When a 2016 mass shooting in Kalamazoo left six people dead and two seriously wounded, United Way joined with community foundations in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek to raise money to aid victims and families.

That’s what United Way does when tragedy and disaster strike.

While UWBCKR focuses on local needs, United Way Worldwide stepped up in a big way during 2017 as disasters struck the United States and elsewhere.

When Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana in August, UWW established the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund, with startup funding by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, to fund relief and recovery efforts through local United Ways. The fund grew as Hurricanes Irma and Maria pummeled Florida, Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean. Collectively, the three hurricanes caused damage estimated at $300 billion. The official death toll is 175, though some believe the actual number is far higher.

In late September, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck central Mexico, killing 370 people and causing at least $2 billion in damage.

From October through December, hundreds of wildfires erupted in California. In December alone, more than 212,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as fires wiped out over 250,000 acres and more than 1,000 structures.

By November, UWW raised more than $63 million to support local, on-the-ground relief efforts related to the hurricanes and earthquake. The organization also spread the word on relief funds established for those affected by the California wildfires.

What’s more, the generous donors of our own region contributed to these efforts through our United Way, and we forwarded 100 percent of their gifts to that relief work. Meanwhile, the 2-1-1 contact center at Gryphon Place, a United Way partner, provided emergency call support to hurricane-struck areas.

UWW President & CEO Brian Gallagher says it’s that collective effort that makes recovery possible.

“Every time someone receives a bottle of water or a new place to stay, they are learning about the power of individuals and communities to help us heal, move forward together and pursue a better life,” he said. “United Way will help ensure that these new foundations become recipes for long-term renewal. We stay in place long after the waters and the headlines recede. We bring together businesses, government, nonprofits and citizens to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.

“We help families and communities come back stronger.”

To find out more about United Way Worldwide’s relief work, go to unitedway.org.