Friday, December 29, 2006

The News Leader - www.newsleader.com - Staunton, Va.-Pastor recalls missionary trip

The News Leader - www.newsleader.com - Staunton, Va.: "Kline went to Kerala, India, with five other members of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board to help deliver school uniforms and supplies to 2,000 children. Families who lost all of their belongings in the tsunami couldn't comply with Indian government regulations that require children to wear uniforms to school.

The Virginia Baptist Mission Board, part of the Richmond-based Baptist General Association of Virginia, focused its tsunami relief efforts in the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu,"

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

GAO says taxpayers are Katrina 'victims' | IndyStar.com

GAO says taxpayers are Katrina 'victims' | IndyStar.com: "GAO says taxpayers are Katrina 'victims'


Powered by Topix.net
USA Today
The government continues to waste tens of millions of dollars in its Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, including giving rent checks to evacuees already living in free housing and student aid to ineligible foreigners, U.S. investigators said this past week.

The Government Accountability Office also found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been able to recoup only $7 million of the more than $1 billion in improper payments identified by investigators months ago."

Monday, December 11, 2006

People's Daily Online -- Aceh relief work far from expectation

People's Daily Online -- Aceh relief work far from expectation: "Aceh relief work far from expectation
font size ZoomIn ZoomOut

Despite achievements, reconstruction and rehabilitation in Indonesia's Aceh province in nearly two years after the tsunami are still far from people's expectation, scores of problems and lack of managerial capabilities are among the obstacles, said local officials and ex- rebel leaders.

Hundreds of survivors of the December 2004 catastrophe still live in barracks and tents, as they have yet got houses promised by the relief agency.

Of the 128,000 houses planned to be built, only some 50,000 so far have been delivered, spokesman of the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency (BRR) Mirza Kumala said, adding that over 17, 000 others now were being reconstructed."

Friday, December 08, 2006

Bloggers Team Up with Online Nonprofit to Deliver Christmas to Katrina Families - Yahoo! News

Bloggers Team Up with Online Nonprofit to Deliver Christmas to Katrina Families - Yahoo! News: "The social media movement has sparked an adoption frenzy this holiday season and is changing the face of philanthropy. Thanks to www.postsanta.com, www.hurricane-katrina.org, and www.katrinasangels.org, three online, virtual entities, Christmas will arrive for families who are still struggling with the realities after Hurricane Katrina from those who want to make a real difference. The three Web sites not only highlight the ongoing difficulties for those in the New Orleans area trying to rebuild their lives, but they are also a vital link between those in need and those who want to donate food, money, even Christmas trees. They are all engaged in innovative, transformational, change the world media, with a shared vision to catalyze their online endeavors to help the Gulf Coast recover"

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Tsunami parents forced to give up children - World - Times Online

Tsunami parents forced to give up children - World - Times Online: "Tsunami parents forced to give up children
Nick Meo

Parents impoverished by the 2004 tsunami are still being forced to put their children into orphanages because they cannot afford to care for them, according to a British charity.

Thousands of children in the Indonesian province of Aceh have been institutionalised, even though more than 85 per cent have at least one living parent and 42 per cent have both parents alive."

Friday, December 01, 2006

In the heat of US NGO pledges, Bill Clinton visits Tsunami-devastated South Asia Region to accelerate recovery | Asian Tribune

In the heat of US NGO pledges, Bill Clinton visits Tsunami-devastated South Asia Region to accelerate recovery | Asian Tribune: "Former U.S. president Bill Clinton as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery is now in the tsunami-affected Asian Region in the heat of positive pledges he received in October by major U.S. non-governmental organizations to accelerate the recovery process of 14 countries which lost 230,000 lives leaving 1.7 million homeless and destroying schools, hospitals, government buildings and other structures devastating the livelihood of millions."

Monday, November 20, 2006

The Cincinnati Post - Saints aid in Katrina healing

The Cincinnati Post - Saints aid in Katrina healing: "E-mail this Printer-friendly Subscribe RSS feeds

Saints aid in Katrina healing
Superdome serves as rallying point
By Kevin Goheen
Post staff reporter



Watching Monday night football games isn't out of the ordinary for Bengals defensive tackle Shaun Smith. Smith was particularly paying attention to the game on Sept. 25.

That was the night the Louisiana Superdome - which like the rest of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region took the brunt of Mother Nature's force in the form of Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005 - reopened and hosted the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons."

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Clinton says progress for tsunami victims is unmistakable — but tens of thousands still need homes - iht,news,UN Clinton Tsunami - News & Features - I

Clinton says progress for tsunami victims is unmistakable — but tens of thousands still need homes - iht,news,UN Clinton Tsunami - News & Features - International Herald Tribune: "Clinton says progress for tsunami victims is unmistakable — but tens of thousands still need homes
The Associated Press
Published: November 16, 2006

UNITED NATIONS: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, the top U.N. envoy for the Indian Ocean tsunami recovery effort, told a final meeting of key players helping to rebuild devastated communities there has been significant progress — but tens of thousands of people still have no homes and finishing the job will take many years.

