Posted on 12/30/2004 3:03:50 AM PST by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - By Thursday, just four days after a powerful tsunami hit countries in southern Asia and eastern Africa, Americans had contributed more than $18 million to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.
"I'm heartened that the American people are turning to the American Red Cross as a conduit for their compassion and concern for the families affected by the tsunami in Asia," said Marsha Evans, president and CEO of the American Red Cross, in a press release.
"The American Red Cross will be as transparent as possible," Evans added. "I want to assure donors that their intent will be honored and their contributions to the International Response Fund will be used to meet the needs of earthquake victims in the days, weeks and months ahead."
Immediately after the earthquake, the American Red Cross established contact with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the affected countries to determine how the organization could best provide assistance to those hit by the tsunami.
Through its International Response Fund, the American Red Cross provides partners in other countries with trained personnel, relief supplies and/or direct monetary assistance regarding immediate and long-term relief efforts for disaster victims.
When international disasters strike, the American Red Cross has personnel trained in three key competency areas: water sanitation services, family linking and reunification and relief supply distribution.
A water sanitation engineer has already been deployed to the Maldives, and two relief workers are on route to Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Additionally, a team of workers trained in relief supply distribution will likely be deployed to affected areas in the next 24 to 48 hours.
The American Red Cross is also coordinating with other societies on how to distribute a stockpile of $350,000 worth of relief supplies pre-positioned in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. These supplies include tents, blankets, tarps, plastic sheeting and hygiene kits.
Contributions to the International Response Fund may be sent to a local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting the organization's website.
E-mail a news tip to Randy Hall.
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Damn STINGY Americans! ;)
American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/
Action Against Hunger: http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/
Brother’s Brother Foundation: http://www.brothersbrother.org/
Direct Relief International: http://www.directrelief.org/
Project HOPE: http://www.projecthope.org/
CARE USA: http://www.careusa.org/
Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
Air Serv International: http://www.airserv.org/airservhome.html
Tzu Chi Foundation: http://www.tzuchi.org/
AmeriCares: https://www.americares.org/
Mercy Corps: http://www.mercycorps.org/home/
Heart to Heart International: http://www.hearttoheart.org/
Samaritan's Purse: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/home.asp
Oxfam America: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/
We won't give to the Red Cross, but somebody posted this link yesterday and I found the Salvation Army listed, so we gave through them.
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/tsunami/ngolist.html
I've since found that some other good organizations are doing tsunami relief...Franklin Graham's Samaritan Purse organization, and Gospel for Asia that works through local pastors is also doing relief work.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/home.asp
http://www.gfa.org/gfa/
$18 Million??? That's all??? How "stingy".
And that 18 mil will be surpassed many times by those stingy Americans who will give to their church-sponsored charities that will be sending relief supplies to the affected areas. And all those stingy Americans do this while paying taxes on their income, unlike the liberal hypocrit from the UN who criticized us.
I want to send my contribution and am trying to decide which group is the most reliable. Thanks for the information.
Of the groups listed above, the highest rated by charitynavigator.org was Mercy Corps.
I agree with you Dawn, after the 9-11 debacle with the Red Cross they will get not another dime from us. But the Salvation Army is a good unit too. If you live in the Pacific Northwest as I do try these: Northwest Medical teams can be reached at 800-959-4325. The number for Mercy Corps is 800-852-2100.
Also would like to find out if that doctor in Houston obtained fuel for his 747 full of supplies? Seems he had 100 tons sitting on the ramp waiting to go. If someone can point the way I'd like to donate to him. That to me was a worthy cause too.
Yes we are a greedy bunch aren't we? (sarcasm/off)
Samaritan's Purse is Franklin Graham's group (Billy Graham's son) and does a good job of using funds effectively.
Yes, well the commie fascist socialist do not understand Americans. They think we are all corp pigs. The STATE is suppose to do everything doncha know.
You're right!
We attend a church with a very large congregation. They took an offering last night and will take offerings this weekend to be sent to charities. So even folks who might not seek to donate privately will be donating through their churches.
GFA is a great ministry. 100% of funds go into the field. All their workers in the US have to support themselves ( I know a couple that just moved to Dallas to work at headquarters full time). GFA has native missionaries all through India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka and have access to people and areas that other organizations might not be able to reach.
Samaritan's Purse is also a good group, but I don't know how much of a presence they have in that area.
Well, here in the socialist UK, charities have raised 16M pounds (30M dollars?). I'll leave the 'per head of population' calculations as an excercise for the reader.
Those are the two groups our church will be donating to.
Both are very responsible with their contributions.
I read on the GFA website that one of their local pastors in India (I think that was the country he was in) had lost all his family in the tsunami.
Well, this article is only commenting on donations to the Red Cross...so how can you determine what was given per American if you don't count donations to all the other charitable organizations (and there are dozens of relief agencies involved.)
How sad. People are dying and will continue to die (cholera, malaria, etc) and socialists count pennies. Has the British fleet left port yet to deliver supplies?
By the way...Welcome to Free Republic!
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