet, rarely do we have a sense of what life is like there. Thus, one of the ways I believe you can also respond to a tragedy like this is to commit to learning about the Bahamas, it’s culture and wonder, as well as its daunting hardships. To that end, I recommend reading Michael Craton’s book Islanders in the Stream volume one and two to get a taste of the history of the Bahamas. The Bahamas is comprised of 700 islands sprinkled over 100,000 square miles of ocean. The archipelago is home to nearly 400,000 people. It could be days or even weeks before we know the full extent of the damage.

Thanks to all of you for taking action. We owe it to the Bahamas and to each other.

#Bstrong

Juan Carlos