Clinton, whose two-year appointment as Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special envoy ends on Dec. 31, said one key lesson from the earthquake-triggered giant waves that devastated parts of a dozen countries is that 'governments must start preparing for future disasters now.'"

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

IDSnews.com-Greek students serve up Katrina relief in Mississippi

IDSnews.com: "Last weekend a group of 50 IU students traveled to Gulfport, Miss., to aid Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The group, composed of greek students from 10 chapters on campus, volunteered at God's Katrina Kitchen, a nonprofit organization, serving meals to displaced families and helping the organization move its campsite to a new location."

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Hong Kong : CMP Asia contributes to charity for tsunami survivors - Textile Fashion News Fibre2Fashion

Hong Kong : CMP Asia contributes to charity for tsunami survivors - Textile Fashion News Fibre2Fashion: "Hong Kong : CMP Asia contributes to charity for tsunami survivors
October 19, 2006

CMP Asia, one of the leading trade fair organisers in Asia, has donated US $30,000 to Sarojin Khao Lak Community Fund to help the tsunami survivors in Thailand to rebuild schools.

The Fund provides support to school children who continue to suffer from the severe damage caused by the tsunami disaster of December 2004. "

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Pakistani quake aid donors fall short. 07/10/2006. ABC News Online

Pakistani quake aid donors fall short. 07/10/2006. ABC News Online: "Pakistani quake aid donors fall short

More than $US90 million ($A121 million) in pledges made to Pakistan after a devastating earthquake a year ago has yet to be delivered and is urgently needed, former US president George Bush says.

Mr Bush, a special envoy of UN secretary-general Kofi Annan for the South Asia earthquake, says about two-thirds of the $US255 million ($A343 million) budgeted for an early recovery plan has been received.

But the rest of the money promised by various donor nations has not yet been paid."

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Leesville Daily Leader - News-United Way adapts to help with recovery in New Orleans

Leesville Daily Leader - News: "The scent of newness permeates the air inside the Royal Castle Child Development Center in the Hollygrove section of New Orleans. Walls and floors damaged by the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina have been replaced, and new electrical and air conditioning systems have been installed. Outside, a brand-new playground awaits the children.

Pearlie Harris is excited to be reopening her doors. Starting the first week of October, parents living and working in the Central Business District, Midtown and Uptown areas will have another place to bring children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Harris also is offering an after-school program for pupils from 6 to 12 years old.

She credits United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area with making her dreams of rebuilding possible."

Monday, October 02, 2006

New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans-Administrative costs can eat up chunks of relief cash

New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans: "Administrative costs can eat up chunks of relief cash
by Jaime Guillet
10/02/2006


The terrorizing trio of the 2005 storm season — hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma — wrought destruction on an area larger than North and South Carolina combined. The humanitarian aid and charitable donations for disaster relief have been equally monumental."

Friday, September 22, 2006

Rotary-CBF partnership in La. town gets $500,000 from Bush-Clinton fund

Rotary-CBF partnership in La. town gets $500,000 from Bush-Clinton fund: "Rotary-CBF partnership in La. town gets $500,000 from Bush-Clinton fund
By Carla Wynn

Published September 21, 2006



ATLANTA (ABP) -- The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund has given a $500,000 grant for the hurricane-damaged community of Lacombe, La., where the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and an Arkansas Rotary Club are working together.

Already CBF and Rotary volunteers have restored more than 50 homes in Lacombe. The latest grant, which will allow the partners to expand that work, was awarded to Rotary Club 99 of Little Rock, Ark., according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Former President Bill Clinton announced the gift Sept. 15 in a ceremony in New Orleans, during which $7.5 million was given to several nonprofit organizations working in Katrina-damaged areas along the Gulf Coast."

Monday, September 18, 2006

First Response Coalition Blog

First Response Coalition Blog: "


FRC on CNN
Monday, September 18, 2006
The FRC was recently interviewed on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 r"

Thursday, September 14, 2006

onPhilanthropy: The Plan Before the Storm: Preparing to Contribute to Disaster Relief Efforts

onPhilanthropy: The Plan Before the Storm: Preparing to Contribute to Disaster Relief Efforts: "he Plan Before the Storm: Preparing to Contribute to Disaster Relief Efforts
By: Jessica Stannard-Friel, 09/13/06


Hurricane Gordon was recently named the third hurricane this season if it were to make landfall tomorrow and cause significant damage, would your company be ready to participate in relief efforts? Forecasters don’t expect Gordon to make landfall, Reuters reports, but the recent milestone anniversaries of September 11 and Hurricane Katrina serve to remind us of the significant role companies can and are now expected to play in disaster relief efforts. While disasters may not always be predictable, your company can still have a plan in place, allowing you to respond quickly, effectively, and responsibly when the next major disaster ultimately confronts us.

onPhilanthropy recommends that companies take the following steps to prepare for future relief efforts:"

Monday, September 11, 2006

Lessons in 9-11 for giving: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Lessons in 9-11 for giving: South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "community has learned important lessons about charitable giving in response to widespread disaster. While thousands of sympathetic Americans responded to 9-11 by donating approximately $2.2 billion, most was quickly spent following the attacks. A select few 9-11 charities withheld donations so they could continue to help people long into the future.

