In these trying times, we’re thinking about all the Gulf residents and people around the world who are suffering due the Covid-19 virus and associated economic disaster. Here in the Gulf region, we’re no strangers to disasters, from hurricanes to flooding to oil spills and industrial explosions. While this one feels unique because it’s literally impacting the entire world, one thing that long-time residents of this region know is that during and in the immediate aftermath of any disaster, communities come together to help each other. And we know that the folks who are hit hardest by a disaster are rarely the most privileged and wealthy among us. Instead, people of limited financial means and historically marginalized communities are on the frontlines when calamities happen.
With that in mind, we wanted to share some resources about where people can find help, how people can help, and highlight some organizations leading community response around the Gulf region. This is by no means a comprehensive list so please email if you have suggestions of additional things to include at Raleigh@healthygulf.org.
Alabama
- Urban Avenues’ CareHealth program is providing meals to healthcare professionals across Birmingham by utilizing local restaurants.
Florida
- Community Health of Southwest Florida has drive-through testing for the virus in Brownsville, FL and has a goal of ensuring access to primary care for the uninsured, underinsured, and medically needy residents.
- Farmshare works to make sure that no Floridian goes hungry and no food goes to waste.
Louisiana Resources:
- The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice has turned their website into a 1-stop shop for Louisiana and national resources.
- The COVID-19 Mutual Aid (New Orleans) group on facebook is a forum for collective, community effort to prepare and respond to this and future disasters.
- Culture Aid Nola (CAN) is a group of organizations that advocate for and provide resources to hospitality and culture workers.
Mississippi Resources
- The Mississippi Food Network provides nourishing food to hungry Mississippians.
- The City of Jackson has a page with resources and places to get assistance.
Texas
- Follow our friends at Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services on facebook and twitter for ongoing updates on resources in the Houston area.
National/Regional
- Feeding the Gulf Coast is working to actively serve the Central Gulf Coast (MS, AL, FL) by providing nourishing food.
- The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health has resources for workers to advocate for their rights and safety during this crisis.
- The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has a relief fund for restaurant employees.
- The Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation has a resources page for workers coping with the crisis.
As our region deals with this immediate crisis, Healthy Gulf will continue our mission of uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf region. Our staff is still on the job, working from home and joining more video conference calls then we could have ever imagined. We won’t be answering our office phones during this time, but if you leave a voicemail we’ll get that and respond as quickly as possible.
There are major issues emerging right now that will impact the health of our communities and environment. The EPA has given polluters a greenlight to increase pollution and break the law during this emergency. The fracking industry, which has been losing money for a decade, is fishing for a taxpayer bailout. And just last week, Healthy Gulf sent a letter signed by over 50 organizations to the five Gulf state Governors and the Army Corps urging them to cease issuing all new non-essential environmental permits during this state of emergency. None of us want to go through this pandemic just to realize that the government is now allowing more pollution to flow into our favorite river or bayou. You can send your own letter by taking action here!
We’ve seen time and time again that polluting industries and their allies in government aren’t afraid to use a disaster to their advantage, but we’ll be here every step of the way standing up for a Healthy Gulf and hope you will stand with us!