Hurricanes Irma and Maria

Disaster Overview

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida on September 10 as a Category 3 storm after leaving a trail of destruction through the Caribbean, including significant devastation throughout the Leeward, U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Haiti. Deaths have been attributed to the storm all along its’ path and many islands remain without power and with little shelter. More than seven million were evacuated throughout the affected areas.

Hurricane Maria made landfall on September 20 on Dominica and Guadalupe islands in the eastern Caribbean as a Category 5 storm. It continued on and slammed into the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as a Category 4/3 storm, leaving widespread flooding and destruction. 

Partner Resources

• Visit the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's 2017 Hurricanes in the Caribbean for information about ongoing recovery efforts.
• Track FEMA's response to the storms on its Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria resource pages.
• Global Giving's Hurricane Maria: Fast Facts provides an overview of the situation and the organization's response activities. 
• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Hurricane Irma Business Guide outlines the regional response plan in the Caribbean region.
• The Puerto Rico Governor's Office provides up-to-date statistics on recovery progress in Puerto Rico.

Conference Calls & Webinars

Hurricane Maria: A Deep Dose of Urgent Needs in the Aftermath  — On October 6th, the Council hosted a conference call to update interested funders on the current status of unmet rescue and recovery needs identified by the community foundations and FEMA teams on the ground in the U.S. Caribbean islands. 

Access the Recording

After Harvey and Irma: Specific Challenges Facing Immigrants and Refugees — The Council partnered with Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees to co-sponsor a webinar looking at the unique post-disaster challenges facing immigrants and refugees, particularly those who are low-income and limited English proficient, exploring both immediate and long-term needs.

Hurricane Irma: What Funders Should Know — The Council co-hosted a webinar with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Southeastern Council on Foundations for funders looking to respond to the disaster on Thursday, September 14.

Access the Recording

Response Funds

Several Council partners and Members have established response funds for disaster recovery including: 

• Center for Disaster Philanthropy: CDP 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund
• Community Foundation of Puerto Rico:  Puerto Rico Recovery Fund
• Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation: Hurricane Irma Relief Fund
• Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Marlin Counties: Hurricane Assistance Fund
• Community Foundation of the Lowcountry: Disaster Recovery and Rebuilding Fund
• Global Giving: Hurricane Irma and Maria Relief Fund and Puerto Rico & Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund
• Hispanics in Philanthropy (in partnership with Fundacion Comunitaria de Puerto Rico): Hurricane Relief Fund for Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Florida
• International Community Foundation: Barbuda Recovery & Conservation Trust Fund
• Southwest Florida Community Foundation: SWFL Hurricane Relief Fund
• St. Croix Foundation, Virgin Islands:  The CARE Fund
• The Boston Foundation: Massachusetts United for Puerto Rico Fund
• The Community Foundation of Virgin Islands:  Hurricane Relief Fund
• The Miami Foundation: The Hurricane Relief Fund, Irma Caribbean Strong Relief Fund, and Irma Community Recovery Fund
• Florida's First Coast Relief Fund ($250,000 generously matched by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund)
• The Resource Foundation: 2017 Caribbean Hurricane Disaster Relief
• The Resource Foundation: Dominica Disaster Relief Fund

A complete list of response funds can be found on CDP's 2017 Hurricanes in the Caribbean.