Shocked by all the devastation centered around Hurricane Harvey? Helping may be as easy as a few clicks inside Facebook. On Tuesday, Facebook announced that the company would match every dollar donated, up to $1 million, to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s (CDP) Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund.
Facebook users in the U.S. will see a donate box pop up at the top of the news feed. The donate option uses Facebook’s existing software that allows users to donate to non-profits without leaving the platform — the difference is that Facebook is matching the donations in the aftermath of the hurricane that is causing heavy flooding in many parts of Texas.
“Over the past few days, thousands of you have asked for help and offered help to people who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey using Safety Check and Community Help,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post. “Now, we want to give everyone another way to make a difference. It may take years for the community to fully recover, but together with the CDP, we can help families and businesses get back on their feet.”
The CDP is a non-profit organization dedicated to stretching donors funds during disasters to maximize the impact as the area recovers, according to the organization’s website.
The donation match comes just after Facebook made Safety Check a permanent feature. Safety Check allows Facebook users to check in and let their family and friends know they are safe after a disaster like Hurricane Harvey. The same feature also connects donors with relief organizations that are assisting in the aftermath.
Facebook has allowed users to donate within the platform since 2013, later adding integrated donate buttons and tools and now encouraging users to choose a non-profit for friends to donate to on their birthday.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall Friday night and environmental factors caused the storm to stay put — forecasts estimate as much as 50 inches of rain continuing into Wednesday. At least 10 people have died from the resulting floods and tens of thousands are living in shelters, according to the New York Times. The flooding is wide-spread, which means first emergency services in the area are stretched thin. One photo of nursing home residents passing the time in waist-high waters went viral before the residents were rescued.
