Here is a look behind-the-scenes of our team purchasing, preparing, and then distributing emergency food relief to deaf victims living in refuge. *Trigger warning* for the descriptive backstory. Deaf people in Haiti have been living in refuge as a result of the deliberate attack on their village by the police when their homes were burned down and they were shot at to flee their homes. This incident left dozens of deaf people without a home and several deaf people were wounded by bullets. We use monetary donations from donors to pay for emergency food relief, gas, transportation, security, and more. 📌 Due to the ongoing violence, earthquake and humanitarian crisis in Haiti, prices have inflated enormously which impacts the work we do, and this is called “DISASTER CAPITALISM”. Video description: three Deaf Haitians (OTG team members names are private) are purchasing large sacs of rice, pasta, oil, and more to bring by vehicle to our Safe Haven. Then the team separates the foods to build individual care packages. They are then at the refuge met by deaf people to collect their individual care packages (victims identities are also private). Thank you to everyone who supports our cause in every way 🙏 #offthegridHAITI #offthegridmissions #foodrelief #haiti #haitian #haitinews #emergencyrelief #deaf #deafcommunity #ngo #donations

Hello from behind-the-scenes! We have been quiet on social media working relief efforts in Haiti. Do we still need support? Yes! —we are continuing to collect supplies off of our Amazon Wishlist—anything posted there is of great need (we continue to update the list based off of inventory and need). We are grateful for all of the support raising so far over 1,000 pounds of supplies for deaf people in Haiti. If you would like to contribute to our disaster-relief efforts for Haiti, please go to www.offthegridmissions.org (link in bio). [Description: @angelamariaotg and @weirlune say hello as they work to pack @luminaid solar lights, reusable period pads, 2-6 person tents, learning tools, @bymaraily drawstring bags, and more.] Thank you to @airlinkflight and @solrelief for heavy lifting of our cargo and team to ground zero. #offthegridHAITI #offthegridmissions #disasterrelief #haiti #deaf #ngo #emergencyservices #frontlines #luminaid #bymaraily #sorenson #airlink #womensupportingwomen

We have been quiet on social media as we work disaster-relief efforts in Haïti. So we put together this update: 🔹 How many supplies has OTG prepared so far from donations? So far over 1,000 lbs! 🔹 Has OTG been supplying deaf people throughout Haïti with your donations? Yes! —to include deaf families, Codas, people with disabilities. 🔹 Will OTG be showing the behind-the-scenes of the efforts on the ground? Yes! We work hard to document our efforts, safely, and with respect to the people we are supporting. We look forward to taking you behind-the-scenes to show you how your support is making an incredible impact. 🔹 There is a lot of corruption and violence in Haiti putting NGOs like OTG at risk for theft, kidnapping, or worse. Has it been difficult navigating the supplying and through the regions? EXTREMELY. This is indeed our biggest ongoing challenge. We have an incredible partnership with @airlinkflight to get our teams and supplies safely to “ground zero”, and our team is made up of Deaf Haitians who are strategically working together. As a result, 100% of our supplies have so far made it directly to deaf people in need. It is a very strenuous and difficult process. 🔹 Does OTG still need support? Yes! —we are continuing to request donations and supplies. Anything posted on our Amazon Wishlist is still of great need (we continue to update the list based off of inventory and need). 🔹 Are there other ways to support deaf people in Haiti? Yes, our petition to “help end violence against deaf people in Haiti” still needs 100k signatures (link in bio). Thank you to everyone who has been supporting our efforts and we look forward to taking you behind-the-scenes with us shortly 🙏 Have a question? Post in comments below! [Image Description: close-up of one of our team members (identity concealed for privacy). He is Black Deaf Haitian wearing a black sleeve-less shirt with palm trees in the background. He is doing the sign name for Off-The-Grid Missions. His smile is peeking out behind his hands.] #offthegridHAITI #offthegridmissions #disasterrelief #haiti #deaf #ngo #signlanguage #emergencyservices #frontlines #luminaid #bymaraily #sorenson #airlink

