Use Your Fund to Respond to Natural Disasters
The last year and a half has been full of never-ending emergencies affecting the nation from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti, the devastating Hurricane Ida that made landfall in Louisiana, to the spreading of wildfires in California along the western coast.
When disaster strikes, relief and recovery efforts are led by the people and organizations who live and work in the affected communities. Donations are needed to help offset the extraordinary emergency response and recovery efforts during – and following – the disaster.
At the St. Louis Community Foundation, we encourage donors to give to community foundations that serve affected communities, as they are the philanthropic ‘first responders’ for those regions during natural hazards and crises. Also, they are leaders in the long-term work of rebuilding, recovery, and resilience.
Benefits of Giving to a Community Foundation
Community foundations are a wise choice for disaster giving because:
- They are rooted in the communities they serve and know exactly what is needed following a disaster.
- They have already vetted reputable nonprofits, so you won’t have to.
- They can distribute funds quickly to agencies that need them most.
Giving to Specific Nonprofits
Giving directly to specific nonprofits can also help serve individuals and families that live in their respective communities. When supporting relief organizations, consider marking your gift as general operating support. By doing so, you enable the organization to direct those funds where they are needed most.
Donors can help support communities in crisis by contributing to the following relief funds and/or specific nonprofits:
Help Haiti
- CRUDEM Foundation Haiti Health Promise
- World Central Kitchen
- Partners in Health
- UNICEF
- CARE
- MercyCorps
- Hope for Haiti
Hurricane Ida
Louisiana has the following relief funds available for donations:
- Baton Rouge Area Foundation – Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund
- Greater New Orleans Foundation – Disaster Response and Restoration Fund
- The Community Foundation of Acadiana also has three relief funds:
- Acadiana Disaster Response Fund provides immediate relief to Acadiana residents affected by parish, state, or federally declared natural disasters.
- Realtor Association of Acadiana Disaster Relief Fund was created after the hurricanes in 2008 as a proactive measure, so that funds will be available in the event of another declared disaster.
- Martin Parish Disaster Relief Fund is an endowment fund that helps parish residents recover after a disaster has occurred. 50 percent of all contributions are used to build an endowment, so the funds are available immediately following a disaster.
Mississippi
- Community Foundation for Mississippi – Mississippi Community Response & Recovery Fund
Wildfire Relief
- Community Foundation of the North State: Community Disaster Relief Fund
- Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation: Tahoe/Truckee Emergency Response Fund
- Community Foundation for Mendocino County: Community Resiliency and Preparedness Fund; Disaster Fund for Mendocino County
- California Community Foundation: Wildfire Recovery Fund
- Humboldt Area Foundation: Disaster Response & Resilience Fund
- El Dorado Community Foundation: Caldor Fire Fund
- Inland Empire Community Foundation: Disaster Relief Fund
- Community Foundation for Monterey County: Fire Relief Fund
- Napa Valley Community Foundation: Disaster Relief Fund
- North Valley Community Foundation: Wildfire Relief & Recovery Fund
- Placer Community Foundation: River Fire Fund
- Community Foundation Santa Cruz:Fire Response Fund
- Community Foundation Sonoma County: Resilience Fund
- Ventura County Community Foundation: Thomas, Hill and Woolsey Wildfire Recovery Funds
- Solano Community Foundation:Solano Disaster Relief Fund
- San Diego Foundation: San Diego Regional Disaster Fund
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation: San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties Wildfire Relief Fund
St. Louis Community Foundation Fund Holders
You can make a grant from your fund for response efforts using Fund Central or by contacting Wendy Witte at wwitte@stlgives.org or Julia Lucas at jlucas@stlgives.org.