So, what have we learned from 9-11?

Possibly the greatest lesson learned from post-9-11 charitable giving trends is that charities and donors now realize that catastrophic events demand long-term recovery. Needs arise beyond immediate relief. "

Daily Record - Morris County - Charities try to refocus on their pre-9/11 efforts

Daily Record - Morris County - Charities try to refocus on their pre-9/11 efforts: "Five years later, the mode of charity that emerged from the 9/11 recovery has been tested by one national tragedy after another. Now charities are attempting to bring their focus back to the day-to-day efforts they originally pledged to do.

Immediately after the terrorist attacks, the September 11 Fund was established, which was the first time the United Way channeled funds directly from donors to families that lost relatives, said Carol DeGraw, manager of community impact at the United Way in Morris County."

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

The Shreveport Times-Cut the checks to nonprofits

The Shreveport Times: "Cut the checks to nonprofits
September 5, 2006


Katrina was a calamity of such magnitude that FEMA bent one of its long-held rules '' allowing nonprofit organizations to apply for reimbursements for money spent to care for evacuees. About 40 churches and other organizations in the Shreveport-Bossier took the organization up on this offer, filing applications through the Office of Emergency.

A year later, most of them are waiting to be reimbursed.

The reason for the delay: fears of corruption and malfeasance, leading to miles of red tape. Though good stewardship of public tax dollars is a crucial priority, so is distributing these funds in a timely manner."

Friday, September 01, 2006

Pitt on building an eco-friendly New Orleans - Today - MSNBC.com

Pitt on building an eco-friendly New Orleans - Today - MSNBC.com: "Today show
Updated: 9:25 a.m. ET Sept. 1, 2006

All week, we've been looking at the shocking devastation that still remains in New Orleans as citizens there mark one year since Hurricane Katrina struck. On Thursday, actor Brad Pitt announced a major step forward in his effort to bring back housing in one of the hardest hit parts of the city. Not only did he vow that it will be built, ground-breaking is expected in a matter of months. I caught up with him in New Orleans on Thursday for an exclusive interview:

Brad Pitt: The first responsibility is to help those that are the most vulnerable. And we failed — and failed miserably. And to some extent we're still failing."

ContraCostaTimes.com | 09/01/2006 | Bush playing the part of saint as career gets under way

ContraCostaTimes.com | 09/01/2006 | Bush playing the part of saint as career gets under way: "Bush playing the part of saint as career gets under way
Rookie has captured the city's attention with charitable contributions
By Sam Farmer
LOS ANGELES TIMES

NEW ORLEANS - Shortly after the New Orleans Saints selected him second in the NFL draft, Reggie Bush toured some of the city's neighborhoods destroyed by the flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina.

House by pulverized house, he studied the bright orange numbers that relief workers had spray-painted on the front -- a grim count of the dead found inside.

'It's a humbling experience and it's sad,' the Heisman Trophy winner from USC said. 'It makes you appreciate what you have, makes you appreciate life in general. It can be taken away from you at any time.'"

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

BayouBuzz - President Bush´s New Orleans Katrina Statement

BayouBuzz - President Bush´s New Orleans Katrina Statement: "MRS. BUSH: Hey, everybody. Please be seated. We´re a little late because we´ve been in the library here at Warren Easton with the award grant winners of the Laura Bush Foundation, the 10 schools in Louisiana and Mississippi that have just won grants to restock their libraries. And it was really fun for us to have the chance to meet with the librarians and the students and the principals of these 10 schools that are across the Gulf Coast.

School people know they have to get to work right away, and really one of the great signs of recovery all along the Gulf Coast are the schools that are up and going again. A lot of them are in temporary buildings or portable buildings, but they have plans to rebuild. And it´s really a thrill to get to meet with the people who have worked so hard to make sure students all across the Gulf Coast get to go back to their own schools. We know that families can´t move back unless there´s schools for the kids. And so education is one of the most important parts of the recovery."

Inexperienced charities complicated post-Katrina relief, watchdog says

Inexperienced charities complicated post-Katrina relief, watchdog says: "Inexperienced charities complicated post-Katrina relief, watchdog says
By Hannah Elliott

Published August 29, 2006

NEW ORLEANS (ABP) -- Although Hurricane Katrina inspired an unprecedented relief response, some of the groups who answered the call were inexperienced and ineffective, according to a charity watchdog group.

