On Monday, January 22nd, San Diego saw a record amount of rainfall that was recorded as the wettest day ever in San Diego during the month of January. This substantial rainfall caught many residents by surprise and forced the displacement of families and businesses across the county as emergency response teams and public works departments worked tirelessly to address the impacts of the flooding.
"Monday's record rainfall revealed the fragile state of the City's stormwater infrastructure and the need for significant investments going forward to prevent the current situation from becoming the new normal for San Diego," the City of San Diego said in a statement following the storm.
All of us at the University of San Diego extend our hands in support of the many students, faculty, and staff a part of our community who have been affected by the torrential rain. Volunteer and donation efforts to clean debris and provide assistance to those who have been displaced have sprouted up across the county. Here are a few efforts to consider contributing to:
- Resources and aid available for current USD students and employees can be found here.
- San Diego Foundation (SDF) launched the San Diego Flood Response Fund — SDF will match $100,000 of donations.
- Red Cross SoCal Storm Response information can be found here.
- Verified GoFundMe relief fundraisers for those affected by the storm.
- San Diego VOAD is offering free-of-cost support that connects to resources and nonprofits providing disaster relief assistance.
The Kroc School recognizes the significance of delivering effective humanitarian responses amid crises. Through our Master of Arts in Humanitarian Action program, we empower individuals to be beacons of support in challenging situations like flooding and other natural disasters. Courses cover areas such as Disaster Management and Prevention, Humanitarian Diplomacy, and Displacement. Our curriculum equips students with the skills to respond to disasters with agility, empathy, and efficiency grounded in the principles of peacebuilding.
To learn more about our humanitarian action program, check out our website here.
