[BitPig] S. Asia Tsunami Disaster — How You Can Help

BitPig Online ^ | 2004.12.27 | BitPig [ B-Chan]

[B-Chan]

The magnitude of human suffering caused by the 26 December South Asian Tsunami Disaster is only now becoming apparent. Tens of thousands are dead, entire communities have been washed out to sea with all souls, already crumbling drainage systems have been swamped, drinkable water sources have been contaminated, and housing has been destroyed on a massive scale. The need of the victims of this nightmare for medical supplies, fuel, food, water, and dry goods is immense, and will only grow in scope.

It is our duty to help in this time of crisis. Funds are the immediate need. To this end, a comprehensive Blogsite has been set up as a central source for information regarding donations to international humanitarian aid, rescue, and relief organizations, and as a source for news and information about the December 26 South Asian Tsunami Disaster. The blog is constantly refreshed and features a comprehensive (and regularly updated) list of contact data for organizations that are mobilizing to provide aid to the survivors.

A special note to my fellow Catholics: Catholic Relief Services has established a dedicated site for Indian tsunami relief information and donations. If you can't give money, please remember the victims and survivors (and those working to bring help to the region) in your prayers.

Please pass these links on to all your friends. Thank you.

[B-Chan]

The total number of dead is likely to exceed thirty thousand by tomorrow, with the Lord only knows how many wounded, hurt, or hungry on top of that.

I'll spare you all the flowery speeches: you know what to do. These people are hurting. Please give generously. Thank you.

[Cold Heart]

BTTT

[Cold Heart]

BTTT

[conservative cat]

Thanks. I think I will give through the CRS. I have a lot of faith in the good work they do.

[myprecious]

Southern Baptists can help by sending financial gifts for aid through the IMB disaster relief fund. Send gifts designated “Asia Earthquake Disaster Relief” to the International Mission Board, P.O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230 (to give online, go to the International Mission Board's website, www.imb.org, and click on "Give Now" in the box highlighting this story). All funds given will go to relief efforts; none will be used for administrative costs.

The International Mission Board has teams preparing to set out with aid as well as missionaries already in the field. This will be a long term project to rebuild the lives of the survivors.

God bless all that send aid, regardless of denomination and faith. People are hurting.

[jocon307]

Bumping this thread.

I made an online donation to Americares, they seem like a good outfit and help those in the USA as well as overseas.

Here is the link for anyone who might want it:

http://www.americares.org

[injin]

If I may post this , I am sending this around to all my friends as handy links for making donations which are urgently needed
Please help the Earthquake & Tsunami victims
with whatever you can :

http://www.redcross.org/ (Red Cross United States)

http://www.icrc.org/eng (International Red Cross)

http://www.redcross.or.th/english/home/index.php4
(Thai Red Cross)

http://www.careusa.org/ (Care USA)

http://www.catholicrelief.org/
(CRS – very good one for India)

http://www.directrelief.org/sections/our_work/asia_earthquake.html
(Direct Relief International )

http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/help/index.html
(USAID – United States State Dept )

http://www.unicef.org/ ( UNICEF)

http://www.americares.org/ (AmeriCares)

[Ohioan from Florida]

Thanks for providing links to sites where we can donate. I hope that the victims there are treated as generously as we were after 9/11. Time to pull together!

[B-Chan]

An important contact, courtesy of Mr. John Lester and the fine folks at starshipmodeler.com:

Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres
PO Box 2247
New York, NY 10116-2247
(888) 392-0392

Thanks to all for posting your contacts here and for keeping this thread active for those Freepers who work the day shift.

[Petronski]

Do we have any way to know which of these organizations will have the highest throughput (lowest overhead) on donations?

[B-Chan]

If you have any doubts about a particular relief organization’s efficiency or trustworthiness, check their references. For example, the American Institute of Philanthropy named Catholic Relief Services as a Top-Rated Charity for efficiently using the majority of its funds towards programming versus fundraising. CRS also received the1999 Compass Award for Global Leadership for exceptional relief work in Kosovo, Central America, India and East Timor, as well as the 1999 James J. Norris Medal for Distinguished Service on Behalf of Refugees. And in 2001 Smart Money magazine ranked Catholic Relief Services as the third most efficient charity among international relief agencies due in part to their low fundraising costs (mosty at the parish and diocesean levels) and their ability to direct over 91% of its budget directly to programs, with over 93% of its contributions spent in the year received. Add to this the fact that CRS was named the 95th best charity out of 400 total in the November 2001 Chronicle of Philanthropy Top 400 Philanthropy List (the agency was ranked as #10 in the international relief agency category); 31st out of a possible 100 best charities reviewed by the publication NonProfit Times in November 2001; and 2000 Non-Profit Organization of the Year by the Direct Marketing Association for outstanding achievement as a non-profit organization for the use of direct response marketing to advance its mission and raise funds (data courtesy CRS), it’s fairly obvious that CRS is a trustworthy steward of aid donations. Other organizations boats similarly impressive records.

Your best bet is to do a little basic research before you give — but please do give. The death toll topped fifty thousand this morning. People are suffering. Let’s roll.

[texasflower]

So far in your three posts you have mentioned the cost of the Iraq occupation, promoted an organization that advocates the UN and blamed the USA for not warning of the tsunami.

Enjoy your short stay here.

[texasflower]

So terry, what is your DU screen name?

[reagandemocrat]

Keep an eye on "Oxfam.org"---they advocate gun control and are associated with Amnesty International.

I wouldn't give Oxfam one penny.

[texasflower]

Don't worry. I caught onto oxfam right away. I was just talking to the troll.

Oxfam has a sweet little article entitled "Oxfam: Poor Are Paying the Price of Rich Countries' Failure".

The little troll isn't very clever. Maybe planet terry is really that UN guy.

[reagandemocrat]

"Maybe planet terry is really that UN guy."

Hahaha--the timing is interesting...Let's see, Howlin emails UN Egghead, UN Egghead writes back...Howlin responds with another scathing email...UN Egghead registers on FR to spout off...

Sounds plausible..

Hehe

[Darksheare]

You DU'ers really are insane as well as lacking in 'cleverness' you know.

[af_vet_1981]

BTT

[GAWnCA]

Thanks for all those URLS but I've decided that since they couldn't handle the money for the 9/11 contributions, I'll keep my dollar, they couldn't have spent all that money already, could they? Hmm, well I guess they could if Kofia Annan could hide $23 Billion they must have gotten back into the NON-PROFIT range again by now.