Hurricane Dorian Relief and Recovery Fund

The past 15 months have been rough for the folks on Abaco Island in the Bahamas. When I traveled there in January, new signs of life were emerging—rebuilt homes, new job prospects, and reinvigorated farmers tending to their businesses. Then COVID-19 forced a nationwide shutdown, exacerbating the challenges of daily life, much less rebuilding.

Throughout these challenging times, however, both local and international organizations have worked to make good on their commitments to the people and natural habitat of Abaco and its marine communities. As in most parts of the world, outdoor work is safer than indoor, and thanks to your generosity we have recently made grants from the Hurricane Dorian Relief and Recovery Fund to three unique organizations:

• World Central Kitchen is probably a familiar name at this point. The globally recognized nonprofit founded by Chef Jose Andres has been everywhere—from Nepal to Japan, California to Guatemala—feeding those in need. What you might not know is that in addition to being an emergency response meal-providing juggernaut, WCK also has long-term Food Producer Networks, one of which is in Abaco. They’re supporting the farmers, fishers, and small food-related businesses of Abaco with direct grants to help them rebuild their operations and get back to their pre-Dorian production levels and beyond. They are working with the grantees, chefs, restaurants, food sellers, community organizations, and the Bahamian Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to build a stronger and more sustainable food economy in times of calm, and a more resilient food system in preparation for the next disaster.

• The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization is hard at work keeping some of the world’s most prolific marine environments alive. The bottlenose dolphins are one of many marine mammals that were threatened by Dorian’s wrath and the subsequent oil spill. Because of donors like you, the 30-year old organization recently acquired a new research vessel to monitor the health impacts of the storm and document the benefits of reduced marine noise. This will help increase the resilience of the Sea of Abaco’s bottlenose dolphins, contributing to population growth in the wider Abaco region. Establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) is one of the greatest defenses against climate change and will boost the health of the entire aquatic ecosystem so these beautiful species can swim freely for years to come.

• All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), a long-time GlobalGiving partner, is finally back in action after being forced to evacuate Abaco earlier this year due to COVID-19. After months of painstaking waiting, the guidelines for operating in the field were developed and AHAH could finally re-establish its base in Marsh Harbor and welcome its first round of volunteers in September. In October, Central Abaco Primary (the largest elementary school on the island) reopened to students and teachers in a fully mucked, gutted, cleaned, and refurbished facility thanks to the relentless efforts of team lead Chloe Forman, the AHAH staff, and their determined volunteers.

Our partners are amazing!

Thank you for generously supporting community-led relief efforts that assist these incredible projects and countless other partners in The Bahamas and beyond. In the upcoming months, we'll continue reporting on how your donations are providing continued investment in the rebuilding of livelihoods in The Bahamas.

With Gratitude,
Donna & the GlobalGiving Team

One year after Hurricane Dorian, times are still hard in the Bahamas. But our partner FRIENDS of the Environment is moving forward to ensure that residents of Abaco can continue to learn about and improve their natural surroundings, even while dealing with a global pandemic. We caught up with Olivia Patterson-Maura, Deputy Director of FRIENDS, for an inside look at the recovery and resilience-building in her community.

Q: What do you wish more people knew about how your community was impacted by the combination of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: A year after Dorian devastated our island homes many people are still without shelter or living in tents or their homes without a closed-in roof. Even with the incredible help from outside organizations, many people are still struggling with basic needs such as electricity, water, and food. Outside of the construction industry, job opportunities are slim, as many businesses are closed or operating at minimum capacity. Several schools were lost to the storm, and some are still working on repairs. Residents who were displaced from Abaco are having difficulty returning home because housing is limited and education and daycare are needed. The children, though resilient, have definitely been affected. And many teachers are still giving so much to the students, even those without an income from a lost job. 

Q: How have the funds you received from GlobalGiving made a difference for your organization and your community?

A: We find ourselves handling things each day that were not part of the work plan we had envisioned for 2019-2020—from working to address immediate concerns such as repairs to our existing buildings, to planning to rebuild our destroyed education center, to totally revising our summer camps so that we can provide a virtual experience that fits within safe COVID-19 restrictions.

Funding from GlobalGiving gave us the ability to be flexible and meet rising needs during the ever-changing landscape post-Dorian and throughout the COVID-19 crisis. For FRIENDS, it was very important to reach out to our student network to let them know that we are here to support and encourage them to continue their part in environmental conservation. We believe a purpose and positive focus, no matter how small, may help to encourage healing—it has certainly helped us! 

Q: What about your local community’s response to these challenges makes you most proud?

A: Our community members continue to be resilient, supportive of each other, work together to solve problems, and simply press on while living in a disaster landscape. Can you imagine nearly a year (September 1 is the one-year anniversary) without city power or even regular access to running water? The sun has set, and, as I write this, I can hear the sound of generators and tools as people move on from their daily occupation to the critical work of repairing their homes. Despite the challenges they face, people are hopeful and full of gratitude for the outpouring of help and generosity of others.

Q: Real disaster recovery and environmental sustainability require a long-term commitment. What inspires you to keep at it?

A: I am immensely grateful to live in such a beautiful place where I can so easily connect with the environment—an environment that is healthy and diverse and provides food and enjoyment. I am passionate about ensuring that future generations of Bahamians are able to benefit from and experience the same beautiful Bahamas that I have. There is so much that I want to share with my children and enable other children to experience. 

It is your generosity that allows us to continue supporting local organizations in their work to recover and rebuild from Hurricane Dorian, even with the challenges brought by the COVID-19 crisis. Thank you for supporting community-led disaster recovery, and I can’t wait to share more updates with you in the coming months.

With Gratitude, 

Donna Callejon + the GlobalGiving Team

Learn more about FRIENDS’ ongoing work.