Ten ways to help Puerto Rico or make a refugee’s life a little less miserable in 2018.
I’ve been loving all the memes of 2017’s butt getting booted by 2018. It was a rough year, far worse than 2016 (remember how, at the end of 2016, we were all calling it THE WORST YEAR EVER? Of course, we lost George Michael. And Prince. And David Bowie. And Carrie Fisher, for Chrissake. 2017 showed us how dramatic we were being.)
A week after Old Rump’s first (FIRST!!) refugee/Muslim travel ban went into effect, a friend of mine observed, “How are we going to survive four years if every week feels like an eternity?”
Tasha and I started NeedsList in 2016 to give people tangible ways to help refugees in Europe. In the six short months since we launched our beta, we’ve expanded to other continents and to disaster relief, too (because, um, hurricanes and fires). We’ve been overwhelmed by the needs, but also (positively) to the response to our platform. People who wrote us things like: “I finally have a way I feel like I can do something for refugees,” and “This is exactly what’s needed, right now.” And my personal favorite:
First, let me say that with all the real optimism my heart can muster right now, I sincerely hope 2017 will go down as the biggest garbage fire of a year in American history. Now that we’ve entered 2018, I offer you the following ten tangible ways to help people in Puerto Rico and refugees around the world.
Puerto Rico
1. Food for food kitchens in Puerto Rico
Why now? Three months after Hurricane Maria hit the island, much of Puerto Rico remains without power. The country’s infrastructure has been destroyed, leaving many Puerto Ricans food insecure. Centro de Ayuda Social is a 50 year-old nonprofit that has been providing over 15,000 meals per month across the island since the hurricane hit. Donate now to help Centro de Ayuda deliver more meals across Puerto Rico.
2. Mosquito repellant for families in Puerto Rico
Why now? Without reliable running water, Puerto Ricans have been using buckets and rainwater to bathe and for drinking. Disease-carrying mosquitos are one of the biggest threats to people’s health in Puerto Rico at the moment. The nonprofit Aspira needs mosquito repellant to distribute during its workshops to residents on how to protect themselves against mosquito-borne disease. $8.85 each. Buy now
3. Adult hygiene products
Why now? Senior citizens have been the last ones to evacuate. Centro Para Puerto Rico is purchasing adult diapers and other hygiene products to distribute across the island. Donate now
Europe
4. Winter Jackets for Refugees on Lesvos
Why now? Over 6,000 refugees are currently living on the island of Lesvos. The official capacity on the island is under 3,000. Hundreds are still arriving weekly — sleeping outside, without even a tent for shelter. To learn more, read this New York Times editorial about the situation in Moria, the largest of the camps on the island. The grassroots NGOs serving the island need hundreds of winter jackets. These are extra warm ones from a supplier in Athens that cost $45 each. Buy Now.
5. Sleeping bags for homeless refugees in Rome
Why now? Last week, a homeless asylum seeker froze to death on the streets of Rome. He didn’t even have a blanket. Let that sink in for a minute. Someone who fled persecution in his home country died on the streets of Italy, where he had come for protection. The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center serves these homeless refugees because nobody else will. They have an urgent need for sleeping bags. $20. Buy now.
6. MicroSD cards with Asylum Rights Information for Refugees in Greece
Why now? Access to information might just be the most precious commodity in Greece right now. As newly arrived refugees struggle to make sense of how to gain access to asylum, the volunteers at RefuComm have created an incredible video to teach refugees how to apply for asylum. Their ingenious solution for distributing it? They load MicroSD cards with the videos and distribute them to refugees to watch on their phones. $5.75 buys a single card. Buy now
7. Diapers for babies in Athens
Why now? When asylum seekers and refugees make it to Athens, they still need help covering the basics. Solidarity Now works across Athens and the North of Greece to provide moms with diapers for their babies. These are necessary but costly items. $11 buys enough diapers for a week for one baby. Buy now.
Bangladesh
8. Funding for Fresh Produce, Prenatal Care & More for Rohingya refugees
Why now? Over 650,000 Rohingya have fled a campaign of brutal ethnic cleansing in their home country of Myanmar for Bangladesh. Refugee Support Europe is now providing food and materntiy care for over 6,000 Rohingya refugees at the Tumbru Camp in Bangladesh, a small stretch of No Man’s Land between the borders of Bangladesh and Myanmar which makes it hard for the large agencies to help. Your donation is spent locally — on fruit and vegetable vendors and on health providers that will sustain these refugees through unimaginably difficult times. Donate now.
Kenya
9. Dignity Kits for Refugee Women in Kenya
Why now? The majority of refugees in Kenya are from Somalia, where they have fled civil war since the 1990s. The Unmentionables distributes reusable period kits to newly-arrived women and. Kits contain a combination of period underwear, shields, liners, cloth bags, reusable bags for soiled fabric, a period tracking chart, care/wash instructions, and soap. $10 each. Buy Now
United States
10. Blankets for refugees in Charlotte, NC
Why now? The current administration has slashed funding for refugee resettlement agencies. The Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency helps set up apartments for newly arrived refugees, and they currently need blankets for families. $7.64 each. If you live near Charlotte you can bring these in person. Buy now
So there you have it — 10 easy and affordable ways to bring a bit of comfort and dignity to fellow human beings around the world who really need it. And if you want to make your purchase extra pointed, you can make your purchase in honor of Old Rump himself — just make sure you tweet him when you do.
Other ways to help: spread the word — share this to Facebook and Twitter. Give us some applause! Let us know about organizations that should be on NeedsList. And browse hundreds additional needs here.
