Thursday, March 31, 2005

ABC News: S.C. Republican Questions Giuliani Speaking Fee

ABC News: S.C. Republican Questions Giuliani Speaking Fee
March 31, 2005 — South Carolina Republican state Rep. Tracy Edge was outraged when he read in a New York newspaper Wednesday that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani had taken $80,000 from the South Carolina Hospital Association after hosting an Asian tsunami benefit on their behalf for the Red Cross.

Giuliani said today that he donated $20,000 to the charity, but the New York Observer reported that the association, through sponsors, paid the Republican celebrity tens of thousands of dollars more. He commands as much as $100,000 per speech.

BoiseWeekly: News: News: After the Wave

BoiseWeekly: News: News: After the Wave: "After the Wave
Three months later, local tsunami aid is still adding up

BY ERIC LEINS
More (51)...Victor Sivilay, a business owner in southwest Boise, took in the horrifying tsunami images on Dec. 26 and was confident that his cousin, who lives in inland Thailand, would be safe.
Those same images struck Billy Pho, a Thai restaurateur in downtown Boise. Pho also has family in Thailand, but they stayed far out of harm's way in landlocked Bangkok.
Rachelle Brooks, Mason Hawk, Savanna Delavan and Jessica Blevins are sixth-grade students at Taft Elementary School. They have no loved ones in Southeast Asia, but the images were rattling for them as well. "

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

News - Latest Indonesian quake not inspiring donations - sacbee.com

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News - Latest Indonesian quake not inspiring donations - sacbee.com: "Latest Indonesian quake not inspiring donations
Local charities want people to give to lesser-known causes.
By Will Evans -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, March 30, 2005


Though they braced expectantly for the phone calls, Sacramento charities that had been deluged with tsunami donations haven't had to pick up this time.
The earthquake that struck Monday off Indonesia's coast so far has not appeared to provoke an outpouring of contributions like the much more deadly quake and tsunamis of Dec. 26."

The Connecticut Post Online - News Regions relief agencies ready of latest quake

The Connecticut Post Online - News

Region's relief agencies ready for latest quake
LINDA CONNER LAMBECK lclambeck@ctpost.com

Local relief agencies have a message for those who want to help after Monday's earthquake in Indonesia: They've got this one covered.
Officials at Westport-based Save the Children and AmeriCares of Stamford say they still have relief workers on the ground from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck South Asia on Dec. 26.

What's more, they say, they got so many donations after that tragedy that they're urging people to give instead to their other programs.

"People were very, very generous," AmeriCares spokeswoman Beth Walsh said.

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Herald Sun: PM pledges $1mil in aid [30mar05]

Herald Sun: PM pledges $1mil in aid [30mar05]: "PM pledges $1mil in aid
Jason Frenkel
30mar05

AUSTRALIA pledged $1 million in aid to Indonesia as the nation came to the aid of its tsunami-devastated neighbour for the second time in three months"

CRM News: Analytics: BI Tools Help Charity Make Loans to Tsunami Victims

CRM News: Analytics: BI Tools Help Charity Make Loans to Tsunami Victims: "BI Tools Help Charity Make Loans to Tsunami Victims

By Heather Havenstein
Computerworld
03/29/05 5:00 AM PT
As part of its effort to aid the tsunami-affected regions, Opportunity International is working with 1,000 clients in fishing villages in India and plans to provide loans to 20,000 people in India over the next two years. In Indonesia, the charity may add 10,000 clients during that time."

Tsunami's lessons taken to heart - Asia Tsunami - www.smh.com.au

Tsunami's lessons taken to heart - Asia Tsunami - www.smh.com.au: "Tsunami's lessons taken to heart
By Linda Doherty, Education Editor
March 29, 2005

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The devastation of the Asian tsunami has unleashed a surge of philanthropy in schools: NSW students and teachers have raised $1 million in the past eight weeks.
About 80 schools have formed partnerships with Sri Lankan schools and are sending money, books, sporting equipment and volunteers. Since last month lessons in NSW have been structured around the disaster and principals say most fund-raising has been led by students. More than $46,000 was raised in five weeks by two schools - Epping Boys High and Cheltenham Girls - which competed against each other for dollars."

