Dear John,

I’m writing to ask for your help.

Last week, thousands of people in Northeast Guatemala lost their houses and crops to catastrophic flooding when Hurricane Eta devastated the area. This has been a brutal season for storms for a community already facing the dangers posed by armed groups in the area and the increasing spread of COVID-19. They urgently need our help to cover basic needs like food, water, safety kits, and clothing. 

The American Friends Service Committee works in these communities in Guatemala, supporting local efforts to build peaceful communities and uphold the rights of those migrating for safety. Because of our relationship with grassroots groups in the country, we are in a position to help local communities and our partners provide emergency response and move toward a more sustainable future.

Please help us provide food, clean water, warm clothing and safety kits for people living in temporary shelters right now. Your gift today will help us provide essentials in the short term and stand with these communities over time to rebuild. 

Working with local partners, we plan to deliver food, warm clothing, and hygiene supplies to shelters in San Pedro Caracha, San Cristabal Verapaz, Cubilguitz, San Jose el Tesoro, and Tactic. This will help more than 1,000 displaced people. These communities are in the Department of Alta Verapaz, which is not only one of the most affected areas, but it is also an area where fewer grassroots and international groups are working. 

We are also very concerned about the potential for community spread of the coronavirus in the temporary shelters and are taking steps to make sure people can shelter as safely as possible. 

If you are able, please support our humanitarian work today. Give to support our Guatemalan neighbors as they recover from the hurricane’s damage.