Local nonprofits provide necessary response to natural disasters

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As record cold temperatures descended on Texas this past February, increased demand for electricity, coupled with ill-equipped utility plants, led to millions of people facing power outages.

Headlines focused on Sen. Ted Cruz’s vacation to Cancún or Gov. Greg Abbott incorrectly blaming the Green New Deal for the outages. I noticed, however, a lack of national coverage about the role nonprofits played in mitigating disaster. I get it — discussing nonprofits’ role in disasters isn’t exactly the best clickbait. But, have no fear! I can highlight the outstanding work of emergency response nonprofits in the United States.

The situation in Texas is the culmination of local nonprofits’ decade-long evolution to better support communities both before and after disaster strikes. Let’s rewind to 2005, when Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on New Orleans, killing more than 1,800 people and displacing hundreds of thousands. The flooding of the city led to more than $100 billion in damages. 

Following the hurricane’s destruction, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s slow response faced heavy criticism across the country. Katrina Gay, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, claims that when federal government assistance eventually arrived in New Orleans, it lacked the trust of the community and often re-traumatized victims. 

Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, a leader in the Salvation Army, realized the necessity of forging relationships with local organizations to better understand the community. While the Salvation Army, like other large nonprofits, is nationally recognized and has a solid infrastructure, it had to rely on partnerships with smaller organizations to focus on problems unique to New Orleans. 

The delayed government response in New Orleans inspired the founding of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, a 365-day-a-year resource for private philanthropy for disaster recovery still in use today. In 2018, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy distributed over $15 million in grants to organizations dealing with disasters. 

This past month, the swift response of nonprofits contrasted with the slow government response in Texas highlighted the importance of local organizations. During the outages, the Texas Division of Emergency Management didn’t use the Emergency Alert System to share updates with impacted residents. Abbott defended the lack of communication by telling constituents they could Google search this information. Considering residents lacked internet access due to the power outages, the governor’s tip wasn’t particularly useful. 

When the government faltered, nonprofits stepped up to the plate. In Austin, local volunteers relocated the city’s unhoused population to hotel rooms. Arlington Life Shelter opened up its doors to those in need of emergency shelter. The Austin Area Urban League, a civil rights organization, started a week-long emergency donation collection under the hashtag #LoveThyNeighborTX. Another Austin based nonprofit, Front Steps, began a blanket drive for people experiencing homelessness. Texas nonprofits acted swiftly and admirably, helping countless people left cold and in the dark for days. 

While applauding how nonprofits pick up the slack of the government, however, I want to recognize room for improvement. Instead of reacting to disasters, nonprofits can alleviate further damage through preventative measures. Rather than creating temporary housing after a flood and moving on, nonprofits must ensure sustained protection.

Long-term recovery includes rebuilding, providing mental healthcare, organizing education for children who lost their schools and helping residents with insurance claims. The work of nonprofits cannot end once media coverage for the disaster dies down. 

In order to achieve long-term and steady impact, however, donors must assist nonprofits with consistent charitable giving. A large number of donations to organizations flow in immediately following a disaster, then quickly drop after a few weeks. Despite taking years to rebuild communities, giving almost completely stops after five or six months after a disaster. 

Unfortunately, the situation in Texas is not the first, nor will it be the last disaster in the country. Although government and national organizations are an integral component to disaster recovery, local nonprofits are often better positioned to expeditiously support their communities. Nonprofits have resources for short-term disaster assistance, but not much else. They stick a band-aid on the situation, knowing when disaster strikes again the process repeats. 

Continued donations years after a disaster allow nonprofits, especially local nonprofits, to impactfully respond. When disaster relief nonprofits spend more time, money and energy upfront, they ensure the protection of lives and livelihoods in the future.

Sophie Roppe is a junior writing about nonprofit organizations and social justice. Her column, “Progress Without Profit,” runs every other Monday.