Eddie is a second-generation farmer who lost all of his crops to Hurricane Maria: two acres of plantains and his entire life savings. Since the hurricane, it’s been especially difficult to purchase seeds in Puerto Rico, with some sellers doubling their prices — prices Eddie can’t afford on his own.
As climate change threatens to bring stronger storms to the island more frequently, Eddie knows he has to prepare for that. The only question is how.
The double dilemma Eddie now faces is exactly why Mercy Corps stays on, sometimes for years, in communities hurt by natural disasters. When tragedy strikes, our emergency teams show up to save lives. Then, we work with community members to identify long-term challenges like farm restoration, job creation, access to education and more.
Eddie is a farmer and blacksmith in Puerto Rico, his crops were devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Mercy Corps has helped him replant and rebuild his livelihood, teaching him ways to be more resilient in the face of future storms.
Emergency cash, solar lanterns and water filters — these are the kinds of lifesaving items we provide in the immediate aftermath of deadly storms. But they only help for so long. That’s why, when we respond to natural disasters, we look for ways we can show up for people who need more than short-term help to truly recover.
Just recently, we were able to purchase 100 banana plants for Eddie to replace what he lost. Thanks to Mercy Corps supporters like you, he’ll be adding papayas to his fields for the first time, too — diversifying his crops and reducing the risk of losing everything again when the next storm hits.
December is the most important fundraising month of the year for us. The money we raise these next few days will help us reach more people in crisis during the new year, and allow us to keep helping when their long-term needs become clear. Please, make a tax-deductible, year-end gift today while all gifts can still be MATCHED, dollar-for-dollar, up to $130,000.
Eddie isn’t just grateful for the crops we purchased. He’s also grateful for the Mercy Corps workshops that teach farmers how to better protect their crops from climate change. Eddie told us he’s so passionate about protecting his family farm, he taped our workshops on his phone so he can listen to them again at night, taking notes before bed.
Eddie’s dedication to a safer, more resilient future for his family inspires me. I hope it inspires you, too. Together, we can do more than just bring people back from the brink. We can help people, all around the world, survive and thrive. That’s what being a part of this community of humanitarians is all about.
Sincerely,
Karla Peña
Country Director, Puerto Rico
We know you’re hearing a lot from us these days. The reason is simple: Every dollar we raise right now helps us save more people’s lives as we try to meet unprecedented need around the world. If you’ve already made your gift or would rather not get our year-end emails, click here to stop receiving email until January.
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