Hundreds Die in Indonesia After Undersea Earthquake (washingtonpost.com)

Hundreds Die in Indonesia After Undersea Earthquake (washingtonpost.com): "Hundreds Die in Indonesia After Undersea Earthquake
By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, March 29, 2005; Page A01
MEDAN, Indonesia, March 29 -- A major underwater earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island late Monday, killing hundreds of people and crushing buildings on a nearby resort island, according to Indonesian police.
Panicking residents raced to higher ground from the shoreline in Sumatra, fearing that a tsunami would be generated. A larger earthquake in the same region on Dec. 26 produced a tsunami that killed an estimated 280,000 people in eleven countries around the Indian Ocean. Tsunami warnings blared in Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, which were hit in December, but no killer waves were produced. "

Monday, March 28, 2005

Thanks for nothing - Asia Tsunami - www.smh.com.au

Thanks for nothing - Asia Tsunami - www.smh.com.au: "Thanks for nothing
March 26, 2005

Billions of dollars have been promised and help has poured in from around the world. But the tsunami-devastated Acehnese can't live on kindness. It's time they saw the colour of our money, writes Matthew Moore.
Faisal thought he had a reasonable chance of getting a typewriter. But the government official in charge of Punge Jurong village in Banda Aceh learnt that getting any of the billions of dollars of reconstruction aid promised after the Boxing Day tsunami was much harder than he thought. It was certainly harder than getting emergency help in the frantic days after the disaster."

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Students raise $20,000 for tsunami aid

Students raise $20,000 for tsunami aid: "Students raise $20,000 for tsunami aid
Thursday, March 24, 2005
By Ron Cammel
The Grand Rapids Press
COOPERSVILLE - With tightly cropped hair, East Elementary Principal Dave Sipka again recognized a record-breaking effort at the school.
The last time, he had his head shaved in an assembly to keep a promise to students who raised more than $20,000 for tsunami relief -- 100 percent past the goal.
This time, he honored teacher Connie Wahr, who organized the fund-raiser soon after the December disaster in Asia. "

Governor Lauds Kids With Cause (washingtonpost.com)

Governor Lauds Kids With Cause (washingtonpost.com): "Governor Lauds Kids With Cause
Students Helped Tsunami Relief
By Ylan Q. Mui
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 24, 2005; Page HO06
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) visited Talbott Springs Elementary School in Columbia this week to recognize the students' contributions to tsunami relief, part of a widespread effort by Howard schoolchildren to aid survivors of the Dec. 26 disaster.
Talbott Springs students donated their snack money and broke into their piggy banks over two weeks in January to raise about $1,000 for UNICEF. They also collected about 210 pounds of toiletries to send overseas, including combs, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner and soap"

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

AmeriCares Closes Tsunami Relief Fund

AmeriCares Closes Tsunami Relief Fund: "Thanks to Generous Americans, AmeriCares Fundraising Meets Projected Need**

STAMFORD, Conn., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriCares, the global humanitarian relief agency, announced today that it has raised sufficient funds to meet its immediate and long term plans to assist in the relief and rehabilitation of tsunami-affected countries in south Asia.
To date, AmeriCares has received approximately $40 million in donations from individuals, community groups, corporations and foundations. Due to this generous response, effective March 31, 2005, AmeriCares will no longer accept donations to its dedicated Tsunami Relief Fund. This decision was made on the basis of donations received and with the expectation that pledges made
to the Tsunami Relief Fund will be fulfilled, including special events and"

The Australian: Tsunami effect means charity thins at home [March 24, 2005]

The Australian: Tsunami effect means charity thins at home [March 24, 2005]: "Tsunami effect means charity thins at home
Simon Canning
March 24, 2005
THE Australian Red Cross has warned there are 'worrying signs' the country could be suffering charity fatigue in the wake of the Asian tsunami. They say that, three weeks into its Red Cross Calling appeal, it is clear it will be struggling to meet targets by the end of the final week."

Reuters AlertNet - Australian tsunami aid flows into Asia

Reuters AlertNet - Australian tsunami aid flows into Asia: "Australian tsunami aid flows into Asia
23 Mar 2005 04:00:55 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Michael Perry
SYDNEY, March 23 (Reuters) - Three months after the tsunami, nearly US$800 million in aid pledged by the Australian government has yet to reach victims of the disaster, but another US$220 million donated by Australians in the street is flowing smoothly.
A total of A$280 million (US$220 million) has been raised by aid groups ranging from the Australian Red Cross to trade unions, according to the Australian Council for International Development, which monitors non-government organisations"

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 03/22/2005 | Rebuilt village might bear suburb's name

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 03/22/2005 | Rebuilt village might bear suburb's name: "Rebuilt village might bear suburb's name

Apple Valley benefactors might seek to share moniker as well as money.

