Puerto Rico needs your help.
The страны где порнография разрешеныisland experienced a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on Jan. 7, which was coupled with heavy seismic activity before and after. Following that, NPR reported Friday that thousands lack permanent shelter. At least one person has died, according to NBC News.
Amidst the destruction, one thing a lot of people lack, according to Frankie Miranda, president of the Latino empowerment organization Hispanic Federation, is hope.
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“People feel like they can’t control what’s going to happen to their lives. They feel like there’s no hope here,” Miranda said. “All you see on the news is people saying that they need to leave.”
In part, that’s because the devastation currently facing the island is only compounded by the lingering aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the deadly hurricane that hit the island in 2017, Miranda said. Some of the federal funding meant to provide disaster relief for the hurricane never arrived.
“It would be a different experience if Hurricane Maria didn’t unfold like it did,” Miranda said.
Now, Puerto Ricans are weathering not just the current disaster, but also the damaged infrastructure that has persisted since Hurricane Maria.
"Puerto Rico has not ever recovered from Hurricane Maria," Miranda explained.
As ongoing relief efforts continue to help those in Puerto Rico, it's important to remember the necessity of mental health services: Miranda says that the jolt spurred from another natural disaster "triggers all the memories from Hurricane Maria."
Helping ease the trauma Puerto Ricans are facing right now can start with you. Read on to learn how to assist organizations supporting mental health efforts in Puerto Rico.
Hispanic Federation
Hispanic Federation, a nonprofit that aims to empower the Latino community in the U.S. through advocacy, also provided relief efforts after Hurricane Maria, a time in which Miranda said the mental health needs of those on the island became evident.
Among other earthquake relief efforts, right now, they're providing solar lamps to those without power around the island, which Miranda said are crucial for helping the mental state of those reliving the trauma of being without electricity after Hurricane Maria.
Beyond that, Hispanic Federation has also partnered with the University of Puerto Rico to provide mental health services that directly focus on trauma therapy after natural disasters. Crucially, Miranda said, they're not just offering these services in urban centers. Health providers are going into rural communities to give people the help they need, wherever they are.
You can donate directly to UNIDOS, the Hispanic Federation's initiative that works to ensure that Puerto Rico disaster relief has long-term benefits, here. (Make sure to select "Mental Health Services in Puerto Rico" if you want your money to support that specifically. You can also select "Puerto Rico Relief and Recovery.")
International Medical Corps
In addition to providing hygiene kits, tents, blankets, and food and water, International Medical Corps is offering psychological first aid to displaced people in the island's south.
Psychological first aid ranges from distributing information about how to cope with trauma to referring people to mental health resources and professionals. The Puerto Rico team and volunteers for the nonprofit focused on delivering emergency healthcare have been giving psychological first aid to those staying in official shelters and others living in cars and tents. Many taking refuge in non-traditional shelters are afraid of aftershocks, Todd Bernhardt, director of global communications, said in an email.
After Hurricane Maria in 2017, International Medical Corps trained 400 Puerto Ricans to provide psychological first aid on their own.
You can support International Medical Corps' efforts in Puerto Rico by donating here, but money may not be specifically earmarked for the organization's mental health work.
Direct Relief
Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency response to vulnerable communities, has also been responding to the mental health needs of those on the island.
According to Direct Relief representatives, the organization has organized and deployed teams of counselors and psychiatrists to shelters in impacted areas. It's also hosted a free health fair in Guánica, the hardest-hit municipality, providing mental health screenings and counseling sessions.
Additionally, Direct Relief is delivering shipments of mental health medication that was requested by doctors in order to treat the increased need prompted by the earthquake.
To support Direct Relief's work in Puerto Rico, donate here. (You can select "Puerto Rico Earthquakes" to generally help Direct Relief's efforts there, but money may not be specifically earmarked for mental health efforts.)
Americares
A health-focused relief organization, Americares has had a base of operations in Puerto Rico since 2017 to oversee its Hurricane Maria Recovery Program.
Now, it's deployed mental health experts in order to assist families displaced by the earthquakes.
"The earthquakes have severely impacted communities still recovering from Hurricane Maria,” Dr. Brenda Rivera-García, Puerto Rico director for Americares, said in a statement. "Our mental health experts are out in one of the hardest-hit communities helping survivors fearful of more aftershocks and long-term power outages. Many families are staying in shelters, or in tent camps, because they are afraid to return home."
If you're interested in donating to Americare, follow this link. (The donation page states that money goes generally to vulnerable families in both Puerto Rico and around the world. Donations may not go specifically to Puerto Rico.)
There are also some organizations providing other forms of aid to Puerto Rico. Donate to Heart to Heart International's Puerto Rico earthquake relief efforts here. Donate to to Mercy Corps' Bahamas and Puerto Rico relief efforts here. Charity Navigator, the nation's largest charity evaluator, says both are currently providing communities in Puerto Rico with rebuilding support following the destruction of Hurricane Maria.
Topics Health Mental Health Social Good