Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Sep 28, 2017

Filling a need:

Nice move from the cruise line, Royal Caribbean, which announced yesterday that it was canceling its September 30th trip on the Adventure of the Seas so it can use the ship to help evacuate people from Puerto Rico and deliver needed water, medicine and other much-needed supplies to Caribbean islands.
The ship, which holds 38-hundred passengers, will be stopping in San Juan, St. Croix and St. Thomas, and will be dropping off evacuees in Fort Lauderdale before it returns to Puerto Rico next week.

On, off and way-off-Broadway:

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has raised $400-thousand dollars in immediate emergency funds for the victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Playbill.com says organizations in Florida and Puerto Rico will get that money right away. (Marino)

How to help Hurricane Maria recovery in U.S. Territories:

--The nonprofit Hispanic Federation has launched the UNIDOS Disaster Relief Fund to help meet hurricane and earthquake-related needs and recovery in both Puerto Rico and Mexico. 100 percent of donations to the UNIDOS fund goes to help children, friends and families recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria and the Mexico City earthquake.Text UNIDOS, the amount of the donation and your name (example: "Unidos 100 John Doe" would send $100)to 41444 to make a donation by phone or visit their website.
--The All Hands Volunteers has sent an immediate response team to the U.S. Virgin Islands, starting with Saint Thomas to clear paths to natural springs so villagers without their own water source can flush and shower. Visit their website to get more information on how to help or make a donation.
--And USA Todaysays Charity Navigator, which monitors nonprofits so donors know their money is being used responsibly, has compiled a list of highly rated nonprofits that are contributing to relief efforts in the region.
(Bartha)