Greetings, Friends:
Thanks to you, Portlight Strategies and the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Hurricane Harvey Disability Hotline have been able to offer emergency assistance to hundreds of people with disabilities since late last week.
We have been working closely with the Houston Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, disability organizations, TX state government, the FEMA Regional Disability Integration Specialist and Partnership member organizations from across the country. Portlight has also joined forces with the Cajun Navy to optimize our shared commitment to rescuing people and with Trach Mommas to begin the process of getting disability supplies to people who need them to maintain their health and independence. We are also partnering with Anthem, and appreciate their generous assistance for our hotline and disaster relief efforts.
Weather reports indicate that hurricane Harvey is heading back into the gulf, gathering additional strength, and returning to batter the coast again, with even more catastrophic flooding stretching across Texas and into Louisiana. Prolonged heavy rain is forecasted for the flooded areas for another three days, with as much as 50" accumulation in many areas . The National Weather Service tweeted that “this event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced” even before today's updated forecast.
Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Hurricane Harvey Disability Hotline (800) 626-4959 has received hundreds of urgent requests for assistance for people with disabilities and older adults. We are preparing for the magnitude of requests for assistance to grow as people with disabilities and their families begin to rebuild their lives. We are rallying stakeholders on a daily basis, working together to help get people to safety, provide for any immediate needs they may have for disability related accommodations, durable medical equipment and other assistive technology, responding to evacuation and sheltering issues and problem-solving for a variety of immediate disability accessibility issues.
Portlight Strategies and the Partnership are providing technical assistance and guidance to prevent disaster survivors from being turned away from shelters, denied sign language interpreters, denied their civil rights, inappropriate institutionalization and experiencing many of the same issues as in past disasters.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!! We hope you'll consider supporting Portlight and the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies Hurricane Harvey Disability Hotline. Please share this email with friends and family who may also want to help.
The days ahead will require a tremendous effort to support children and adults with disabilities to maintain their health and independence. Portlight has been leading disability inclusive disaster response and recovery initiatives for many years and we are more capable than ever before to make a real difference for disaster survivors with disabilities.
Your support directly helps disaster survivors calling our hotline for disability related urgent assistance. Nothing we do is possible without you, and as always, we're eternally grateful for your continued support!!!
Thank you.
Portlight Strategies