Our 2 Part Mission
A. Spreading financial and humanitarian relief to lessen the harsh impacts of natural disasters.
B. Preventing disasters worsened by modern societal consequences by promoting renewable green energy solutions.
- Hurricanes are the costliest of weather related storms. They alone create a range of short- and long-term health and economic woes, with socially vulnerable populations often shouldering the greatest burden.
- We help families and small businesses stuck in insurance claim nightmares by facilitating funding for immediate needs to those not getting relief from insurance companies fast enough.
- Funding delays can cause even further devastation. Without timely loans or construction funds these same people may lose their homes and businesses and be forced to leave once vibrant communities.
Our Story
What started as a few parents passionate about traveling and exposing their young adults to the world to grow compassion, quickly grew to all parties desiring to assist those in need.
After seeing many areas devastated by natural disaster, ACT Abroad was re-born. We work to bring financial and green energy assistance to all areas of the world devastated by natural disasters. Its purpose is to help regain life, health and economy as quickly as possible for each human being affected.
- IMPACT - Renewable energy not only helps rebuild communities, but also helps rebuild the planet from the ravages of greenhouse gases and excessive carbon footprint.
- PASSION - We are passionate about serving others helping to regain their homes, businesses and communities. We vigorously work with as many volunteers, partners and donors as possible to make this possible for all people. We will work relentlessly until everyone has their daily lives restored.
- PARTNERSHIP - We are stronger, more efficient and effective when we partner with organizations that have strong field presence and proven outcomes.
- EQUITY - We target our efforts at vulnerable and marginalized populations devastated by disaster to make the world a more equitable place.
- CAPABILITY - We are at our best when the need is at its greatest. We overcome obstacles by mobilizing our global network to find innovative solutions and efficiently deliver humanitarian services to a world in need.
Our Work
We focus on places where disaster present opportunities to re-build more secure, productive communities. We help to assess needs in order to provide emergency relief in times of disaster and move quickly to help communities recover and build resilience to future shocks. We promote sustainable change by supporting green building initiatives that strengthen local markets, promote good governance and are led by the community.
EMERGENCY RELIEF. We mobilize resources for immediate emergency relief and continue support for sustainable, long-term health and economic development. The most socially vulnerable population often shoulders the greatest burden of the short and long term health and economic woes caused by widespread, damaging storms made worse and more severe by climate change. Climate change is expected to further increase the tab to this population, with potential future losses from hurricanes and other extreme weather events projected to as much as double (equaling over $44 billion) by 2100. HELPING REBUILD COMMUNITIES. ACT Abroad mobilizes professionals for lobbying for and facilitating partnerships with the government to promote and implement sustainable fuel sources. Reducing our reliance on the existing power grid. Different types of green energy solutions, like solar and wind power, are less likely to fail due to severe weather, since they're spread out over a larger area and made up of multiple units of equipment. Where traditional power sources may fail, green energy sources can pick up the slack. Carbon emissions account for between 65–76 percent of the greenhouse gases from human activity, 40% coming from buildings - fossil fuels required to heat, cool and power all types of appliances. Conventional buildings consume 70% of the electricity produced in the US. These emissions cause the Earth's temperature to rise at its fastest rate in millions of years. SOLVING THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM. We believe in and support renewable energy. Greenhouse gases directly/contribute to climate change.Thereby affecting rising global temperatures, rising sea levels, droughts,hurricanes, and wildfires. We are going to the source of the acceleration of these natural disasters. Green building is the low hanging fruit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions emitted into the atmosphere. In 2016 greenhouse gas emissions were 50% higher than the average over the last 10 years. The average C02 concentration now over 403 parts per million(PPM) - the largest increase in the last 30 years!
Training and Logistics
ACT Abroad provides all volunteers with many types and styles of training. All training helps to ensure the success of our team with the local communities they are serving.
* We aim to create a better understanding of others.
* Cultural sensitivity begins with a recognition that there are differences between cultures.
* A culturally competent person views all people as unique individuals and realizes that their experiences, beliefs, values, and language affect their perceptions.
* We strive to send our volunteers into communities already knowing very basic communicative phrases.
* Basic picture/language cards sent with each volunteer to communicate even further.
* Allows us to effectively function in other cultures, respect and value other cultures, and can reduce cultural barriers between volunteers and the locals in need.
* Determine priorities, make improvements, or allocate resources. It involves determining the needs, or gaps, between where we envision ourselves operating and our current operations in that area.
* Rapidly identify patients at high nutritional risk along with those with supply gaps of medical attention/care/supplies.
- Carbon emissions account for between 65–76 percent of the greenhouse gases from human activity, causing the Earth's temperature to rise at its fastest rate in millions of years.
- Buildings account for 40% of carbon monoxide (CO2) emissions in the United States. These CO2 emissions come from burning fossil fuels required to heat, cool, and power all types of appliances.
- Conventional buildings consume 70% of the electricity produced in the United States.
- Green building is the low hanging fruit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions emitted into the atmosphere.
- Greenhouse gases directly/contribute to climate change. Thereby affecting rising global temperatures, rising sea levels, droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires.
- Currently over 15,000 people day now die from air pollution.
- In 2016 greenhouse gas emissions were 50% higher than the average over the last 10 years.
- The average C02 concentration now over 403 parts per million (PPM). The largest increase in the last 30 years!
- According to statistics provided by the National Weather Service, heat is the number one weather related killer in the United States, followed by flooding, and then tornadoes.
- Between 1994 and 2013, EM-DAT recorded 6,873 natural disasters worldwide, which claimed 1.35 million lives or almost 68,000 lives on average each year. In addition 218 million people were affected by natural disasters on average per year during this 20-year period.
- From 1980 through September 2018, 41 hurricanes each averaged nearly $22 billion in losses (not including Hurricane Michael). That figure includes everything from wrecked homes and waterlogged hospitals in communities; public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and power lines; economic losses like lost wages and income-generating assets such as crops, livestock, and businesses. It does not include health-related costs or values related to lost lives.
- According to the U.S. Geological Survey, over 316,000 people were killed in the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.
- Over the last decade, the United States, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China constitute the top five countries that are most frequently hit by natural disasters.
JOIN US
For years our volunteers have been responding immediately after disaster strikes and staying until the job is done. In disaster, volunteers have an opportunity to learn more about and help apply bold and creative solutions to help spark, scale and sustain lasting change.
But we can’t do this work alone. We need the support, expertise, innovations and solutions of our corporate and foundation partners to help people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities. We need you!