Isabelle, Bridget, and Emelia are three Deaf Women who had one mission: to take on America as a fundraiser for Off-The-Grid Missions! Their journey across the United States started in June of 2021 and they rode their bicycles from Oregon to Virginia. We finally got a chance to sit down with them and ask them questions –why they chose OTG Missions, what it was like in preparation of, throughout behind-the-scenes, and now how it feels looking back at how far they have come. Disclaimer: Please pardon the quality of the video is not crisp in parts, as it goes... off-the-grid, yet the content is well worth the watch! Thank you @bbttakeonamerica for all you have done over the past year and starting months before you even began. You have exceeded your goal in raising awareness and funds for our cause and we could not be more grateful and proud of your support in but not limited to your hard work, sacrifice, and commitment. [Description: @angelamariaotg interviews @izzzyxo_, @onthebriiink, and @emeliabeldon explains why they chose OTGMissions, how they packed, their thoughts as they rode everyday, they explain how and why they APPROVE of our @luminaid solar lights for disaster relief missions, and ultimately how this journey has contributed to where they are now and their outlook for the future.] #bbttakeonamerica #offthegridmissions #offthegridhaiti

A deaf-friendly hub of emergency relief for anyone affected by Hurricane Ida is available on our website. These are live updates of supply distribution centers, shelters, renter/homeowners assistance, and more at www.offthegridmissions.org (link in bio). 🖊 Have an update? Please comment below. 💫 Share for family and friends who may need this information. #offthegridmissions #offthegridlouisiana #disasterrelief #emergencyalert

We have created a hub of new and real-time information for people in New York, New Jersey, and Louisiana affected by Hurricane Ida. There is access to a list of shelters, transportation to shelters, food banks; and there is also now a Federal grant application process available for Homeowners and Renters in 25 parishes which can provide upwards of $34,000. These grants do NOT have to be repaid. Go to the link in our bio or our homepage offthegridmissions.org to access the links to information listed in our post. 🖊 If you have new information to add, please comment it below. ☀️ Please share for friends and family who may need this information. #HurricaneIda #chefsforlouisiana #offthegridlouisiana #louisiana #newyork #newjersey #hurricane #hurricaneida2021 #ngo #deaffriendly #offthegridmissions

This process usually takes days —but with this particular mission it takes weeks… to unbox, take inventory, pack, ship, to keep supplies safe …and repeat these rounds all while we do our best to make the limited supplies we have help as many deaf people as possible. Our efforts continue so if you would like to support you may donate through our website (link in bio). We know it is never easy to identify who or where it is safe to donate, so we thank you for believing in our cause and our work. More behind-the-scenes to come… #offthegridHAITI Other ways you can help are sharing our content, or signing our petition to end human rights violations against deaf people in Haïti at: www.change.org/offthegridhaiti Video description: OTG team is outside unboxing dozens of supplies sent in from individual donors through our Amazon Wishlist, in-kind contributions and support from our partners, and supplies we purchased using monetary donations. Special thank you to our partners: @luminaid @airlinkflight @solrelief @bbttakeonamerica @bymaraily @sorenson_comm @dirtysanchezenterprise …and all the individuals who are using their platforms, making content, translations, reposting, fundraising, to amplify and support our cause… @bjoernblumeier @casteracharles @whyisign @itscharmay @wawasworld1 @chriscorsini @signlanguagehealth @signwithjoma …and more, THANK YOU 🙏 #offthegridmissions #airlink #solrelief #luminaid #haiti #deafcommunity #disasterrelief #ngo #teamwork

THANK YOU donors ✨ This is just the beginning—the first round of supplies for our disaster-relief mission #offthegridHAITI We are still accepting donations, and supplies that are in the most need are currently posted on the Amazon Wishlist link in our bio. Thank you to everyone supporting our cause 🙏 #offthegridmissions #haiti #ngo #earthquake #humanitarianrelief #bootsontheground #haïti #airlink #solrelief #sorenson #luminaid #bymaraily

