Supporting long-term recovery

If you are reading this from the comfort and safety of your home or office, I am grateful, for as I write this we know thousands of Americans are reeling from the second catastrophic hurricane to hit our shores in the last three weeks. They are not alone in their loss. Inland, wildfires have swept across multiple states, forcing hundreds of families to evacuate their homes. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected. 

In these moments of disaster and recovery, as those impacted count their blessings and begin to pick up the pieces, community foundations have become beacons of hope.

We have witnessed community foundations in Texas, Montana and Florida rise up as leaders in their communities, providing immediate assistance, and making the commitment to be a consistent, stable resource long-term as people rebuild. Locally, the Quad Cities is prepared for long-term recovery in the Quad Cities with the Quad Cities Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund, which supports the organizations who are meeting the needs of our community’s most vulnerable. Every dollar goes toward the months following a disaster when efforts transition from emergency response to community recovery. 

And, we have our own disaster plan at the Community Foundation thanks to our participation in the Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency, and Emergency Partnership (PPREP) program. So, too, do several nonprofits have plans for how they would operate during a disaster thanks to participation in the program we offered.

If you’re like me, you may have heard people comment that they feel helpless to help the people in Houston, the Florida Keys, or across Montana. But we are not helpless. One of the most effective ways to provide assistance in the long-term to those who could use our help not just today, but many months from now, is through a community foundation. Whether it’s donating directly, or partnering with an organization supported by the foundation, it makes a difference.

We stand in solidarity with our fellow community foundations across the country, knowing that someday it might be our community struck by the unexpected. Until then, know that the Quad Cities are a safer place, because we have prepared. 

If you would like to give to the efforts underway in Texas, Montana, and Florida, consider donating through Greater Houston Community Foundation at www.ghcf.org, Montana Community Foundation at www.mtcf.org, and Southwest Florida Community Foundation at www.floridacommunity.com.