BY BRIAN BONNER

Pioneer Press


Apple Valley, Sri Lanka? The possibility of naming a village in tsunami-devastated Sri Lanka after the Dakota County suburb is looking more and more likely."

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

VOA News - Promised Aid Slow to Reach Tsunami-Hit Areas

VOA News - Promised Aid Slow to Reach Tsunami-Hit Areas: "Promised Aid Slow to Reach Tsunami-Hit Areas
By Heda Bayron
Hong Kong
22 March 2005

Three months after a killer tsunami brought death and destruction to 12 Indian Ocean
Tilak Pushpakumara looks at debris of houses that he and his relatives used to live in, at Galle, Sri Lanka
countries, relief operations have been scaled down in the worst-affected areas. But the difficult and costly reconstruction process for millions of people has barely begun"

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Sri Lanka's tsunami aid politics

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Sri Lanka's tsunami aid politics: "Sri Lanka's tsunami aid politics

By Sanjoy Majumder
BBC News, rebel-held Sri Lanka

Row after row of tents stretch before him in the transit camp in Tamil Tiger-controlled Mullaitivu.
It is three months since the tsunami struck Sri Lanka and washed away his home and family.
'I was staying in a school until now,' says the "

Monday, March 21, 2005

Charity match raises $4.2m for tsunami victims - International - RugbyHeaven

Charity match raises $4.2m for tsunami victims - International - RugbyHeaven
Charity match raises $4.2m for tsunami victims


Monday, March 21, 2005

The International Rugby Board (IRB) yesterday presented the United Nations World Food Programme with a cheque for $US3.35 ($4.2 million) that was raised from the charity match in London on March 5.

The Northern versus Southern hemisphere charity match, which the Southern side convincingly won, generated the largest single donation the WFP has ever received from a sporting event

Wanstead and Woodford Guardian: Thousands of shoeboxes set sail for tsunami region

Wanstead and Woodford Guardian: News and Features: Local News: "Thousands of shoeboxes set sail for tsunami region

BELATED PRESENTS: Samaritan's Purse regional manager Jacqui White is picture with husband Arthur preparing to send the gifts on their way (SOC4561)
By Charlie Stong
A CONTAINER with almost 8,000 shoeboxes left a Woodford warehouse last Thursday, bound for areas hit by December's devastating tsunami.
Every year Operation Christmas Child sends shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts to children in Eastern European countries."

BBC NEWS | Have Your Say | Is tsunami recovery on track?

BBC NEWS | Have Your Say | Is tsunami recovery on track?: "Is tsunami recovery on track?

It is almost three months since the Asian tsunami disaster which left nearly 300,000 people dead and many thousands more without their homes and livelihoods.
Last week the Asian Development Bank (ADB) urged governments around the world to honour their financial pledges to the countries worst-hit by the 26 December earthquake and sea surges. "

Friday, March 18, 2005

Eight-year-old Canadian fundraiser visits Thai children in tsunami-hit region

Eight-year-old Canadian fundraiser visits Thai children in tsunami-hit region: "PATONG BEACH, Thailand (AP) - Most eight-year-olds visiting Thailand are probably keen to focus on playtime. But Bilaal Rajan, a Toronto boy who has raised millions of dollars for tsunami relief, was busy attending to his duties Sunday as a child spokesman for the United Nations' children's agency.
The day after the Dec. 26 disaster, Bilaal launched UNICEF's Canada Kids Earthquake Challenge, talking at schools and encouraging every child in Canada to raise $100 for UNICEF's work to help children in the affected areas. His efforts brought in $2.5 million."

Accountants give U.N. 8,000 hours free

Accountants give U.N. 8,000 hours free: "Accountants give U.N. 8,000 hours free:
[World News]: By LEELA DE KRETSER UNITED NATIONS, March 14 : Global accountants Price Waterhouse Coopers will provide 8,000 pro bono hours to help the United Nations track how tsunami relief donations are being spent and let donors see a bang for their buck.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland provided details of the previously announced partnership Monday, saying it would help the United Nations make sure its relief work was accountable to donors."

