Locals getting ready to rebuild their community after Hurricane Beryl

July 16, 2024

MADISON, Wis—Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions (WFCU) this week pledged $5,000 through its Project Storm Break initiative to assist the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions’ (CCCU) Development Foundation’s appeal to provide support to credit union communities affected by Hurricane Beryl. 

The first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Beryl rapidly intensified from a tropical depression to a Hurricane in within a 24-hour span, further strengthening in early July into an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm.

CCCU member credit unions on Tobago, Dominica, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Jamaica suffered significant destruction.

Among Jamaica’s population of approximately 2.8 million, roughly one million people are credit union members. Credit union membership in St. Vincent and the Grenadines represents 78% of the country’s population. Consequently, a significant portion of those directly impacted by the disaster are credit union members. 

Grenada houses damaged from Hurricane Beryl

CCCU has already disbursed the first tranche of funds from its Development Foundation to help severely impacted member organizations with the purchase of medical supplies, food, bottled water and rain tarps. 

The next urgent need will be to purchase power generators once more become available on some of the devastated islands. WFCU will support this effort through its $5,000 donation and encourages the global credit union community to step in and make their contributions to help bridge the safety gap through Project Storm Break.  

“Our General Disaster Relief Fund gives WFCU an opportunity to quickly respond to various crises faced by credit unions around the world. We are grateful to our generous champions that provide us with the resources needed to fulfil this important mission to be there for those in need in a timely fashion,” said Mike Reuter, WFCU President. 

Damage to Grenada houses from overhead

The Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, as the strategic partner of the World Council, bridges gaps impacting credit unions’ ability to grow and advance financial inclusion worldwide. Our commitment to provide global credit union journeys augments our shared vision with World Council’s of realizing a vibrant and growing global credit union movement. Worldwide Foundation’s philanthropy advances World Council’s technical capacity to strengthen credit union systems that advance financial inclusion to underserved communities.