Catastrophic wildfires are blazing in southern Chile.

Please donate here to #JUNTOSXCHILE through our cause posted on the GlobalGiving platform.

#JUNTOSXCHILE campaign (Together for Chile) just launched as an urgent call for solidarity with those more disadvantaged and severely damaged/victims of the wildfires in southern Chile.

You may be aware of the ongoing devastating effect of wildfires. Most currently occurring in the Regions of Biobío and Ñuble -declared states of catastrophe by the government. The fires have blazed so far around 890,000 acres. But how many more human lives, homes, structures, properties, and wild forests will be affected are unclear and are not yet controlled, as well as the massive environmental damage of wild forest fires that must be figured out.

So far, at least 24 people have been reported dead. Over 1,180 homes, 25 schools, and three medical centers burned, but figures are increasing. Extinguishing the fire is an immediate task, but providing emergency furnish and equipped housing is the highest priority to implement for an already afflicted and impoverished area (people have lost everything). Our objective for this campaign will be to furnish and equip 1,000 homes (families).

We did it successfully in 2017, when mega-fires reduced to ashes vast zones in Bio-Bio, Maule, and O’Higgins, spreading death and more poverty in the regions. At that time, the “Juntos por Chile” campaign was so successful that we could reach the goal of furnishing/equipping 1,000 homes-families. Then, once the above objective was met, the surplus resources also allowed for rebuilding a Santa Olga kindergarten and, entirely, Las Corrientes school in the city of Constitución.

What best distinguishes our intervention as Hogar de Cristo foundation is that we immediately assist in the emergency. Still, we remain also in the place to help with the reconstruction and trauma management. It has been our experience in Chile in the past catastrophes of the earthquake/tsunami of 2010, the floods in Atacama in 2015, the mega-fires of 2017, and during the COVID emergency at the frontline, and providing shelters and services.

The goal is to make it again! The #JUNTOSXCHILE campaign 2023 means 1,000 MILLONES DE PESOS CHILENOS PARA 1,000 HOGARES. In other words, US$ 1,250,000 for 1,000 homes or US$ 1,250 to furnish/equip each as elementary help to retrieve its dignity as a family and start over from zero. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!

We invite you to join us on this journey to be part of the gradual process of recovering the everyday life of 1,000 families who lost everything, most of whom are very low-income or at poverty levels.

Please donate here to #JUNTOSXCHILE through our cause posted on the GlobalGiving platform.