A “tough life experience” is an underwhelming term for the day Aira Steinmetz Moreira experienced on May 3. She and her husband watched with bated breath as floodwaters slowly rose to cover their street and then their patio. According to local government officials, the heavy rain that caused a nearby dam to break wasn’t a threat to their neighborhood. That information soon proved to be false.
The state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil saw widespread devastation across 461 municipalities in the early days of May, which is still impacting residents today. Within just days, the area experienced the amount of rainfall that would normally be seen across the span of several months, according to The Guardian. Flooding caused by the heavy rainfall was expected to persist until at least the end of May.
As of May 16, the Civil Defense of Rio Grande do Sul reported 151 fatalities, 104 missing people, 806 with injuries, 77,200 evacuated to shelters, 540,200 displacements, 76,600 rescued and 2,282,000 affected. A major area of rainfall was the Guaiba River, which rose to over 16 feet, according to The New York Times. This river has not seen depths like that since the previous record in 1941. Nearby roads and the local airport are affected by the river’s increasing waters, which further impacts the transportation of goods and access to drinking water.
Aira Steinmetz Moreira and her family had to leave their home less than 24 hours after the water reached their street. It took a boat to rescue Moreira’s in-laws from their two-story home the next day. Revisiting their home in the aftermath of the flood revealed that everything in the Moreira house was damaged beyond repair.
“Now we are safe … We’ve had family members helping and also Balance of Nature,” Moreira stated.
Moreira is one of two Balance of Nature team members impacted by the floods in Brazil, the other being Wellington Figueria. In an effort to support these team members, Balance of Nature is utilizing their recently developed nonprofit charity organization, Green Leaf Humanitarian Aid. Balance of Nature CEO Lex Howard, along with his executive council, were able to offer immediate assistance to Moreira and Figueria by sending funds. Team members in the United States have also had the opportunity to donate funds, all of which will be sent to Brazil to help rebuild the lives of those affected.
The awareness and companywide contributions can be largely credited to Balance of Nature’s customer care manager, Codie Fisher.
She states, “I cannot express enough how grateful I am to be part of a company that embodies such generosity and compassion. My team and I collaborate closely, despite being located all around the globe. Being able to contribute to their well-being and witness their resilience is truly inspiring and highlights the culture of care and solidarity that defines our organization.”
Balance of Nature will offer continued support to their Brazilian team members and their families. Anyone wishing to donate to Balance of Nature team members impacted by this disaster can visit their GoFundMe at this link.
Ed. note: When making charitable contributions it is advisable to consult with professionals for tax advice and investment risks.