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Editorial Team

Philanthropy and disaster reporter
A person walks past ice covered trees and a fallen limb during a winter storm Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
FEMA could still support winter storm response in a shutdown, despite administration warnings
The Federal Emergency Management Agency would have enough money to respond to the massive winter storm still impacting large swaths of the U.S. even if a partial government shutdown begins at midnight Friday.
 
An aerial view shows houses being rebuilt on cleared lots months after the Palisades Fire, Dec. 5, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Trump executive order seeks to speed up rebuilding of homes destroyed by Los Angeles wildfires
President Donald Trump says he has signed an executive order that seeks to speed up reconstruction of tens of thousands of homes destroyed by the Los Angeles area wildfires in 2025.
 
Burned cars and propane tanks with markings on them sit outside a house destroyed by wildfire, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
FEMA extends housing aid for Maui wildfire survivors until 2027
U.S. officials have granted an extension for housing assistance to survivors of the 2023 wildfires in Hawaii, according to Gov. Josh Green.
 
Miguel Santana, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation stands at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
A community foundation raised $100 million after the LA fires. Here’s what they learned spending it
When fires broke out across Los Angeles in January 2025, Miguel Santana, CEO of the California Community Foundation, saw the devastation firsthand.
 
A general view of the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Maui braces for possible end to FEMA rental assistance and more housing strain for fire survivors
Nearly 1,000 households displaced by wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2023 are anxiously awaiting news on federal assistance.
 
An aerial view shows houses being rebuilt on cleared lots months after the Palisades Fire, Dec. 5, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Fewer than a dozen homes have been rebuilt a year after being burned down in LA-area wildfires
A year after devastating fires in the L.A. area, fewer than a dozen homes have been rebuilt. Many homeowners find their insurance insufficient to cover rebuilding costs in the wake of the Palisades and Eaton fires, which killed 31 people and destroyed around 13,000 residential properties.
 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters is photographed in Washington, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Federal judge orders FEMA to restore billions in canceled disaster mitigation funding
A federal judge in Massachusetts has ordered the Trump administration to restore billions in canceled FEMA disaster mitigation funding.
 
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
A meeting meant to launch FEMA reforms is abruptly canceled
A presidentially appointed council’s meeting to announce reforms to FEMA was unexpectedly canceled, according to two people familiar with the matter.
 
Some homes and buildings that were torn off their foundations and floated away are seen near the village of Kwigillingok, Alaska, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, after Typhoon Halong hit the region earlier in the month. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Alaska Native villages have few options and little US help as climate change devours their land
Storms that battered Alaska’s western coast this fall have brought renewed attention to low-lying Indigenous villages left increasingly vulnerable by climate change.
 
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gives a news conference along the Rio Grande, Aug. 21, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Trump administration makes major changes to a report it commissioned on FEMA reforms, AP sources say
A draft report on reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been significantly reduced in size, according to three people familiar with the matter.
 
FILE - The Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters is photographed in Washington, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
FEMA acting chief David Richardson departs after six months on the job
The acting chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has left his post just six months in, officials say, marking another disruption in a year of staff departures and policy changes.
 
Shaggy poses for a portrait, March 11, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Matt Licari/Invision/AP, File)
Shaggy recounts his relief mission to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa and shares how you can help
Shaggy, the Grammy-winning reggae artist, has stepped up to help Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
 
This photo provided by the County of Maui shows a wild fire in Maui, Hawaii, Sept. 23, 2025. (The County of Maui via AP, File)
States sue Trump administration over restrictions put on FEMA emergency grants
Eleven states and Kentucky’s governor are suing the Trump administration over what they call unlawful terms on federal funding for disaster and terrorism preparedness.
 
A man watches the coastline in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa closes in, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
Hurricane Melissa deals another heavy blow to Jamaica’s farmers and fishers
Hurricane Melissa has devastated Jamaica, causing severe damage to fishing and farming communities. Prince Davis, a fisherman, discovered his boat and home were destroyed while he was in Nicaragua.
 
This satellite image provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Melissa, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (NOAA via AP)
How to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa
Relief organizations are mobilizing to help across the Caribbean after Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, tying for the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane in history.
 
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, March 4, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
MacKenzie Scott gives $60 million to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy
MacKenzie Scott has donated $60 million to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. The nonprofit announced the gift on Tuesday, calling it a transformative investment.
 
