As fall begins, the start of hurricane season creates disasters each year, a problem only worsening with the climate crisis. This year, the south has been decimated from back to back hurricanes. Due to Hurricane Helene at the end of September, and Hurricane Milton hitting just a few weeks later in the start of October, many families have been forced to evacuate, and many more have faced severe damages and loss. Hurricane Helene has killed over 230 people and Milton has taken at least 14 already. Florida and the Carolinas have been hit the hardest, but many states in the South and areas along the coast have been severely affected. Because these storms hit in very different ways and moved inland beyond the typical coastal hurricane trajectories, many communities were taken by surprise, and thus were unprepared for the effect that these storms had on their areas. Watching this crisis is heartbreaking and as so many Colgate students have family and friends in the area, we wanted to provide options for how we can help support these communities.
Check in with those affected
If you have any family or friends who live in affected areas, let them know that you are there for them and provide an ear to listen about their experience. Facing such an extreme situation damages more than just peoples homes; it can create serious trauma and stress. Allow loved ones space to share as much or as little as they need to about their circumstances.
Donate
While college students don’t tend to have lots of extra money to spend, every little bit helps families to get back on their feet. To make sure that your donation is going somewhere productive, make sure to donate to trusted organizations that are on the ground in the affected areas and have plans to make an impact. We have rounded up some organizations that have experience addressing these crises and already have plans of action in place. The Red Cross is a great option, as they have lots of experience with hurricanes, as well as readily available volunteers and resources to help people in these areas and make a difference. Another choice is UNICEF USA, which is an organization equally as established as the Red Cross and focused on helping children in affected areas. Finally, the Salvation Army is another reliable organization that is not only helping victims physically, like the other charities listed above, but is also dedicated to helping them process the emotional and mental effects.
Support organizations focused on environmental issues:
As the climate crisis worsens, storms like these only become more extreme. In order to combat the growing issues surrounding this, we can all play our part in taking care of the environment. Every action counts, so this encompasses things that you can do in Hamilton, at home, and anywhere in between. Some ways to volunteer include:
- Join the community garden to help sustainably contribute to the food supply at Colgate. The more that can be grown here, the less fossil fuels needed to support massive scale farms and to transport food.
- Join clubs such as Students for Environmental Action (SEA) or become a sustainability ambassador. Students at Colgate are doing their part to contribute to addressing climate change. By joining these organizations, you can become part of the solution to preventing worsening storms.
- Donate to environmental organizations: Yet again, when organizations that have strong reputations for enacting plans that make a difference receive your donations, you can be sure that your contribution is going somewhere meaningful. These groups can help to address future situations, as well as helping habitats and animals in affected areas.
- When at home, reach out to your local environmental organizations to see what sort of volunteering help they need. This can include things like food sustainability, nature conservation, wildlife work, and so much more. Tap into your strengths, whether that’s social media, fundraising, getting your hands dirty, etc., your help will be appreciated.
Overall, any little thing that we can each do to help can make all the difference. However if you feel that you are able to directly contribute, put in the effort to make those who are affected feel heard, seen, and supported, even from our little bubble so far away in Hamilton.