On October 12th, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in remote Alaska was struck by the remnants of Typhoon Halong, bringing in severe flooding. This disaster is one of the most destructive in the region since the 1964 Alaska Earthquake. In Kipnuk & Kwigillingok village, it is estimated 1,500 residents have been displaced, with severe damage to homes, infrastructure, and community resources. The tribal nations in the area, notably the Yup’ik peoples, are seeing their traditional ways of life, subsistence practices, and cultural infrastructure be severely disrupted by the aftermath of the storm. In Kipnuk, assessments show approximately 90 % of homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. In Kwigillingok, more than one-third of residences were likewise impacted. Many families have no safe shelter ahead of the coming Arctic winter.

GEM is responding to the area to offer immediate emergency supplies and temporary shelter to the hardest hit communities, using planes, boats, and off-road equipment suitable for the area’s terrain. Furthermore, GEM is coordinating with local tribal governments, Alaskan state agencies, and federal partners to restore critical infrastructure, such as power, water, and comms. GEM is committed to assisting the Yup’ik people & surrounding tribal nations for the long-term; rebuilding safe housing, resilient community infrastructure, and culturally-sensitive support. In partnership with Roger May, GEM is working to convert fishery housing into longer-term housing solutions for those displaced.

Through our Tribal Impact Program, now in its 3rd year, GEM has worked together with Native nations globally, and the Yup’ik people have been central to that mission.You can make a difference by donating today to Global Empowerment Mission Inc..

Global Empowerment Mission is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2011 under the original name, Haiti Empowerment Mission. In 2015, the organization changed its name to GEM in line with its expanding focus. Conceived in 1999 when founder Michael Capponi got his feet wet helping the victims of the Kosovo crisis, GEM's founding members have been involved in supporting some of the most significant global tragedies over the last decade.