President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for Puerto Rico, which allows FEMA to step in right away with recovery efforts.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she spoke Puerto Rican officials and "stands ready to help our neighbors on the island in whatever way we can." New York City's City's Office of Emergency Management said one member has been deployed to help FEMA's Incident Support Team.
When disaster strikes, people often turn to the Red Cross, Salvation Army or United Way to send money and supplies or even volunteer.
The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, NVOAD, has vetted dozens of other organizations for its online registry here.
NVOAD says cash donations are best, and urges against sending unsolicited donations.
"In the early stages of the response phase, most organizations are unable to accommodate any material goods. Unsolicited donations create a challenge of storage and sorting when focus is needed on response and recovery," its website reads.
The group also says volunteers should wait until it is safe to travel and for the needs on the ground to be identified.
"Be patient. Recovery lasts a lot longer than the media attention," the website says. "There will be volunteer needs for many months, often years, after the disaster – especially when the community enters the long-term recovery period."
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