Off-The-Grid Missions

OFF-THE-GRID MISSIONS (OTG) IS A HUMANITARIAN AID ORGANIZATION FILLING THE GAP IN DISASTER-RESPONSE BY PROVIDING DEAF, HARD-OF-HEARING, DEAFBLIND, AND DEAFDISABLED PEOPLE WITH CRITICAL LIFE-SAVING RESOURCES IN HIGH-RISK AND DISASTER-STRICKEN REGIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

#OFFTHEGRIDUKRAINE: LED THE LARGEST DISASTER-RESPONSE MISSION FOR DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING PEOPLE WHICH BEGAN WHEN THE RUSSIANS INVADED UKRAINE ON FEBRUARY 24TH, 2022. CONCENTRATED EFFORTS ON EVACUATIONS, ESTABLISHING AN INTERCONNECTED NETWORK OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF UKRAINE. EVACUATIONS WERE COORDINATED REMOTELY, AND GROUND MISSIONS WERE UNDERTAKEN TO SAFELY TRANSPORT DEAF FAMILIES ACROSS THE BORDER. THE VAST EXPANSE OF UKRAINE, THE SECOND-LARGEST COUNTRY IN EUROPE, NECESSITATED DAYS-LONG JOURNEYS THROUGH SECURE ROUTES, OFTEN REQUIRING OVERNIGHT STAYS AT REFUGEE SHELTERS. SOLICITED FOR AND TRANSPORTED OVER 5 TONS OF FOOD, HYGIENE SUPPLIES, REUSABLE PERIOD PADS AND DIAPERS (FOR BABIES AND ADULTS) FROM AS FAR AS ENGLAND, OVER EUROPE AND EVENTUALLY INTO UKRAINE. ESTABLISHED EMERGENCY RELIEF TO OUR HUBS POSITIONED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY SO THAT AS AID COMES IN IT CAN CONTINUE TO BE DISTRIBUTED DIRECTLY TO DEAF UKRAINIANS. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES: PROVIDED MENTORSHIP, FUNDING, AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TO DEAF HUMANITARIAN-TURNED-CIVILIANS BOTH WITHIN UKRAINE AND IN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. THESE INDIVIDUALS WORKED TO ENSURE DEAF REFUGEES HAD ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION, FOOD, WATER, AND SHELTER.

#OFFTHEGRIDPUERTORICO: ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE MARIA THAT KILLED OVER 4,600 PEOPLE IN 2017, PUERTO RICO WAS ONCE AGAIN EXPERIENCING CATASTROPHIC FLOODING AND AN ISLAND-WIDE BLACKOUT AFTER A CATEGORY 1 RIPPED THROUGH THE ISLAND. PEOPLE CONTINUED TO LOSE ELECTRICITY ON AN ONGOING BASIS DUE TO A WEAK INFRASTRUCTUREA SHUTDOWN OF POWER WAS IN PLACE TO SHARE ELECTRICITY WITH OTHER REGIONS CAUSING DEAF PEOPLE TO BE CUT-OFF FROM COMMUNICATIONS AND VITAL RESOURCES. OTG DISTRIBUTED FOOD, SOLAR LIGHTS WITH MOBILE CHARGERS, FLASHLIGHTS, TARPS, AND IMPLEMENTED CLEAN WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDED PROVIDING ACCESS TO EMERGENCY-RELATED INFORMATION, ALERTS, AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.

#OFFTHEGRIDHAITI: IN RESPONSE TO ESCALATING GANG VIOLENCE, KIDNAPPINGS, AND A SEVERE HUNGER CRISIS IN HAITI, OTG'S BASECAMP FOR HAITI IS DELIVERING CRITICAL EMERGENCY RELIEF ACROSS THE NATION. OUR PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING IMMEDIATE MEDICAL AID FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING (DHH) INDIVIDUALS, TRANSPORTATION OF VICTIMS TO HOSPITALS, DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD RELIEF, REUSABLE PERIOD PADS, TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT, AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF CLEAN WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, WE ARE FOCUSED ON CERTIFYING THE FRONTLINES TEAM WITH LEVEL 2 FIRST AID, FURTHER ENHANCING OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY.