As we witness the devastation to communities caused by the recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton and many of us are looking for ways to help out, “The Bucknellian” wanted to offer information to consider when deciding how to respond. We want to underscore that our responses should be based on community–engaged values that foreground an asset-based approach: namely, emphasizing humility, equitable partnerships and prudent preparation and reflection. 

The Bucknell community has a rich history of sustained and ethical response to national and international hurricane–related disaster relief. In the wake of 1999 Hurricane Mitch, Bucknell began a program that traveled to Nicaragua, called the Bucknell Brigade, to help rebuild the community of Nueva Vida. Bucknell became long-term partners with the Center for Development in Central America, the Nicaraguan arm of Jubilee House Community (JHC), to continue annual winter and spring trips to Nicaragua. The main community priority when Bucknellians first began work in Nueva Vida was constructing a medical clinic; Bucknell was involved in its planning and construction, and the clinic now sees over 10,000 people annually. Other projects in the two decades that Bucknell has been working in Ciudad Sandino included additions to the clinic: a water line for potable water and a sewing cooperative that provides jobs to local women. Students also fundraised on campus during the rest of the year to support reconstruction and long-term recovery. Since the State Department issued a Nicaragua travel advisory in 2018, the Bucknell Brigade has not been able to make in-person trips; however, JHC hopes that these visits will be able to happen again soon.  

After Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, Bucknell organized the Katrina Recovery Team (KRT), which traveled to New Orleans and the Gulf Region twice a year. The KRT operated winter trips to New Orleans with what is now the Center for Community Engaged Learning, Leadership, & Research (CCELLR), and partnered primarily with the St. Bernard Parish, an organization that aims to minimize the time between disasters and recovery; Bucknellians initially helped clear debris and gut homes, but in later years were able to help refurbish damaged houses and build new homes. Some of their on-campus work during the school year included fundraising to rebuild homes and provide school supplies, advocating for coastal wetlands and barrier island restoration and pushing elected officials to adopt fair and adequate insurance policies and practices. Additionally, the KRT transitioned into a domestic “Bucknell in” program, led by Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Kevin Gilmore, then-Associate Professor of Music Barry Long and Brian Gockley, the then-assistant director of the Teaching & Learning Center. In their IP course, New Orleans in 12 Movements, students spent each morning volunteering with a different community organization, then had other educational opportunities (in the areas of history, jazz and civil engineering) in the afternoons and evenings; later iterations of the course also focused on GIS mapping. In both forms, Bucknell’s Hurricane Katrina response aimed for students to learn alongside their actions about the natural and man-made causes of the catastrophe and the need to advocate for change.

As we now face the destruction of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Center for Community Engagement has compiled some resources and advice for how current Bucknellians can best offer assistance. 

1. Financial donations to reputable disaster relief organizations are the most efficient, flexible and impactful way to contribute. Monetary support enables these organizations to address urgent needs and carry out relief efforts effectively. Additionally, they often purchase supplies locally, which helps stimulate the local economy’s recovery. Many organizations also have established relationships with suppliers, allowing them to buy in bulk at discounted rates.
2. When gathering in-kind donations, it’s essential to confirm what items are needed, where they should go and when they will be collected. Prioritizing the right supplies is crucial; unsolicited donations may not meet the actual needs of disaster survivors and can create extra work for staff, who will have to sort through these items instead of assisting the community. It’s also important to coordinate transportation to ensure supplies reach the right locations—are the highways open, or will air transport be necessary? Timing is critical; collecting supplies too early or too late can present challenges. Additionally, it’s important to understand how donations will be distributed in the affected areas.
3. Once the affected area has been assessed, consider volunteering your skills and training through established organizations active in the affected areas. These groups know where assistance is most needed and can help place you in a role that aligns with your abilities while ensuring safety. Attempting to volunteer independently without consulting a recognized organization can inadvertently burden responders.
4. Be aware of scams— While it’s admirable that many want to give money, their time and other donations to help out, it’s important to keep your eyes out for scammers.

There are also some other resources that the Center for Community Engagement recommends to find organizations to donate to and to think more carefully about how you respond:

• FEMA Best Practices– To make the most of your contributions, it’s important to follow guidelines for donating and volunteering responsibly. 
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster– VOAD works to advocate for a diverse group of organizations dedicated to serving communities throughout the disaster cycle.
• Charity Navigator– Software that helps to connect people to charities that align with their passions and values through free access to data, tools and resources to guide philanthropic decision-making. They have a specific page right now for organizations responding to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
• Daily Item article posted 10/11/24– This editorial re-outlines the FEMA recommendations, to highlight the most helpful things we can do right now and warn of other actions that could actually hinder recovery efforts at this time. 
• Hurricane Rumor Response website– FEMA warns about how quickly and widely misleading information can be spread following a natural disaster. This resource fact-checks rumors so that you know what’s really going on in terms of response. 

Bucknell’s mission includes educating students “to serve the common good and to promote justice in ways sensitive to the moral and ethical dimensions of life.” Past Bucknellians have carried this mission into on-the-ground work following previous natural disasters. If you are interested in offering assistance in the wakes of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, “The Bucknellian” encourages you to do so, but to do so with consideration, again, to humility, equitable partnerships and prudent preparation and reflection.