A Rising Number of Natural Disasters and the Importance of Disaster Relief Funds
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April is Earth Month, and as climate change continues to intensify, the world has witnessed an alarming rise in the frequency and severity of natural disasters. From devastating storms in California to harsh winter storms in New York and Japan, and the recent earthquakes in Turkey, the increasing impact of these disasters highlights the urgency to support those impacted. In this article, we’ll explore the increasing number of natural disasters and how establishing a disaster and hardship relief fund is an essential way to help your employees and team members who may be affected.
The frequency and intensity of natural disasters have risen significantly in recent years, causing widespread destruction and resulting in significant financial and human costs. This growing trend can be attributed to multiple factors, including climate change and rapid urbanization, which have increased vulnerability and exposure to these catastrophic events.
Climate Change: A Primary Driver of Increasing Disasters
Climate change plays a crucial role in intensifying the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Warming temperatures, rising sea levels, and changing weather patterns are all contributing factors that lead to more extreme events, such as:
- More intense storms: Warmer ocean temperatures fuel stronger hurricanes and cyclones, leading to heavier rainfall and more destructive storm surges.
- Heatwaves and droughts: Prolonged periods of high temperatures and reduced rainfall increase the risk of heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires. This has resulted in severe droughts occurring almost 70% more frequently than in the past.
- Floods: As the atmosphere warms, it holds more moisture, leading to heavier precipitation events and an increased risk of flooding.
The Escalating Financial Burden of Natural Disasters
The financial impact of natural disasters has also grown substantially. The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) reports that the number of billion-dollar weather and climate disasters has risen significantly in recent decades.
Between 1980 and 2022, the annual average of $1 billion events was 8.1. But the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2018–2022) is 18 events.
In just the last six months, there have been devastating disasters all around the world. Snow storms in New York resulted in over $1 billion in damages and at least 34 deaths. Similarly, northern Japan received multiple feet of snow that led to 17 deaths, over 90 injuries, and millions in damages. Severe storms in California caused severe flooding and other damage, with experts estimating the final cost to be over $1 billion. Even more recently, two earthquakes ravaged Turkey and Syria, causing an estimated $34 billion in direct damages (and over $84 billion in total), as well as resulting in over 45,000 deaths.
Given the increasing threat posed by these natural disasters, it is crucial to support those on your team who have been affected - or may be impacted in the future. A disaster and hardship relief fund—like those administered by Emergency Assistance Foundation—offers a practical and compassionate solution to support team members affected by natural disasters.
How Establishing a Disaster & Hardship Relief Fund With Emergency Assistance Foundation Will Help Provide Aid
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, your organization can help impacted team members rebuild and recover with a disaster relief fund administered by Emergency Assistance Foundation. A relief fund can boost morale and encourage your internal communities to contribute directly to the support of fellow team members. Establishing a fund can alleviate the stress that disasters put on those within your organization and allow impacted individuals to start on the road to recovery.
If your organization is interested in starting a relief fund, consider establishing a fund with Emergency Assistance Foundation today. As a financial first responder, we are resourceful and fearless in ensuring that financial assistance reaches individuals in need, no matter the unique circumstances involved.
Once you establish a fund, you can also launch an Immediate Response Program (IRP) in the event of a qualified disaster to provide small grants quickly and efficiently. This is a unique, low-cost program, which is supplemental to a fund’s standard grant program and awards small grants (< $1,000) quickly in times of large-scale disasters like earthquakes.
Proactively establishing a relief fund with Emergency Assistance Foundation ensures that your organization is ready to assist any team members that are impacted by natural disasters, and it can even be life-saving. According to data analyzed for our landmark 10-year relief fund industry report, natural disasters are the number one event included in the grant criteria for funds that are established with Emergency Assistance Foundation.
In fact, 73% of the over 300 relief funds we administer include natural disasters in their grant criteria. The funds’ sponsoring organizations recognize the growing importance of taking care of their team members in the aftermath of a natural disaster. As the threat of natural disasters continues to increase, now is the perfect time to start preparing for how your organization will respond once the next disaster occurs.
By establishing a fund with us today, your organization can assist members of your team affected by increasing natural disasters. Relief fund grants can help impacted individuals pull through difficult times and start on the path toward recovery. If you’d like to learn more about how your organization can help your team during difficult times, you can review additional information about how a fund works or contact us today. We look forward to helping you make a difference for those who need it most!
