Last hurricane season challenged this community in ways we hadn’t seen in decades – and not just during the storms. The aftermath was equally trying as the region faced an uncertain path toward long-term recovery. Yet, in the midst of such devastation, we saw inspiring signs of hope as people from all walks and regions stepped up, eager to take care of one another. More than 11,000 individuals, corporations and foundations from around the world helped us raise $6.4 million for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts throughout Greater Miami, Florida Keys and the Caribbean islands. Dollars fueled nonprofits’ efforts to distribute food and supplies, repair roofs and build resilience hubs. Now, in the midst of another active hurricane season and with our thoughts on our neighbors in the Carolinas, we reflect on the people who stepped up and collaborative efforts formed that continue to motivate and inspire.
ONE YEAR LATER: GRANTMAKING LESSONS LEARNED FROM HURRICANE IRMA
This month, we mark one year since Hurricane Irma left devastation in its wake throughout the Greater Miami region and Caribbean islands. Local nonprofits and generous donors have played a significant role in helping Miami-Dade and neighboring areas bounce back. Even as the storm loomed, we were getting calls from local and national organizations and people simply wanting to help.
In all, thousands of donors from around the world came together to raise more than $6.4 million, of which we’ve awarded $5.4 million in hurricane recovery grants to help with relief and ongoing recovery work in Miami, the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands most affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The dollars have helped rebuild homes in the U.S. Virgin Islands, support the distribution of hurricane relief food and supplies to Miamians who needed it most and aid long-term disaster preparedness in Puerto Rico. Here’s what we learned about grantmaking after a natural disaster:
Develop local partnerships ahead of time. Relationships with other organization and key community players is all the more important when a disaster strikes. Nurturing them and knowing who to call before a storm or other disaster is critical. The Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund, founded to help those affected by Hurricane Matthew in the Northeast Florida region, is a good example of the kinds of strategic cross-organization collaborations that can work in a crisis. Hurricane Irma exposed the clear need for Miami-Dade County to develop a coordinated community-based preparation and response strategy to complement governmental emergency management systems. While we didn’t have something formal in place at the time, we’re currently working on deepening our own relationships with other backbone organizations to ensure a more cohesive response both in fundraising and grantmaking.
Find out how prospective grantees operate. When it came to making local disaster recovery grants, we realized that although we knew what nonprofits did on a regular, day-to-day basis, we did not fully comprehend the role that they play (or were capable of playing) in times of disaster. The Foundation has since convened nonprofits around the table to better understand this side. In June, we brought together recipients of our hurricane relief funds to discuss needs, opportunities and ways to build up their capacity as a whole. The nonprofits then held their own simulation to practice their neighborhood-based disaster action plans. The sector as a whole needs to be better informed about each other’s roles to ensure appropriate referrals and to start fostering fruitful partnerships.
PUERTO RICO’S STUDENTS FLED IN HURRICANE’S WAKE, MIAMI WELCOMED THEM
In the midst of a crisis that looms larger than life, what seems minor can make a major difference. Take, for instance, the Puerto Rico high school senior who, last fall, found herself attending Miami Edison Senior High School. One of the hundreds of students forced to evacuate hurricane-battered Puerto Rico and temporarily resettle in South Florida, she had to … Read More
LESSONS FROM HURRICANE IRMA: GETTING FOOD TO MIAMIANS WHO NEED IT MOST, POST STORM
Armed with a small grill from home – and as many hot dogs, potato chip bags and water bottles as she could get her hands on two days after Hurricane Irma pummeled Miami – Valencia Gunder headed straight into the heart of Liberty City to serve meals to the area’s residents, many of whom had not eaten since before the storm. When she finished there, the founder of local nonprofit Make the Homeless Smile and her small army of volunteers marched over to Little Haiti and did the same.