Trickle of tsunami funds allocated after first meeting - Asia Tsunami - www.smh.com.au

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Trickle of tsunami funds allocated after first meeting - Asia Tsunami - www.smh.com.au: "Trickle of tsunami funds allocated after first meeting
By Tom Allard
March 18, 2005

The first meeting of the joint commission overseeing the distribution of money to Indonesia's tsunami victims has allocated barely one-tenth of the $1 billion of aid pledged by the Australian Government.
After the Prime Minister, John Howard, opened the meeting yesterday ministers from both countries set out a framework for spending the money, devoting much of the time on measures to ensure none was siphoned for corrupt purposes.
Just $50 million will be spent over the short-term in Aceh, where 220,000 people died in the Boxing Day disaster and its aftermath."

Charities halt tsunami aid collection - The Washington Times: Business - March 16, 2005

Charities halt tsunami aid collection - The Washington Times: Business - March 16, 2005: "Charities halt tsunami aid collection


ASSOCIATED PRESS
Several major charities and relief agencies have stopped soliciting donations for tsunami victims and at least one has begun returning money.
Billions more dollars ultimately will be needed for long-term rebuilding in the devastated Asian region. But agencies sensitized by recent charity scandals say they are being careful not to accept more money now than they legitimately can spend in helping tsunami victims."

Bloomberg.com: Asia-Sri Lanka Need $4.22 Billion More Tsunami Aid (Update2)

Bloomberg.com: Asia: "India, Sri Lanka Need $4.22 Billion More Tsunami Aid (Update2)
March 18 (Bloomberg) -- India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives still need $4.2 billion for reconstruction after the December tsunami that killed more than 270,000 people in 12 Indian Ocean countries, the Asian Development Bank said.
The funding gap is the difference between an estimated $7.8 billion the four countries need and the $3.5 billion pledged so far, according to the latest data released today by the ADB at a one-day tsunami reconstruction meeting at the bank's headquarters in the Philippine capital, Manila. "

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Tsunami aid shortfall over $4bn

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Tsunami aid shortfall over $4bn: "Tsunami aid shortfall over $4bn

The efforts are now focused on reconstruction
Governments around the world have been urged to honour their financial pledges to the countries worst-hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami.
The Asian Development Bank said there was a shortfall of more than $4bn promised for rebuilding India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. "

Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage

Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage: "Tsunami nations agree to monitor aid better


Fri March 18, 2005 6:38 PM GMT 05:30
By Stuart Grudgings and Manny Mogato
MANILA (Reuters) - Tsunami-hit countries and aid agencies agreed on Friday to adopt a new mechanism to keep track of aid and cut down on corruption as they move from the relief phase of the disaster to longer-term rebuilding.
Three months after an earthquake triggered waves that killed or left missing more than 305,000 people, the worst-hit countries are struggling to coordinate huge inflows of aid and ensure that money pledged goes to the places it is most needed.
Haruhiko Kuroda, president of the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) that hosted the conference attended by about 150 ministers and aid officials, said there had been an agreement to set up a special database to monitor aid."

Monday, March 14, 2005

HoustonChronicle.com - Hodge: Gala goers raise $500,000 for tsunami relief

HoustonChronicle.com - Hodge: Gala goers raise $500,000 for tsunami relief

Telegraph | News | Charities must tap into 'spirit of tsunami'

Telegraph | News | Charities must tap into 'spirit of tsunami': "Charities must tap into 'spirit of tsunami'
By Sally Pook
(Filed: 11/03/2005)
Charities must try to capture the spirit of generosity generated by the Asian tsunami disaster to ensure that people continue to give and that organisations working in other fields do not lose out, experts said yesterday"

MercuryNews.com | 03/11/2005 | Charities see fewer gifts after tsunami

MercuryNews.com 03/11/2005 Charities see fewer gifts after tsunami: "Posted on Fri, Mar. 11, 2005
Charities see fewer gifts after tsunami

SCATTERED SLOWDOWN WILL BE SHORT-LIVED, EXPERTS BELIEVE

By Margaret Steen

Mercury News
The suffering caused by December's tsunami in South Asia evoked enormous sympathy for the victims. But for those who work on charitable causes closer to home, there was also a fear: Would the outpouring of support for faraway victims inevitably mean less money for local programs?
For some Silicon Valley charities, the answer is yes."

