Latest news, alerts, and events.
Latest news, alerts, and events.
*updated December 12*
Alaska Community Foundation Fund: Alaska Disaster Recovery Fund. A coalition of funders and service providers have come together around a single fund, the Alaska Disaster Recovery Fund, to be managed by The Alaska Community Foundation. The fund’s purpose is to support the ongoing recovery efforts from the November 30, 2018 earthquake in Southcentral Alaska. The goal of this fund is to allow donors to support recovery efforts for both short-term emergency response and long-term recovery.
The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) is offering Target Wellness earthquake recovery grants to assist qualified Mat-Su nonprofits affected by the November 30 earthquake. These special grants will receive expedited handling, and the maximum amount will be increased to $50,000 from the normal $15,000 threshold for Target Wellness grants. Applications are being accepted online at healthymatsu.org.
Foraker is conducting a survey of earthquake impact to share with funders and volunteers. Fill out the survey here. We are passing along this information to funders.
On December 6, Foraker hosted an informational session for nonprofits hosted by Foraker’s Laurie Wolf and John Tracy, Risq Consulting President Timothy Maudsely, and Alaska Emergency Management team member Alan Cavallo.
Listen to the recording here.
Like you many of you in Southcentral Alaska, I have a story to tell about the last few days – a story of incredible fear, deep gratitude, and an unexplainable combination of exhaustion and exhilaration. To say anything more specific is too hard at the moment. But over time, I and others will heal from this terrifying experience. What I can say now is that Alaskans responded in the most magnificent ways. So many of our government entities mobilized in moments. Our nonprofits responded without a pause. And individual Alaskans stepped in and stepped up to help each other. As a life-long Alaskan I knew the incredible power of our community, but until last Friday’s unimaginable test of our strength, I had not seen us all in action at once for the same purpose. And oh, what a blessing.
While I want to turn my attention to resources for our sector, I first want to add my deepest appreciation to the many Alaskans who build and fix our roads, create and enforce building and bridge safety codes, ensure our public safety, and make sure our water and power are working. To all of those Alaskans, WOW does not even begin to express your response. And to all those teachers, principals, and administrators who kept our children safe at school in the scariest of times – thank you. As our team at Foraker, like other parents throughout the district, rushed to get their kids from school, we knew that you had them in safe in hand – and that was a gift beyond words. Thanks, also, to our local media for your efforts to keep us all informed. You did not sensationalize or create undo fear. Instead, you gave us the facts as they unfolded and corrected information as it was available. Personally, being able to tune in to public broadcasting to hear personal stories and friendly voices was what public broadcasting is all about- a true lifeline for Alaskans.
So now, while we continue to rebuild after an event that certainly could have been so much worse, we want to be a resource for you—the nonprofit sector.
We know you are doing more than you planned to do right now – and that you are rising to the occasion. We also know that most if not all of you have never done this before. While many reading this newsletter don’t live or work in Southcentral Alaska, as Alaskans you know that earthquakes are part of our lives so what we have to share can benefit you too, either now or in the future.
Here is our plan with your help
We are in the process of collecting data on how you have been impacted by the earthquake so that we can mobilize a collective response and you can focus on recovery. We are working closely with funders and volunteers to avoid unnecessary confusion and to maximize results for you. You can find recovery resources here – we’ll continue to update links as we know more.
How to participate right now:
There is more coming from us and our nonprofit and community partners. We will keep the communication lines open so we can all stay informed and connected.
For those of you not in Southcentral Alaska – thank you for reaching out to your nonprofit colleagues with offers of help. Thanks for thinking about how to help from within the state and across the country. Thanks for helping all of us help our community. We are all in this work together.
For those of us in Southcentral – especially in our hardest hit neighborhoods and communities like Big Lake, Eagle River, and many parts of Anchorage – while we are running to meet all of our community’s needs and picking up our personal spaces, let’s also remember that we have to catch our breath. Let’s remember to stop and take care of our hearts and our minds. This was traumatic for many of us and will take longer to heal than likely all the things we can see. Be gentle with each other. Tell your story. Ask for help. Get support. Know that we are standing by your side every step of the way.
With much gratitude,
Laurie
Since the earthquake, we have heard from many donors and volunteers that want to help. The Foraker Group, Rasmuson Foundation, United Way of Anchorage, United Way of Mat-Su, Mat-Su Health Foundation, The Red Cross, Alaska Council on the Arts, and the Alaska Community Foundation, among others, want to help mobilize support for your work.
Please share your immediate needs as a result of the earthquake by the end of the day on Wednesday, December 5.
We will be in contact soon with more information and resources.
We are open for business normal hours this week and our community classes will continue as scheduled. Thanks to everyone who reached out to check on us after the quake.