by Adina Brenner ’20

From last year’s Harvey, Irma, and Maria to this year’s Florence and Michael, hurricanes have practically demolished the Eastern Shores and Gulf Coast. Yet after each storm has occurred, the response of almost every American has been as follows; saying or posting something along the lines of “I feel so bad for the families impacted.” Rather than help those affected, we talk about the problem for a week or so, then completely erase it from our minds. But just because it may no longer be national news does not mean the problem has vanished.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana as a category five storm, being recorded as one of the most devastating hurricanes to ever attack the Gulf. Nearly 2,000 people died and the massive amount of damage was indescribable. One of the saddest parts of the impact was that the recovery process took almost ten years, due to the fact that many people simply ignored the catastrophe rather than contribute to the relief. As citizens of the United States, it should be our duty to unite in times of crisis, even if that crisis may not have a direct effect on our area. Something as small as a monetary donation can provide those impacted with at least an ounce of hope for a better future.