Hurricane Ian Has Hit Cuba & Florida. Here’s How To Donate To Those In Need.

Residents of Cuba and Florida are currently facing the impact of Hurricane Ian — an ongoing Category 3 hurricane that first made landfall in Cuba on the morning of Sept. 27. By the evening, the entire island was out of power due to infrastructural damage. The storm has since built momentum and is continuing towards the southwest coast of Florida with top wind speeds up to 130 miles per hour.

According to NBC, the storm may be on course to progress into a Category 4 hurricane, which would increase its impact on the reported 2.5 million Florida residents in evacuation territories. CNN reports that Florida residents are threatened with a storm surge warning – meaning that the storm could be life-threatening, and those in the area will experience dangerous amounts of flooding and wind damage.

If you are in an area unaffected by the storm, it can be easy to feel helpless while keeping up with what’s going on. For those who would like to take action, there are plenty of ways to remotely offer support to the residents of Cuba and Florida.

Here are five ways to support Cuba and Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

GlobalGiving

GlobalGiving’s Hurricane Ian Relief Fund aims to offer support to first responders who are providing emergency resources to hurricane victims and also aids local organizations with their relief efforts. You can donate here.

DirectRelief

Humanitarian aid organization DirectRelief’s mission is to “improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.” Active in all 50 states and across 80 countries, DirectRelief accepts donations to ensure there are enough resources for emergency relief efforts across all of the impacted areas.

Florida Disaster Fund

The Florida Disaster Fund, according to its website, is the state of Florida’s official private fund for emergency disaster recovery. Donations to the organization will be distributed across various groups that help with response and relief efforts. You can donate on their site or by texting “DISASTER” to 20222.

The People’s Forum

New York-based organization The People’s Forum has highlighted Cuba’s community-based hurricane response groups that provide shelter to residents along with other recovery efforts. You can donate to their fund for Cuban relief efforts here.

Roots of Hope: Give to Cuba Fund

Roots of Hope is a Cuban nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a mission to support Cuban youth. The organization recently started a Give to Cuba fund, which they say will work to send food, medicine, and other supplies to the island. This group will also provide cellphone recharges so people can contact their families.