We do not enjoy answering the calls, scrambling for basic resources, editing together these painful videos to post —just as much as anyone wants to watch them… but because we are an emergency and disaster-relief NGO for deaf people, we are on the frontlines witnessing and responding to the incidents that target deaf people. This stigma and these events did not just start this year… of all the years we have been in Haïti, emergencies have been happening one right after another… there was just no way we could continue to respond effectively if they continued to happen in the dark simply because the rest of the world had no idea this stigma even existed. We get it, we know this is bad news, it’s incredibly uncomfortable… and that is why EVERY time we post bad news—we are showing it in combination with TANGIBLE and EFFECTIVE solutions so not to leave viewers feeling “helpless”, rather we try to do the opposite by providing a number of tangible ways for anyone to support deaf people in crisis. This post was provided a few days ago by @todayiawaken and we are so grateful for her insight, as well for sharing it with us. We also are thankful to those who are using their social media platforms to speak-out, to raise awareness, and donate to help deaf people in Haïti. @bbttakeonamerica has surpassed their fundraising goal and has raised over $15k for the work we are doing in Haïti. We are incredibly grateful, proud, and humbled by the sacrifices Isabelle, Bridget, and Amelia have made for our cause. We will be doing a LIVE interview soon with them and hope you will join us (date/time coming soon)! Thank you @todayiawaken ✨ #offthegridHAITI #offthegridmissions #ngo #haiti

If you are ordering supplies from our Amazon Wishlist, have no doubt they are arriving to us! 📦✨ We are arranging the supplies coming in for Haiti and we will continue to post behind-the-scenes. As well, we continue to update our Amazon Wishlist so if you see something not there anymore it is because we have received a satisfying amount for this shipment and are in urgent need of something else now. So if you want to help, know that the list stays up-to-date with items most in need still. Thank you to everyone posting, reposting, making videos, amplifying our cause, donating, and helping us have the tangible resources to respond to the number of devastating events 🙏 If you would like to purchase supplies, the link to our Amazon Wishlist is in our bio, as well, you can donate directly to our organization to support with ground transportation, emergency food relief, medicine, medical, and much more. [Video description: dozens of Amazon boxes and bags, all different sizes, are overflowing as they are packed to the roof inside two SUVs). #offthegridHAITI #offthegridmissions #haiti #disasterrelief #ngo #deaf #humanitariancrisis #humanitarianaid #behindthescenes #amazonwishlist

Unfortunately, we have no good news to share …because before the earthquake even hit we were already dealing with a number of critical incidents in Haïti. But due to extreme risks we had yet to release any information to the public… now with the earthquake and our upcoming mission to provide disaster relief in Haïti we are releasing more details and the behind-the-scenes in an effort to raise awareness and support. Ways to Safely and Effectively help: 1. Donate directly at www.offthegridmissions.org 2. Purchase supplies from our Amazon Wishlist (link in bio) that get sent directly to our team. 3. Sign our petition: change.org/offthegridhaiti 4. Share this video. 5. Let people who want to donate to Haïti but are not sure how—that “Off-The-Grid Missions” is one of the various trusted NGOs on the ground, one of the NGOs in network that are working directly with people on the ground in Haiti. #offthegridHAITI [Description: @angelamariaotg Founder of OTG is a light-skinned Latina wearing a black sleeveless OTG shirt, she sits against a yellow and white wall and uses ASL and IS to describe events that have unfolded in Haïti since June 17th, 2021. As well, footage of the aftermath of these events are shown with deaf people living in refuge, earthquake and storm aftermath.] Full transcript coming to comments.

❗️We are mobilizing a disaster-relief mission for deaf victims of the 7.2 earthquake, storms, and ongoing violence in Haïti. If you would like to help you can donate directly or purchase supplies off our Amazon Wishlist at offthegridmissions.org (link in bio) #offthegridHAITI