Cadena on Righteous Crowd this Week!
Cadena team member responding to a crisis.
Cadena
Providing aid to those affected by natural disasters worldwide
Sunday night marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah where we celebrate the new year and look forward to new beginnings. We are supporting Cadena, an organization that provides much needed assistance in emergencies and natural disasters. This week's funds will give those in the Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian a chance at a new beginning.
On September 5th, I Support the Girls (a Righteous Crowd recipient organization from February) shipped 8,671 maxipads, adult absorbent underwear and new underwear to Cadena to help impacted areas in the Bahamas. Righteous Crowd made the connection between these two organizations.
Please see our interview below with Strategic Alliance Director, Angie Wagner. Righteous Crowd member Elkana Bar-Eitan traveled to the Bahamas and saw the impactful work of Cadena on the ground.
What is the mission of your organization?
Cadena is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance in emergencies and natural disasters around the world through the “hand-in-hand” method of assistance, which consists of delivering the aid directly collected to the affected people on behalf of the local Jewish community. From its founding in 2005, Cadena has carried out more than 290 humanitarian aid missions in Mexico, Ecuador, Haiti, Chile, Nepal, Kenya, Turkey, the Philippines, Syria, Vanuatu, India, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize, and other countries.
How would you connect Cadena to a Jewish value?
Tikkun Olam is our main value. Our mission is to generate and strengthen Jewish identity of the members in different communities throughout the world, by rediscovering and serving the intrinsic humanitarian and universal values and principles in our traditions of the hand in hand practice of humanitarian assistance to people affected by a natural disaster or a national emergency.
What has inspired you in the work that you are doing?
The aid we give to vulnerable communities affected by natural disasters, varies depending on the need of the people affected. From clothing, hygiene items to food pantries and other bare necessities, we help the people whatever the emergency and at the same time give them some hope and warmth reminding them that someone is thinking about them and that they are not alone. In each Hand in Hand delivery, Cadena brings doctors, psychologists, and dentists who give free consultations if needed, and volunteers who distribute the collection, give workshops, and play with children. Beyond material goods, Cadena carries a gesture of brotherhood, hope and solidarity.
Tell us about the work your team is doing in the Bahamas.
We've already deployed two teams to the Bahamas, to assess the situation and offer medical and psychological support on the ground. We've distributed 418 solar lamps, treated 83 people in need of physical and mental help, and provided various support to 1,500 others.
As part of Cadena’s mid-long term response, we are planning to supply the official shelters in Nassau with food, hygiene kits, clothing, shoes and other necessities that the people will need for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, Cadena is planning additional work in Abaco where we will install complete temporary shelters for the people residing there. We will supply the shelters with much-needed supplies such as food, water, first aid kits and other items that are needed.
To learn more about Cadena Foundation click here.