Bahamas Recovery
Hurricane Dorian, considered to be the worst natural disaster in the Bahamas’ history, tore through the islands as a Category 5 hurricane and made landfall on September 1, 2019. The storm created a 20+ foot storm surge and caused $3.4 billion in damage, leaving an estimated 76,000 people homeless or jobless, or both. Entire communities were destroyed. In the communities remaining, residents didn’t have access to clean water or sanitation. People were at risk of reaching their breaking point.
SBP had never before deployed teams internationally but was able to do so following Hurricane Dorian thanks to a partnership with Abaco Outreach, founded by David Ducote and friends. Over the last 3 years, our team has driven extraordinary impact - repairing homes, rebuilding the Grand Bahamas Children's Home, providing clean water, and supporting the local economy. The work done by SBP & Abaco Outreach could not have happened without our generous donors and partners.
HOME REBUILDING
SBP has rebuilt homes for 550 families in Grand Bahama and we will finish homes for another 90 families by year-end. The Johnson Family is the first family we welcomed home.
GRAND BAHAMA CHILDREN’S HOME
The children are back! Thanks to your support and deep collaboration with Grand Bahama Port Authority, Kate and Justin Rose Foundation, Albany, and the One Bahamas Fund, the Grand Bahamas Children’s Home has been rebuilt, and is better than ever. The facility, which now has capacity to serve 43 children, underwent much-needed damage repair but also has a new building for laundry and storage. As an investment in the sustainability of programs, the partners are funding a new, full-time therapist and training for staff to better serve the children’s needs.
WATER FILTRATION
SBP is working with CDC Foundation, Sextant, Water Mission and the Bahamas Ministry of Health and Public Hospitals Authority to provide clean water for 400 people daily. Installation of water filtration systems will begin in the next few weeks and conclude by the end of the year. To prepare for the installation of five systems across the Bahamas, SBP Abaco Outreach and its partners have completed a hydrogeological survey, upgraded electric and utility lines and have begun drilling wells.
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT
SBP Abaco Outreach is supporting the local economy devastated by Hurricane Dorian in several ways. As part of our rebuilding model, we work with 8 local contractors who employ 25 Bahamians.
MOLD REMEDIATION TRAINING
SBP Abaco Outreach conducted 30+ mold remediation trainings for 500 individuals and dozens of NGOs, who impacted more than 5,000 homes with mold remediation services, and trained and certified 25 contractors in mold remediation services.
CONTINUED NEED
Thousands of families have been waiting for more than a year to move back into their homes. However, most rebuilding efforts by international NGOs have already ended, and by early 2021 SBP will remain the last rebuilding organization serving families impacted by Hurricane Dorian.
Please consider donating to our Hurricane Dorian Recovery Fund to support us in bringing these families home.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS
- Albany
- Albury Brothers Boats
- Amazon
- Annenberg Foundation
- Bahamas Ministry of Health and Public Hospitals Authority
- Bahamian Disaster Reconstruction Authority
- Calpine
- Caritas
- CDC Foundation
- Chub Cay
- Convoy of Hope
- Dirty Coast
- Eric Gordon
- Flow
- GER3
- Gilder Foundation
- Global Medic
- Good360
- Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation (GBDRF)
- Grand Bahama Port Authority
- Howler Bros.
- Jefferies
- Kate and Justin Rose Foundation
- Keller Williams
- Kevin Durant
- Lamar Advertising
- Latter & Blum
- LuminAid
- Mediterranean Shipping Company
- MLB & Major League Baseball Players Association
- National Basketball Players Association
- Nola.com
- NRG
- One Bahamas Foundation
- Raising Cane's
- Rotary Club of Freeport
- Salvation Army
- Samaritan's Purse
- Schultz Family Foundation
- Sextant
- Team Rubicon
- Tito's
- Toyota
- UPS
- Water Mission