In November 2020, Central America felt the devastating force of two natural disasters, as Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota swept across Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaraguan. Both catastrophes, which happened barely two weeks apart, left more than 200 people dead and thousands displaced from their homes. Hurricane Eta first hit Nicaraguan on November 3, with massive mudslides, flash floods, rains causing uncontrollable damage in the region. 

In the village of Quejá in Guatemala, it set off a monstrous landslide that left dozens dead and made the entire area uninhabitable. Local authorities would eventually call off rescue efforts around the territory, declaring the village “camposanto,” or a resting place for the dead. Less than two weeks later, on November 16, Hurricane Iota made landfall around Haulover, Nicaragua, 15 miles from where Hurricane Eta had begun its chaotic sweep. 

With maximum wind speeds of over 155 miles per hour, Hurricane Iota is the strongest storm to hit Nicaraguan. The confirmed deaths from the disaster numbered around 40, as rescue teams struggled to reach and recover victims. 

Food for Life in Honduras

In the wake of the unfortunate events that struck Central America and Honduras, Food for Life Global, a Delaware-based emergency relief organization, organized free vegan food distribution programs throughout December 2020. The initiative – which the non-profit tagged Food for Life Honduras – featured a team of volunteers led by Carmen Yamileth Licona. 

Food for Life Global is the world’s largest world hunger-relief organization. The foundation currently has over 200 affiliates spread across 60 nations worldwide. Established in 1995, FFLG focuses on distributing pure plant-based meals globally to feed the world’s hungry and promote peace and prosperity. 

This mission began in the early 70s with yoga students of Swami Prabhupada, who were following their master’s appeal that no individual located within a ten-mile radius of an Krishna temple would suffer from starvation. Today, Food for Life Global has thousands of volunteers providing disaster relief and humanitarian aid services worldwide. 

Food for Life Honduras Hurricane Relief Programs

For two weeks in December 2020, Food for Life Honduras organized six food distribution programs across regions affected by Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota. Below are the details of the hurricane relief activities carried out by the group: 

• Saturday, December 12, 2020, Hospital Escuela, Tegucigalpa: 160 meals distributed. 
• Sunday, December 13, 2020, Central Park of Tegucigalpa: 160 breakfasts and 150 lunches distributed. 
• Wednesday, December 16, 2020, Hospital Escuela, Tegucigalpa and the Hospico CEDER: 165 breakfasts and 130 lunches distributed. 
• Saturday, December 19, 2020, Home for the Elderly in Villa Olimpica and Plaza los Dolores, Tegucigalpa: 110 lunches distributed.
• Tuesday, December 22, 2020, Hospico CEDER and around Germania and  Cerro de Hula, Tegucigalpa: 23 lunches and 120 dinners distributed.
• Wednesday, December 23, 2020, Salvador Aguirre Home for the Elderly, Tegucigalpa: 100 breakfasts distributed. 

Overall, Food for Life Honduras gave out 425 breakfasts, 573 lunches, and 120 dinners to the disaster victims in Central America. 

How to Make Hurricane Relief Donations to Food for Life Honduras 

Food for Life Global offers numerous opportunities to well-meaning individuals who would love to make hurricane relief donations to support the group’s mission in Honduras and other disaster-ridden regions of the world. The organization allows sponsors to give as little as a few dollars to more sizable sums. You could also make donations in cryptocurrency and flight miles. 

Furthermore, FFLG’s Sponsor a Child option offers philanthropists opportunities to sponsor the education, feeding, and medical care of underprivileged children worldwide. Donors can also give legacy gifts to Food for Life Global through their Wills. These endowments are a way for individuals to leave a memorial of their lifetimes behind after their death. Other options available to you to support FFLG include Sponsor a Rescued Animal and Life Membership through a $1,000 donation. 

How to Volunteer for Hurricane Relief

Besides making hurricane relief donations to Food for Life Global, you can also volunteer and help out in regions of the world that require humanitarian aid and support.  FFLG is an equal opportunity volunteer group, and, as such, it does not discriminate against individuals who decide to work with it based on age, gender, ethnicity, or race. There are also different volunteer types available, depending on the role they play. 

Some of the options you could pick include Direct Contact Volunteer, Technical Assistance Volunteer, and Advocates. You could go through the website to decide which one suits you and submit your application. Furthermore, Food for Life Global does not limit its volunteering opportunities to individuals alone, as corporate organizations can also partner with the foundation. Vegan food product businesses, animal rights organizations, and CSR companies are some groups that can work with FFLG to support its cause.

YOU CAN HELP!