Fiona Community Response Fund

About

This is the first major hurricane to hit Puerto Rico since the management of the electric grid was privatized by a federally-imposed oversight board as part of the restructuring of Puerto Rico’s debt. Luma, the private company that began managing the grid in 2021, had already come under fire for frequent blackouts prior to the hurricane. The current blackout means it is currently failing its first big test.

The acute humanitarian impact of Hurricane Fiona is compounding the systemic failures of Hurricane Maria and earthquake response, and is worsened by the actions of government and corporate powers on the island and the mainland.

Organizing Resilience – a new initiative of leaders who have navigated climate disasters for years and are building tools and networks to strengthen our response to major climate events – is directing resources to groups on the ground who are in position to address BOTH the immediate humanitarian needs on the ground AND long term power building work to advance structural change and equitable recovery.

Organizing Resilience is following the leadership of the Fiona Community Response Fund, a coalition of community-led organizations working on immediate response to fulfill needs over the short- and long-term. The Fiona Community Response Fund is powered by the Maria Fund and its existing infrastructure. It is a partnership of approximately 25 organizations including Taller Salud, Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, the Teacher’s Union, Institutio Agroecologia, Campamento Contra las Cenizas de Peñuelas, Étnica, HASER, and others.

About the Host

Since its founding in 1923, Amalgamated Bank has grown and evolved to become a national leader in ethical banking with products and services that enable individuals, nonprofits, foundations, and socially responsible businesses to align their finances with their values. The Amalgamated Foundation builds on this history with a giving platform that is powered by both the financial acumen and committed vision of the bank.