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The news reports from Puerto Rico on Hurricane Maria are hard to fathom.
The island's crops and livestock were decimated by the hurricane. Survivors can't get food, water, gas, or cash. The electrical grid was all but wiped out when the storm swept over the U.S. territory in September.
1. Consider donating money to one of several fundraising efforts.
Local, national, and international organizations have launched donation campaigns. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is of Puerto Rican descent, tweeted support of the Hispanic Federation's "Unidos" drive, which directs all proceeds to survivors and recovery efforts.
The crowdfunding platform Global Giving continues to raise money through their Puerto Rico & Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund. All donations go toward providing emergency supplies like food, water, and medicine, as well as rebuilding assistance.
2. Spread the word.
Despite the widespread devastation, it's not clear that Americans fully understand how Hurricane Maria affected Puerto Rico, or that the island is a U.S. territory whose residents are American citizens.
In addition to supporting fundraising efforts when possible, you can help spread the word about the crisis by sharing news reports on social media and tweeting your support using hashtags like #UnidosPorPR, #PuertoRicoRelief, #HelpPuertoRico, and #PrayForPuertoRico.