BI tools help nonprofit make loans to tsunami victims - Computerworld

BI tools help nonprofit make loans to tsunami victims - Computerworld: "BI tools help nonprofit make loans to tsunami victims
Hyperion and partners donate software to Opportunity International Network
News Story by Heather Havenstein

MARCH 11, 2005 (COMPUTERWORLD) - A nonprofit organization is deploying new business intelligence tools to help it scale up its IT infrastructure to meet the needs of thousands of tsunami victims in Southeast Asia.
Opportunity International Network, which provides business loans to poor people in developing countries, is rolling out $250,000 worth of BI tools and services donated by Hyperion Solutions Corp. and its partners, Answerthink Inc. and Tableau Software Inc., Hyperion said this week "

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Presidents loft eagle in relief of tsunami

Presidents loft eagle in relief of tsunami: "Presidents loft eagle in relief of tsunami
At a golfing fund-raiser, Clinton says donations boost U.S. goodwill in Indonesia.
By Michael C. Bender, Rachel Harris
Palm Beach Post Staff Writers
Thursday, March 10, 2005
HOBE SOUND � The group of wealthy executives and CEOs knew spending the day with former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush would be memorable.
And then fellow ex-President Gerald Ford phoned."

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

VOA News - US Charity Tops $1 Billion for Tsunami Relief

VOA News - US Charity Tops $1 Billion for Tsunami Relief: "US Charity Tops $1 Billion for Tsunami Relief By Greg Flakus
Houston
09 March 2005
The tragic loss of life and property in southeast Asia from the earthquake and tsunami led to an outpouring of sympathy and charitable donations from around the world. Here in the United States the amount donated to private charities for tsunami relief has gone well above $1 billion.
Private charities and non-profit organizations in the United States have collected more than $1.109 billion for tsunami relief, according "

BostonHerald.com - Business: Nestle chief rejects the need to `give back' to communities

BostonHerald.com - Business: Nestle chief rejects the need to `give back' to communities: "

Nestle chief rejects the need to `give back' to communities
By Jennifer Heldt Powell
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
Companies shouldn't feel obligated to ``give back'' to the community, because they haven't taken anything away, the Austrian-born chief of the world's largest food company told local executives yesterday.

In a stunning broadside to corporate citizenship as Bostonians have come to know it, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe - head of Nestle S.A. - said companies should only pursue charitable endeavors with an underlying intention of making money for investors.

``I think there is good reason for corporate philanthropy,'' Brabeck-Letmathe said, speaking to Boston College's Chief Executives' Club. ``But as managers, we need to be very careful, because it is not our money we're handing out, but the money of shareholders.'' "

Politics News Article | Reuters.com -Bush: Tsunami Response Improves U.S. Image

Bush: Tsunami Response Improves U.S. Image : "The U.S. response to last year's devastating tsunami in Asia had changed opinions of America in parts of the Muslim world, President Bush said on Tuesday.
'I think that the world is beginning to see a different impression of America,' Bush said during a White House meeting with his father -- former President Bush -- and former President Bill Clinton, who are leading the push for private donations for tsunami relief. "

Scoop: Habitat past $US25-million tsunami recovery goal

Scoop: Habitat past $US25-million tsunami recovery goal: "Habitat past $US25-million tsunami recovery goal
Wednesday, 9 March 2005, 9:38 am
Press Release: Habitat for Humanity

Donor generosity pushes Habitat past its $US25-million tsunami recovery goal
Donor generosity pushes Habitat past its $US25-million tsunami recovery goal. CEO says funds, number of homes will continue to be raised given the scope of need
AMERICUS, Ga.(March 7, 2005) - Habitat for Humanity International announced today that it has surpassed the $US25-million fund-raising goal it initially set to house 25,000 families over the next two years in the tsunami-ravaged areas of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia. "

Reuters AlertNet - Tsunami boat aid to Sri Lanka could backfire - UN

Reuters AlertNet - Tsunami boat aid to Sri Lanka could backfire - UN: "Tsunami boat aid to Sri Lanka could backfire - UN
09 Mar 2005 12:52:03 GMT

Source: Reuters

COLOMBO, March 9 (Reuters) - Relief agency pledges of new boats for Sri Lanka's fishermen could backfire because too many new vessels will increase competition, reduce the average catch and endanger fish stocks, a United Nations agency warned on Wednesday.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said donor agencies have so far delivered or promised over 10,000 small canoes to tsunami-hit fishing villages, well over the nearly 7,000 small boats the government estimates were lost."

