CREDO Mobile Blog

How you can help those affected by Hurricane Irma

For the second time in just a few weeks, a massive and highly destructive hurricane — Hurricane Irma — hit the United States, causing untold damage, displacing millions, and killing dozens of people. Everyone here at CREDO has the victims of these disasters in their hearts and thoughts.

As always, CREDO Mobile and Long Distance have sought to protect its customers and have enacted a forgiveness policy during these recent disasters. For accounts in areas affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey, CREDO will not disconnect customers and will waive excess data and overage fees upon request.

Many people in Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and surrounding areas are in desperate need of help. If you and your friends and family are looking for ways to help victims of Irma, here are some ways you can chip in:

• Volunteer Florida is the lead agency in Florida for volunteers and donations before, during, and after disasters. Volunteer Florida is mobilizing and deploying assistance for those responding to and recovering from Irma. You can sign up to volunteer or donate here.
• The New Florida Majority, a progressive organization in Florida working to increase the voting and political power of Florida’s low-income black and Latino communities, has helped to establish the Hurricane Irma Community Recovery Fund with their progressive allies in region. You can make a donation to this fund here.
• The Miami Workers Center is a leading progressive social change nonprofit organization that fights for social, racial, economic and gender justice in Miami who will be helping with the relief efforts for low-income communities, communities of color and LGBTQ communities during the aftermath of Irma. You can make a donation to help their important work here.
• Guakia Colectivo Agroecologico is a frontline environmental justice organization based in Puerto Rico. Donations to Guakia will go to supporting critical local relief efforts. You can make a donation by calling 787-414-9794 or emailing guakiapr@gmail.com.
• Make the Homeless Smile is on the ground in the Miami area providing food, supplies, and clothing for those impacted by Irma. You can contribute to their Make the Homeless Smile Irma Relief Fund here.

How you can help victims of Hurricane Harvey

Here at CREDO, our hearts go out to the tens of thousands of victims of Hurricane Harvey. The massive storm and devastating flooding have left more than a dozen dead, dozens more injured and at least 30,000 in desperate need of food, shelter, medicine and other aid.

Recent reporting confirms that the storm and its aftermath are having a disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, people of color and immigrant families. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials left 50 immigrant women and children stranded at a closed bus station directly in the path of the storm, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it would continue making arrests during Harvey, so it’s unclear how many immigrants may have chosen not to seek help during or after the storm.

If you and your friends and family are looking for ways to help victims of Harvey, here are some ways you can chip in:

• Volunteer. If you live in Texas or the Gulf region or are willing to travel, many organizations are looking for a helping hand. Volunteer Houston and All Hands Volunteers are coordinating volunteer relief efforts.
• Communities of color. The Texas Organizing Project, a nonprofit that promotes social and economic equality for low to moderate income Texans, has established a Hurricane Harvey Community Relief Fund to ensure marginalized communities get immediate relief and have the tools to rebuild and advocate for themselves in the long run.
• People with disabilities. Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies is coordinating with the local, state and federal government to address urgent requests for evacuation and medical equipment from older people and people with disabilities, including trans people, undocumented immigrants and other extremely vulnerable communities who are disabled.
• Food donations. Food banks across Texas and the region are in need of donations. The Houston Press has compiled a good list here. To make an immediate online gift, Feeding Texas coordinates with food banks across the state.
• Infants and children. The Texas Diaper Bank is accepting donations and emergency diapers for families affected by Harvey. Click here to make a donation and specify your donation is for disaster relief.
• Immigrants. Immigrants in the Gulf region are especially at risk during this crisis. Mijente, a pro-Latinx advocacy organization, was immediately organizing before Harvey hit the Texas coast to protect immigrants from Trump’s out of control Custom and Border Patrol during the hurricane. You can donate to them here.
• Environmental justice. Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (TEJAS) provides community members with the tools necessary to create sustainable, environmentally healthy communities by educating individuals on health concerns and implications arising from environmental pollution. Click here to make a donation.
• Pets and animals. Austin Pets Alive! is working with shelters directly affected by Hurricane Harvey and in need of immediate funding to save animals impacted by the storm.

#Charlottesville: CREDO is fighting back against racist white supremacy

Last weekend, Charlottesville, Virginia was the epicenter of white supremacist Nazi hate.

White supremacist protesters marched through the streets of Charlottesville carrying torches and chanting “white lives matter” and “we will not be replaced.” After a day of racist, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ protest, a terrorist slammed his car into a crowd of anti-racist counter protesters, killing at least one person and injuring almost 20 others.

After these terror attacks, Donald Trump pandered to his white supremacist Nazi supporters by blaming “many sides.” His comments have further emboldened these racist terrorists, and Nazi hate groups are praising Trump’s disgusting statement.

Here at CREDO, our hearts go out to all those who are standing up to this hate in the face of violence and death threats. As a company whose core values are to stand up for the civil rights of people of color, women, LGBTQ people and other communities who face discrimination and violence because of systemic oppression and bigotry, we are doing everything we can to fight back.

As soon we received reports of the violent protests in Charlottesville, we instantly called out the white supremacists perpetrating hate. In a video we posted on Facebook that has been viewed almost 1 million times and shared nearly 25,000 times, white supremacist David Duke praises Donald Trump, and Nazis march by chanting “Heil Trump”:

After news that brave protesters were injured and Heather Heyer, a 32 year old woman from Charlottesville, was murdered when a white supremacist plowed his car into a group of innocent people, we worked with our progressive allies to organize vigils across the country.

New video: CREDO Action’s Josh Nelson at Netroots Nation

CREDO Action Deputy Political Director Josh Nelson spoke at Netroots Nation to discuss our activism against Trump-appointee Betsy DeVos with our allies in the movement. You can watch the full panel discussion below or on our Facebook page.