Doris Brown, Hub home captain, poses for a portrait under her solar panels on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Antranik Tavitian)
Lacking community resilience centers, Houston neighbors opt for solar-powered ‘hub homes’
Doris Brown’s home in Northeast Houston becomes a refuge for neighbors during power outages thanks to her solar panel and battery system.
 
A home is left damaged in Kipnuk, Alaska, on a stream bank after the remnants of Typhoon Halong caused widespread destruction in the coastal village in Western Alaska, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
Trump gives disaster declarations to Alaska and others but denies Illinois, Vermont and Maryland
President Donald Trump has approved major disaster declarations for Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.
 
Homeowner Daniel Olivas hugs Lorrie McMillan, a chaplain with Texans on Mission Disaster Relief, as he clears debris from his home, which was heavily damaged from flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
State emergency officials say new rules and delays for FEMA grants put disaster response at risk
State emergency management officials say they’re facing funding challenges from the federal government that threaten the country’s ability to respond to crises.
 
A sign for the Federal Emergency Management Agency is pictured at FEMA headquarters, April 20, 2020, in Washington. (Al Drago/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
FEMA staff sound the alarm on disaster preparedness at rally in front of agency headquarters
Current and former FEMA staff have gathered for a “FEMA Solidarity Rally” outside the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
 
Members of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard, patrol the subway system in Penn Station as police officers check commuters' bags in New York on Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
Trump reverses $187M funding cuts for New York counterterrorism after bipartisan outcry
President Donald Trump has reversed $187 million in funding cuts for New York’s law enforcement and counterterrorism operations.
 
Floodwaters surround homes and vehicles in the community of Pajaro in Monterey County, Calif., on March 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, file)
National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire Tuesday, halting new policies and some home loans
Authorization for the largest residential flood insurance program in the U.S. is set to expire at the end of Tuesday.
 
Lin-Manuel Miranda rides a golf cart during the closing event of the Flamboyan Arts Fund in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
In their words: Lin-Manuel Miranda on his connection to Puerto Rico – and love for Bad Bunny
Lin-Manuel Miranda has a deep connection to Puerto Rico, where he spent childhood summers. Those experiences shaped his artistic journey.
 
Lin-Manuel Miranda speaks to attendees during the closing event of the Flamboyan Arts Fund at the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
Lin-Manuel Miranda gave millions to Puerto Rican artists after Hurricane Maria. He’s pledging more
Lin-Manuel Miranda and his family have helped Puerto Rican arts recover after Hurricane Maria. The Flamboyán Arts Fund, a $22 million initiative, has supported 110 arts organizations and 900 artists since 2019.
 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters is photographed in Washington, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Trump proposed getting rid of FEMA, but his review council seems focused on reforming the agency
President Donald Trump has floated the idea of “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which manages federal disaster response.
 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters is photographed in Washington, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Some FEMA staff are put on leave after signing dissent letter
Some employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency who signed a public letter of dissent earlier this week were put on administrative leave Tuesday evening.
 
An emergency alert is displayed on a cellphone, Oct. 30, 2020, in Rio Rancho, N.M. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)
After Trump and Congress spending cuts, public media stations wait on money for emergency alerts
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributed federal funds to public media stations, is shutting down on September 30.
 
Camper's belongings sit outside one of Camp Mystic's cabins near the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, July 7, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Eli Hartman, file)
Some FEMA staff call out Trump cuts in public letter of dissent
More than 180 current and former FEMA employees have published a letter warning of potential disaster due to cuts in the agency.
 
Felipe Sousa Lazaballet, executive director of the Hope Community Center looks over inventory for disaster relief needs in the center's food pantry Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Apopka, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
As hurricane season collides with immigration agenda, fears increase for those without legal status
Immigrants face increased risks this hurricane season due to aggressive immigration enforcement. A Florida agricultural worker fears seeking shelter from storms because of potential encounters with immigration agents.
 
Ashton Dolce poses for a portrait at Cholla Park on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)
FEMA abruptly disbands youth advisory council, but students say their climate advocacy won’t stop
Ashton Dolce joined the Youth Preparedness Council at the nation’s disaster relief agency to advocate for issues such as protection from extreme heat.
 
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