Elliot Sanchez will never forget the powerful storm. Before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, he threw a bag of clothes into his car and left. When he returned a few months later, he didn’t recognize the city he called home.

As southeast Texas reels in Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath and Florida braces for Irma—the most powerful hurricane on record in the Atlantic Ocean—Sanchez’ story is important. Because investing in local capacity is one of the best ways to help disaster-affected communities recover and build resilience.

Local nonprofits—often best positioned to assess and respond to disaster-related needs in their communities in the long haul—don't have the resources they need.

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