As many of you know, the devastating super typhoon Haiyan ravaged the central Philippines last Friday. As rescue workers have struggled to reach survivors, news of the immense damage and loss of life is gradually coming to light. As of this morning, death tolls are estimated to exceed 10,000 people, over 630,000 were forced from their homes, and more than 9.5 million have been affected. The relief effort by aid agencies is just getting underway, and they must contend with the complicated logistics of getting people and aid out to the affected areas. This will be extremely difficult because of the extreme disruption to ports and airports, and the inaccessibility of roads.
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association expresses its condolences and extends its prayers to the victims of this disaster, and to the families of those who may have been affected. NAPABA encourages you to support relief efforts in any way you feel appropriate. But please note that when disasters like this occur, the victims are helped most by financial contributions to aid agencies, rather than donations of consumer goods.
If you want to make a donation, but are unsure of which aid agency you wish to support, NAPABA, together with the National Filipino American Lawyers Association, suggest the following:
- Charity Navigator, which rates & has a list of reputable aid organizations (including most of the organizations below) that are contributing to relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan:http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1659#.UoDq7p3Tl9D
- Gawad Kalinga USA, is accepting donations to pay for 200,000 food packs that Gawad Kalinga Philippines will distribute in hard-hit areas. The packs – which include rice, bottled water and canned goods – can feed families for three or four days for as little as $5. Please click on the following link to donate: http://gk-usa.org/donations/
- American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Typhoon-Haiyan-Disaster-Alert
- Catholic Relief Services: http://crs.org/
- CARE: http://www.care.org/emergencies/typhoon-haiyan
- Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
- International Rescue Committee: http://www.rescue.org/
- Oxfam: http://firstperson.oxfamamerica.org/
- UNICEF: http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/2013/11/super-typhoon-haiyan-strikes-philippines.html
- World Food Program USA: http://wfpusa.org/
- Please share this information with your various contacts / networks, and please consider making a charitable donation today!
Best Regards,
William J. Simonitsch
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
