Disaster Relief for Mexico & Puerto Rico: Chicago Unites to Respond

September has been marked by devastating natural disasters that, for many in Chicago, hit close to home. Hurricane Maria destroyed much of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, leaving the island without power and lacking shelter, food and water; while two major earthquakes in Mexico are believed to have left more than 400 dead, with dozens more still missing.

Now two of our city’s outstanding cultural organizations—the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance and the National Museum of Mexican Art—have joined forces to raise relief funds for both communities.

All donations to their Chicago for Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund will be divided evenly to benefit the Red Cross of Mexico and Red Cross of Puerto Rico.

As the Museum’s board chair Carlos Cardenas explained, “When you have tragedies of this magnitude, it’s about humanity, not nationalism.”

In addition to the Chicago for Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund, the City of Chicago has also created a directory of national and local donation opportunities for those in our region wishing to support relief efforts.

If you have lost communication with friends or relatives in the wake of these disasters, there are several online resources that enable you to search for check-ins from anyone who has reported themselves as safe.

Facebook

• A safety check for Puebla, Mexico lets anyone in that area mark themselves as safe after the earthquake. Search for your Facebook friends’ check-ins from Puebla here
• A safety check for Turks & Caicos and Puerto Rico lets anyone in that area mark themselves as safe after Hurricane Maria. Search for your Facebook friends’ check-ins from Turks & Caicos or Puerto Rico here

Google Person Finder

• To search for updates from loved ones in Puerto Rico, visit google.org/personfinder/2017-maria or text “Search [name]” to 16508003977.
• To search for updates from loved ones in Mexico, visit google.org/personfinder/2017-puebla-mexico-earthquake or text “Search [name]” to 5549998460.

Red Cross Safe & Well

• Visit safeandwell.communityos.org to search the list of those who have registered themselves as “safe and well.”

If you have a donor advised fund at The Chicago Community Trust, you can support the Chicago for Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund by logging into Instant Impact and recommending a grant to either the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, or the National Museum of Mexican Art, and specifying the Chicago for Mexico and Puerto Rico Relief Fund in the “Purpose” field. You can also recommend a grant to another relief effort of your choice using Instant Impact.