Great Ways To Help People Impacted By Natural Disasters

I typically start off the new year writing about the positive things that have been done over the past twelve months to improve the environment. Reading about wins for nature and the planet keep me hopeful, and I hope it does the same for anyone who reads Cleaner Greener Planet. I still plan to do this, as many good things did happen in 2024, but given the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles and other natural disasters that have happened around the world this year, I wanted first to provide information on how to help those impacted.

Wildfires endangering populated areas are becoming more frequent

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, in 2024 there were 27 natural disasters that exceeded $1 billion in damanges. These natural disasters caused 568 deaths and $182.7 billion in total losses. In a world where we are overwhelmed daily with the latest news, we can quickly forget about those who are still suffering from these catastrophes. Here in the United States, people are still putting their lives back together in all regions of the country after last year's hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and wildfires. The terrible fires that ravaged Los Angeles this month are already buried in the news cycle. Thousands of people lost everything in these disasters - their homes, businesses, pets, many even lost family members and friends. We must have compassion and do what we can for those in need. That's how we make our world better. That's how we help people heal.

If you are looking for ways to help, here are four of the most reputable charities that assist people impacted by natural disasters:

American Red Cross: "Your gift to the American Red Cross helps people affected by disasters big and small."

Samaritan's Purse: "Samaritan's Purse stands ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes."

Direct Relief: "When disasters strike, Direct Relief responds fast, effectively, and efficiently to get medical resources where they need to be to save lives."

Catholic Relief Services: "We work with organizations around the world to help poor and vulnerable people overcome emergencies."

Thank you so much for reading!