United for Oaxaca
Hurricane Agatha Relief

Together, We Raised over $48,000 USD to Support Local Communities

Love and Compassion in Action: Hurricane Agatha Relief

Questioner: How should we help others?
Ramana Maharshi: There are no others.

On May 30th, Hurricane Agatha battered the Oaxacan Coast. Severe winds and rainfall triggered flash floods and mudslides, resulting in the loss of at least 20 lives and the destruction of many homes, roads, schools, and businesses.

Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico, where conditions have long been dire for many families. The pandemic brought further hardships. And in the wake of the hurricane, many lost not only their houses but all their belongings. They were in immediate need of food, water, housing, and medical supplies.

We have operated our center in Oaxaca for over 10 years and feel a strong commitment to the people here. So, we mobilized to put the Hridaya teachings into action and offer selfless service in a time of acute need.

We put out the call to the international Hridaya family and received over $48,000 USD in donations to support the relief effort.

In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, our team visited six local communities, providing over $3,500 USD of emergency supplies and other assistance to over 100 of the neediest families. We spent another $3,000 USD to help rebuild damaged roofs.

Those most affected by the destruction of Agatha were families already living in very simple and precarious conditions with limited access to employment or educational opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we now have the resources to go beyond “just” helping to relieve urgent needs and have started a pilot project of direct and mutual partnership with Agua Dulce, one of the villages in the area. Beyond simply treating the symptoms of poverty and marginalization caused by and preexisting the hurricane, we have developed a more sustainable, integrated, and long-term vision for our efforts. Please read more about this vision and our partnership with Agua Dulce.

How You Can Help

We are truly grateful for the outpouring of donations for these efforts and are taking our time to allocate funds with care. As we are committed to continuing this work indefinitely, we welcome contributions. You may donate via credit card or do a bank transfer (Beneficiary: Hridaya Yoga AC; Bank Name: BBVA; Account Number: 012180001152110263; Swift Code: BCMRMXMMPYM; please put “Oaxaca” in the transaction description, so we know where to target your donation).

As the work of the Community Development Department progresses, there will likely be opportunities to get involved. We’ll share more on this via social media and in our newsletters. And, if you have a special skill that you think may be helpful, please email us.