How You Can Help Victims of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico

On September 18, a Category 1 hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico, causing catastrophic flooding, landslides and blackouts. Upon making landfall, Hurricane Fiona brought winds of over 100 mph and up to 30 inches of rain in some areas of the island. At least 10 rivers have flooded.

Per AP News, the rising waters have submerged cars, houses and an airport runway. The torrential rain and heavy flooding have washed away a recently constructed bridge in the town of Utuado and ripped asphalt from roads. Hundreds of residents have reportedly been evacuated, including patients at health care facilities where generators stopped working. Puerto Rico governor Pedro Pierluisi confirmed that power was out across the entire island as of late on September 18.

The devastation of Hurricane Fiona arrived just days before the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria, the Category 4 hurricane that struck the island in 2017, wrecking its power grid system and killing nearly 3,000 people. The devastation from Hurricane Maria still remains widespread; thousands of homes still use tarps as roofs, and power outages remain pervasive despite reconstruction efforts.

As Hurricane Fiona continues to impact Puerto Rico, the Community Foundation of Puerto Rico activated the Community Recovery Fund for Puerto Rico to support the work of non-profit organizations that are responding to the emergency.

To donate, please click here and choose "Fondo de Recuperación Comunitaria para Puerto Rico" (Community Recovery Fund for Puerto Rico) from the drop-down menu.

Donations can also be made through your donor-advised fund by logging into MyFund or by contacting a member of our team at donorservices@ircommunityfoundation.org or 772.492.1407.