The devastation wrought by Hurricane Dorian has prompted the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions to initiate its first Project Storm Break response in The Bahamas—the same country where the disaster relief fund was officially launched just over one month ago.

The Worldwide Foundation, the charitable fundraising arm of World Council of Credit Unions, is sending $10,000 in Project Storm Break funds to the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU). CCCU is matching that donation, providing for a total of $20,000 to be used for immediate assistance.

Project Storm Break funds will be distributed to help credit unions provide members and staff with emergency supplies.

The money will also help credit unions quickly get back up and running so they can provide needed cash and other financial services to their members.

CCCU has already identified one credit union which has suffered flooding up to the second floor of its building and continues to assess Dorian’s impact on credit unions on Grand Bahama and Abaco—the two Bahamian islands that suffered the most severe wind and flood damage.

“We want to help these community-based institutions get back in business and servicing members as soon as possible—even if it is in a parking lot tent or other temporary location for now,” said Mike Reuter, executive director of the Worldwide Foundation. “Getting these credit unions back on their feet is the best step we can take to getting their members back on a path to a sustainable future.”

This is just phase one of our response. Project Storm Break is open and active to receive financial donations to support both the immediate needs of credit union members and staff, as well as to address long-term rebuilding needs.

Donations can be made directly on the Project Storm Break page.

PSCU—the largest credit union service organization in the United States—pledged $25,000 to Project Storm Break, the largest donation to the fund to date.

To ensure an efficient and prompt response to impacted credit unions and the members they serve, Project Storm Break is only accepting financial donations. Donations of supplies or other in-kind donations will not be accepted.

The Worldwide Foundation initially launched Project Storm Break at the 2019 World Credit Union Conference in The Bahamas to establish the forward-prepared fund to allow for an immediate response when natural disasters like Dorian strike.