There is a lot of bad stuff going on in the world right now. I know, we are all aware. Every time I sit down to write a lighthearted parenting post, the next thing I know, it’s two hours later and all I’ve done is look at footage of hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico, watch videos of the buildings falling in Mexico, read startling back and forth about America’s escalating tensions with North Korea and then disappeared in a wormhole regarding Jared Kushner’s email. And that doesn’t even touch upon everything coming out of DC around healthcare, tax reform, the travel ban, transgenders in the military, sexual assault on college campuses, etc. etc. etc.

A couple of days ago, I accidentally dropped my phone in a sink of running water and stopped blogging for a few days while my phone took a time out in a bag of rice. My laptop was working perfectly fine but I just didn’t feel like writing. There’s too much to say and nothing to say all at once.

In times like these, I don’t like to pretend that I’m living in a mommy blog bubble where real world stuff doesn’t affect me. I want to be helpful, and if I can’t do it by providing a laugh, then I look for another avenue.

So today, I’d like to highlight a few organizations that are currently helping Puerto Rico, all of which were suggested to me by people from Puerto Rico who follow me on Snapchat. From what I’ve read, donating to Puerto Rico is not just about rebuilding. The hurricane may have stopped wreaking havoc but as clean water becomes more scarce, days without power increase and spaces in hospitals run out, the suffering of the people in Puerto Rico is only going to get worse. You can read more of about the severity of the situation here.

This afternoon, I am going to take the kids to a fire department in the East Village that is collecting supplies for Puerto Rico. Specifically, they are asking for people to donate diapers, baby food, batteries, first aid supplies and feminine hygiene products.

If you are in NYC and would like to contribute, the firehouses accepting supplies in Manhattan are:

Engine 28: 222 E. 2nd St. (East Village)

Engine 91: 242 East 111th St. (Harlem)

Engine 95: 29 Vermilyea Avenue (Inwood)

For locations in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and the Bronx, click here.

Here are a few organizations recommended to me by my readers. I did my research before sharing but obviously, you should do your own research as well:

Puerto Rico Real-Time Recovery Fund: This fund is organized and managed by ConPRmetidos in partnership with the Foundation for Puerto Rico. 100% of donations will go to long-term relief for the victims of catastrophic Hurricane María in Puerto Rico. There appears to be another indirect landing page which says it is recommended by the NY Times, NBC News and more.

United for Puerto Rico: This fund was started by the First Lady of Puerto Rico to provide aide and support for people affected by Hurricane Maria. It is now backed by tons of brands and celebrities.

Global Giving: This organization is trying to raise $5 million to help all the islands in the Caribbean affected by the hurricanes, including Puerto Rico, Dominica and the Virgin Islands. This one was recommended by the Pod Save America Podcast.

Puerto Rico for Puerto Rico: This fund was started by Puerto Rican professionals living abroad who want to help rebuild their country.

Friends of Puerto Rico: This is a registry set up out of San Juan where you can easily purchase necessities like diapers, formula, water, and tools through Amazon Smile.

I’ll also do one better. Tell me what is keeping you up at night in the comments below and I will give $1 to the Puerto Rico Real-time Recovery Fund for every comment, up to $250. I am going to match an additional $250 for comments on Instagram.

Lastly, let’s keep talking and thinking about all the places affected by recent natural disasters because although the news cycle might change, the problems are going to be with us for a long time.