Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast at the end of August, striking parts of North Central Florida. Its impact worsened the living conditions of many families. To date, crop fields and chicken hatcheries that employ low-income families in the area remain abandoned as a result of the flooding. Many workers remain without a source of income and are now unable to feed their families. Alianza Americas’ member organization, Rural Women’s Health Project (RWHP), is working with communities that were directly impacted by hurricane Idalia and has launched a fundraising campaign to provide food for around 150 families in need. Below are reflections from community leaders at RWHP on the matter:
“I want people to understand that the devastating effects of hurricanes are felt months and even years after they hit the land. Impacted families have nothing left and have nowhere to turn to as a result of inaccessible government aid. These families deserve secure housing and access to clean water and food. We’re working day and night to ensure families have enough food like rice, beans, and other items to make it through the next few months,” says Robin Lewy, Director of Rural Women’s Health Project.
“150 families is equivalent to around 750 individuals who have been majorly-impacted by the storm. We’re highlighting numbers of the most vulnerable and impacted by hurricane Idalia but if all impacted families were counted, the numbers would double. We need to recognize that hurricanes do not impact everyone in the same way and as a community we need to show up for those that have lost nearly everything,” added Adriana Menendez, organizer at Rural Women’s Health Project.
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Rural Women’s Health Project is a non-profit, health justice focused organization that works with communities and partners in North Central Florida to build their capacity to overcome health injustice. You can learn more about their work at www.rwhp.org and donate to their campaign here.
Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.
