Why Hygiene is Critical After Disaster

When considering disaster preparedness and response, many people may not think about hygiene and sanitation.

At Greater Good Charities, we see the needs that communities face when recovering from disaster, and we listen to voices on the ground to understand how we can best help. In the last year, your donor support has funded wildfire recovery in Greece, flood response in Central Texas, and immediate aid to Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

Through diverse response measures we’ve developed a unique skillset—and a systematic understanding of the tools, networks, and knowledge that can save lives and protect communities following disaster.

Our partnerships and expertise have shown us that promoting and supporting hygiene is one of the most critical—and cost-effective—measures for preserving life and mitigating crisis and disaster.

How Disaster Makes Hygiene Essential

Under typical circumstances, most would categorize accessible proper hygiene as essential. When disaster occurs, the need for hygiene becomes even more critical, and much less accessible.

What amounts to small parts of a daily routine for many become massive points of concern when sanitation infrastructure fails: handwashing, bathing, toothbrushing, basic laundry, and sanitization of food, dishware, and utensils.

Restoring systems that promote hygiene generates more than comfort and dignity to those experiencing disaster—it protects communities against further crises, and saves countless lives.

After Disaster, Hygiene Supplies Help:

• Prevent the Outbreak of Disease: Evacuees from natural disasters are particularly vulnerable to the outbreak of disease. When groups are forced to shelter in confined spaces that lack proper ventilation, outbreaks of influenza and norovirus become more likely. Damage to key infrastructure like water filtration, electricity, and gas supply puts people at risk of food poisoning and waterborne illness.
• Protect Against Contaminants: Floodwaters can be extremely hazardous, potentially containing industrial chemicals, sewage, or agricultural waste. Access to simple, frequent handwashing promotes increased protection against contaminants found on surfaces or passed through contact.
• Prevent Infection: Open cuts and injuries become exponentially more dangerous in disaster settings, especially where debris is common. Infections occur quickly in areas with high levels of germs, chemicals, or toxins—when people lack access to basic hygiene solutions, a small cut can turn into a life-threatening infection.

How Greater Good Charities is Helping

In the aftermath of disaster, hygiene solutions are truly an essential form of support.

Measures like frequent handwashing, safe waste disposal, and food safety can be critical for communities working to avoid a secondary health crisis while actively recovering.

Flooding in Central Texas: A Holistic Response

When flooding struck Central Texas on last year’s 4^th of July Weekend, the devastation was immediate.

The deadliest inland flooding event in the United States since 1976—at least 135 lives were lost as six flash flood emergencies were issued—the Guadulupe River surged over thirty feet in less than an hour.

Estimates reported over $1.1 billion in damages in the Hill Country Region, as search and rescue efforts extended for nine days and eventually collected over 440 survivors.

When responding to rapid disaster relief needs—Central Texas received approximately four months' worth of rain in just a few hours—emergency packs containing items like soap, sanitizer, potable water, and clean socks instantly address needs while bolstering response efforts.

Donor support mobilized our teams within hours of the floods, working alongside trusted local partners to distribute emergency packs, hygiene supplies, and pet goods to the hardest-hit communities.

As critical infrastructure failed, and hundreds remained missing and in need of search and rescue efforts, Greater Good Charities distributed over 900 hygiene kits and emergency packs to individuals, families, and communities in need of basic critical supplies.

Your support delivered aid to over 8,000 people across Central Texas—to communities in Kerrville, San Antonio, Hunt, and Comfort, Texas.

As survivors and evacuees were provided with critical supplies for sanitization and hygiene, we expanded our efforts to the first responders and volunteers on the ground supporting recovery efforts and search and rescue. 25,000+ units of PPE gloves and items were supplied to protect first responders from the real risk of infection and disease during initial recovery efforts.

Greater Good Charities’ response to the flooding in Central Texas is emblematic of an approach to disaster preparedness and response that accounts for every detail that amplifies the good.

Your support enables us to consider not just the immediate impact of disaster events, but the structures and systems that save lives and protect communities when critical infrastructure fails.

To date, Greater Good Charities has distributed over 110,000 packs containing emergency supplies, hygiene items, and critical essentials to those in need and those recovering from disaster.

Over two decades of service, we’ve cultivated a network of experts, partnerships, and distributors aimed toward preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disaster.