Hurricane Maria slams Puerto Rico, Caribbean — here's how to help
Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico Wednesday morning, destroying homes as rain, powerful winds, and floods devastated the island.
The storm is moving northwest tonight, but Puerto Rico has been badly battered. The mayor of San Juan, the country's capital, said the city could go "four to six months without electricity."
Here's how you can help far from the eye of the storm.
Give to charities
The American Red Cross is busy getting supplies to Puerto Rico. Other organizations helping Puerto Rico and other Caribbean nations include Global Giving, UNICEF, Save the Children, and Catholic Charities.
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Dominica was hit hard earlier this week, so a hurricane relief fund has been set up for the island. A Hurricane Maria Community Recovery Fund, organized through the Center for Popular Democracy, is also taking donations.
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A Puerto Rican nonprofit ConPRmetidos is helping bring food, shelter, and water to those affected by the latest storm. They plan to help with long-term recovery eventually.
Smaller crowdfunding efforts are popping up to support Hurricane Maria survivors.
Pass along helpful information
Messages on social media can get important information to people in the storm.
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Facebook has a Community Help page for Hurricane Maria where people can get news and information about storm conditions and post about needed supplies or help.
Give blood
To help those injured from the destruction of the storm -- winds were up to 175 mph -- give blood. The American Red Cross has more information on how to give.
Between hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, the Caribbean and Gulf Coast have been battered. Outside support helps these communities recover.
Topics Activism Social Good
Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.