Xinhua - English Irate Tsunami victims block highway in eastern Sri Lankan

Xinhua - English: " COLOMBO, March 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Residents of a coastal town in the tsunami ravaged eastern Batticaloa district continued to block a main highway for the second day to protest the government for the lack of enough help to rebuild their homes, police said Wednesday.
Over 1,000 tsunami victims of Maruthamunai in the eastern Batticaloa district took to the street, blocking the main highway leading to the town of Kalmunai on Tuesday to protest the government "

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Herald.com | 03/08/2005 | Carnival chairman gives $2.4M bonus to tsunami relief

Herald.com | 03/08/2005 | Carnival chairman gives $2.4M bonus to tsunami relief: "PHILANTHROPY
BY INA PAIVA CORDLE
icordle@herald.com
Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison directed the Miami-based cruise company to donate his $2.4 million 2004 bonus to tsunami relief efforts"

Kids get creative to help Tsunami survivors

Today's Top Story: "Kids get creative to help tsunami survivors
By LAURA TODE - IR Staff Writer - 03/08/05
Monday afternoon, Morgan Weller, 8, worked as part of an assembly line of students who drew and colored dozens of designs, which will be scanned, reduced and made into buttons.
The students' plan: to sell the buttons and raise money for victims of the Dec. 26 Asian tsunami.
'I felt bad for the people who lost their family,' Weller said, filling in a purple cloud under a bright blue sun. 'They'll probably use (the money) for stuff like blankets, pillows and food maybe.'"

U.S. Donations for Tsunami Relief Pass $1 Billion Mark :: PNNOnline :: the nonprofit news and information resource

U.S. Donations for Tsunami Relief Pass $1 Billion Mark :: PNNOnline :: the nonprofit news and information resource: ".S. Donations for Tsunami Relief Pass $1 Billion Mark
Posted by: shannonleskin on Tuesday, March 8, 2005

Tsunami-relief groups working in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and the Maldives are taking extra measures to account for all the money donated to help victims of the disaster, the New York Times reports. And the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University has announced that private donations for tsunami relief from organizations and individuals in the U.S. has passed the $1 billion mark.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Xinhua - English-HK govt invites applications for tsunami relief fund

Xinhua - English: "HK govt invites applications for tsunami relief fund

www.chinaview.cn 2005-03-04 22:37:22

HONG KONG, March 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Hong Kong residents whose family members were lost in the tsunami disaster on Dec. 26, 2004 in South and Southeast Asian countries are invited to apply for compassionate financial assistance on or before April 15, Hong Kong Home Affairs Department said Friday. "

Media-UAE paper criticizes tsunami donors

Media: "UAE paper criticizes tsunami donors
A local English language daily has assailed promises for relief aid made by donors for tsunami-hit countries, urging the needy governments to take a tough line against such acts.

'The disparity between what is promised and what actually materialises is most evident in relief aids. This is underlined in Sri Lanka's complaint that the donors, who competed with each other in pledging financial aid following the tsunami tragedy, have not kept their words,' said Gulf Today in a commentary on Friday.

According to Sri Lanka's Finance Secretary PB Jayasundara, only a fraction of the promised amount has been received so far. "

$5.7 mil in tsunami aid donated locally so far

$5.7 mil in tsunami aid donated locally so far: "$5.7 mil in tsunami aid donated locally so far
Susie Steckner
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 6, 2005 12:00 AM
Arizonans have donated at least $5.7 million for tsunami relief through local charities or their national counterparts.

The bulk of that, about $4.1 million, was given to the Grand Canyon Chapter of the American Red Cross in Phoenix and the national Red Cross to help victims. "

Asia Quake Disaster: CARE's Response in India

Asia Quake Disaster: CARE's Response in India
Asia Quake Disaster: CARE's Response in India
CARE has worked in India since 1950, and we have more than 700 staff in the country. (©2005 CARE/Sarah Bones)

Recent updates:

CARE helped meet the basic survival needs of 50,000 people by providing water purification materials, clothing, plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, sleeping mats and sheets, soap, cooking utensils and basic medicines.
In the ravaged village of Pazhiyar, CARE also provided 500 temporary houses with electricity and nearby water taps and latrines for displaced families.
With our kits containing drawing pencils, textbooks, slates and other basic items, children are returning to school and restoring some semblance of normalcy to their lives.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Scotsman.com News - Latest News - Plastic Pledged �100 Million to Tsunami Fund in January

Scotsman.com News - Latest News - Plastic Pledged �100 Million to Tsunami Fund in January: "Plastic Pledged �100 Million to Tsunami Fund in January

By Rachael Crofts, PA


Debit and credit cards were used to pledge around �100 million of charitable donations in January, according to figures out today.
The jump of 207% in the value of charitable donations on cards compared to January 2004 was mainly in response to the Tsunami disaster, the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) said."

