Next steps

We’re proud of what we’ve been able to do in response to Hurricane Beryl. Yet, much of the work remains.

by Glen Herbert

We’d like to thank all the donors who gave and continue to give in support of Hurricane relief. To date we’ve received in excess of $200k from donors in Canada and US$36k from donors in the United States. We’ve used those funds to support a range of relief efforts on Bequia and beyond.

This is what we’ve done to date:

• We distributed vouchers to families in the wake of the hurricane, allowing them to purchase home supplies and food from local stores.

• We had a sizable donation from a Canadian donor that flowed through to Canouan relief efforts. That provided materials, oversight, and equipment to aid one of the Grenadines that was hardest hit by the hurricane. 

• We provided financial support to Rise Up Bequia, a local non-profit lead by President Patrick Hutchins and Vice President Solana Gooding. They were able to mobilize volunteers and source material, from bottled water to building supplies. In partnership with us and others, including Action Bequia and GEM, Rise Up Bequia was able to repair 36 homes. That work continues, as does our support.

• We helped the Lower Bay School ensure that classes could be up and running on time for the start of the academic year. We paid invoices to repair buildings and create needed classroom spaces.

• Through the Learning Center we provided activities—craft projects and games—to children living in shelter. We also delivered craft supplies and toys.

This is what we’d like to accomplish as we move ahead:

• There are 15 families that we’ve identified that need substantial work done to repair/rebuild their homes.

• We’d like to provide additional food security to families who are in need of more consistent support. Each voucher has a face value of EC$200, and they are distributed quarterly. Some families require monthly support at greater amounts. We’d like to be able to offer that support.

In their report on the response to the hurricane, Rise Up Bequia wrote that Beryl “taught us many lessons about preparation, resilience, and the power of community.” The report concludes by saying that “while we continue to build and prepare for future disasters, we are deeply moved by the generosity and support we have received.”

That was certainly true for us.