International emergency relief for Brazil climate disaster

[Organized by Brazilian university students abroad, including at Stanford and Northwestern University]

Unprecedented floods have struck the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul since last week. Two-thirds of the state’s 497 cities were affected, leading to landslides, destroyed roads and collapsed bridges as well as power outages and water cuts. Over 75 have been found dead, thousands are stranded on top of their homes awaiting rescue, over 100,000 are displaced and more than 1,000,000 people lack access to drinking water, according to Brazil’s civil defense agency. River and lagoon levels continue to rise and flood the state capital and adjacent communities.

The situation on the ground is apocalyptic and continues to deteriorate, so a group of Brazilian students at Stanford have joined forces to create this emergency relief effort and raise funds to help those on the ground.

Funds will be distributed to the Rio Grande do Sul state government's relief fund, nonprofits on the ground and other committed, transparent rescue and recovery efforts in the region.

Why we are doing this funding:

We are a trio of Brazilian students at the prestigious Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB). Many of the victims are our friends, acquaintances, and even relatives. After conducting several reference checks with experts on the ground, we have decided to direct donations collected from this campaign to Instituto Cultural Floresta, a non profit organization that has been internationally recognized for its services during the ongoing crisis. Funds have been used to provide shelter, food, and even rescue canoes as the floods remain. We are confident that all funds will be used quickly and effectively for rescue and emergency relief services in the affected areas.