How Can my Community Group or Immigrant Group Be Active in Disaster Relief?

Organizations and groups can make a big difference in helping communities get back on their feet following a major flood, earthquake, landslide, or other natural disaster.  Likely impacts include:

• Houses damaged or destroyed
• Businesses closed
• Injuries and deaths
• Power outages
• No running water
• Bridges and roads damaged or blocked
• Schools, hospitals and other critical facilities damaged

Likely needs include CASH to pay for:

• Shelters
• Immediate house repairs
• Food and water
• Kitchenware
• Bedding and matresses
• Clothing and shoes
• Medicine and other first-aid supplies

Why is CASH so heavily emphasized?

Cash creates multiple beneficiaries by putting money back into the local economy.  It is quickly available, is more affordable than donations (a pound of rice that costs $1 in the United States may be available locally for $0.32, for example), and eliminates the costs and problems of logistics associated with shipping, cleaning, sorting and storing of actual items.

How can my group raise CASH?

• Host a radio telethon
• Have a bake sale
• Have a fundraising dinner and auction of donated items, e.g. concert tickets, movie tickets, hotel stays, sports memorabilia, etc.
• Host a walk-a-thon
• Ask for donations within and outside of HTA membership

The Pan American Development Foundation would like to help your group by setting up a bank account, assuring that funds are placed in the hands of local groups that will guarantee proper usage.  PADF will also seek to match group's donations through the foundation's numerous private sector partners.

After the response phase of a disaster is over, communities will focus on repairing and getting back to normal.  At this stage, PADF can assist groups to help their communities prepare for future disasters by developing mitigation projets.  For example, the your group could help a community build a flood wall to protect flood-vulnerable buildings.  Or, help a community reduce a landslide threat by implementing soil conservation techniques on steep slopes.

PADF can help a group to develop a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.  CERT emphasizes community involvement by training team members in:

• Understanding hazards
• Assessing damage
• Fire suppression
• Light search and rescue
• First-aid

PADF can help the group develop an awareness program using FEMA's ready.gov website, including:

• Preparing a disaster kit
• Developing a disaster plan

PADF can help the group develop a Community-based Mitigation Initiative that emphasizes:

• Organizing a disaster committee
• Identifying hazards and understanding how disasters occur
• Identifying projects that will help avoid or minimize disaster damage
• Implementing projects (PADF can help leverage funds by finding business partners to match funds)