NEWS.com.au | Baby 81 inspires charity wave (04-03-2005)

NEWS.com.au | Baby 81 inspires charity wave (04-03-2005)

BABY 81, the infant who became Sri Lanka's most celebrated tsunami survivor, made his debut on US breakfast television yesterday to raise funds for quake victims back home.

Gurgling at news anchors who clamoured to hug the four-month-old, Abilass Jeyarajah appeared on ABC's Good Morning America show with his parents Murugupillai and Jenita, whose custody battle was settled only after court-ordered DNA tests proved he was their son.
"God only knows why they didn't give him to us," Mr Jeyarajah told ABC of the wrenching custody fight, which quickly became an international news story.

Abilass was seen by many as a beacon of hope for bereaved parents whose children were swept away by Asia's December 26 tsunami, which killed nearly 40,000 people along Sri Lanka's palm-fringed shores alone.

Ripped from his mother's arms by raging waters, Abilass was found alive amid debris on a Sri Lankan beach and taken to a hospital where staff gave him the nickname Baby 81, as he was the 81st person taken to the hospital after the tsunami struck.

LawFuel - law, attorney, lawyer, legal news and legal resources-Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that its tsunami relief donation matching program

LawFuel - law, attorney, lawyer, legal news and legal resources
Foley & Lardner LLP - Chicago—, instituted December 30, has raised nearly $300,000 to help victims in Southeast Asia. The contributions, which include $191,320 in individual contributions and a $100,000 matching donation from the firm, will benefit the American Red Cross and several other relief organizations.

A number of Foley & Lardner attorneys spearheaded their own efforts to raise money for the tsunami victims.

Reuters AlertNet - Only fraction of vowed tsunami aid given--S.Lanka

Reuters AlertNet - Only fraction of vowed tsunami aid given--S.Lanka: "Only fraction of vowed tsunami aid given--S.Lanka
03 Mar 2005 06:22:42 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Chamintha Thilakarathna
COLOMBO, March 3 (Reuters) - Donors may have pledged billions of dollars in tsunami aid, but so far ravaged Sri Lanka has received less than $75 million -- or around 4 percent -- of its estimated reconstruction costs, the government says.
'It is two months after the tsunami, but we still haven't been able to transform pledges and commitments into real cash,' Treasury Secretary P.B Jayasundara told an audience of bankers, entrepreneurs and economic analysts late on Wednesday.
'There is a major mismatch between donor commitment and their transformation of pledges into reality versus what is exactly happening on the ground,' he said."

Professional Fundraising-Most people say tsunami appeals will not stop them giving this year

Professional Fundraising: "Most people say tsunami appeals will not stop them giving this year

Almost two-thirds of regular charity donors say their giving to Indian Ocean tsunami appeals will not affect how much they give to charity this year, according to an opinion poll commissioned by NCVO. And around one in seven say they are likely to increase their charitable giving."

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Dateline Alabama-Asian-Americans in California give heavily to tsunami victims

Dateline Alabama: "Asian-Americans in California give heavily to tsunami victims
By LAURA WIDES
Associated Press Writer
March 02, 2005
Asian-Americans across California have opened their wallets wide for tsunami relief efforts, far outpacing the rate of donations from Americans as a whole, according to a survey released Wednesday."

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Hometown News-Local Organization Pledges $1 Million to Build New Orphanage for Tsunami Victims

Hometown News
Local Organization Pledges $1 Million to Build New Orphanage for Tsunami Victims
( Air Date: 3/1/2005 )
It was a disaster that made headlines around the world—the tsunami that claimed thousands of lives in Southeast Asia. Hometown News sent a news team to the devastated areas of Sri Lanka to cover life after this history-making tragedy.

Monday night, Hometown News Reporter Maura Siefring and Chief Photographer Allen Rienstra brought us the story of children orphaned by the natural disaster.

Former Congressman Nick Lampson and a Houston-based organization are making a difference in the lives of these orphaned children.

Tested to the limit

Tested to the limit: "Tested to the limit

Accounting, communications, staffing and the website were among the areas that faced massive strains as Oxfam's IT operations responded to the tsunami crisis. Julia Vowler reports on how the charity's technology and IT team overcame the obstacles