The deluge of new and inexperienced charities that responded to Katrina complicated the relief picture, said Sandra Miniutti, director of external relations for the New Jersey-based Charity Navigator.

“The biggest concern that we had was that there were too many groups holding their hands out with no experience in this type of work,” she said. “I think that’s a big concern. Also, for the groups that popped up, the brand new charities, to take on a disaster of this scope, it’s almost impossible to be effective.”

Many groups emerged post-Katrina that didn’t have the same focus, experience, methodology or priorities as established disaster-relief charities, Miniutti said. That meant well-meaning donors sometimes gave money that wasn’t used responsibly or efficiently."

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Gambit Weekly : Time to Answer the Call : August 29, 2006

Gambit Weekly : Time to Answer the Call : August 29, 2006: "COMMENTARY 08 29 06

Time to Answer the Call
Last week in this space, we anticipated the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by looking ahead to the two-year benchmark, suggesting specific goals for New Orleans as it struggles to gain some traction in its recovery efforts. This week -- in an issue dated on the one-year anniversary of the killer storm -- it's appropriate to look back at the progress, or lack of it, since Katrina struck. The news is mixed: parts of south Louisiana are rebounding nicely, some parts are even flourishing -- and then there's New Orleans, which remains stuck on stuck."

DelcoTimes - Editorial: Post-Katrina blunders offer lesson in charity

DelcoTimes - Editorial: Post-Katrina blunders offer lesson in charity: "Editorial: Post-Katrina blunders offer lesson in charity
08/29/2006
email this storyEmail to a friendpost a commentPost a Commentprinter friendlyPrinter-friendly
One year later and the shocking images of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina hit land last Aug. 29 are seared into most Americans’ minds. For two weeks, television video replayed scenes of destroyed homes, displaced residents and unclaimed bodies of the dead on streets once packed with tourists.

One year later and the same video images show little or no progress in most of the hardest hit areas. Bourbon Street is back. The French Quarter is back. But, according to electric bills and school enrollment figures obtained by the Washington Post, less than half of the pre-storm population of 455,000 has returned."

The Shreveport Times-"Nonprofits still awaiting repayment from FEMA

The Shreveport Times: "Nonprofits still awaiting repayment from FEMA
August 29, 2006

S
By Diane Haag
dhaag@gannett.com

A year after they housed thousands of evacuees, many nonprofits are still waiting for federal reimbursement of their expenses.

The quantity of agencies applying and the precautions to guard against fraud means the process has been slow, delaying money that churches and agencies would like to spend on other hurricane-related expenses.
"

Grantmakers Releases Donors' Guide to Gulf Coast :: PNNOnline ::

Grantmakers Releases Donors' Guide to Gulf Coast :: PNNOnline ::: "Across the Gulf Coast, local residents are working through community-based organizations to help their neighbors rebuild their homes and their lives after the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Their indomitable spirit attests to the vitality of the numerous rebuilding efforts that are taking place.


To assist the public in connecting to these critically important efforts, the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (NYRAG) has produced a 137-page resource guide. The Donors' Guide to Gulf Coast Relief & Recovery distills and makes accessible invaluable information regarding nearly 400 organizations involved in recovery, rebuilding, and transformation efforts in hurricane-affected areas. Individual donors, businesses, and foundations will all find useful resources to help them make solid giving decisions that will help residents across the hurricane-ravaged region."

Monday, August 28, 2006

The Shreveport Times-"Katrina-giving: By the numbers

The Shreveport Times: "Katrina-giving: By the numbers
August 28, 2006


By the numbers

The world donated $3.3 billion after Katrina. Here's where it went:

American Red Cross: $2.1 billion

Salvation Army: $363 million

Catholic Charities: $146.5 million

Clinton-Bush Katrina Fund: $129 million

Habitat for Humanity: $122 million

Greater Houston Foundation: $75 million
"

Outlines Emerge for a Shaken New Orleans - New York Times

Outlines Emerge for a Shaken New Orleans - New York Times: "Outlines Emerge for a Shaken New Orleans


By ADAM NOSSITER
Published: August 27, 2006

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 26 — At one edge of this city’s future are the extravagant visions of its boosters. Awash in federal cash, the New Orleans they dream of will be an arts-infused mecca for youthful risk-takers, a boomtown where entrepreneurs can repair to cool French Quarter bars in ancient buildings after a hard day of deal making."

Friday, August 25, 2006

Weathering Corruption

Weathering Corruption: "Weathering Corruption

Friday, August 25, 2006; Page A15

It's a familiar story line: When federal aid flows into a region devastated by a natural disaster, those charged with disseminating it do not always behave honorably in the chaos.

Is bad weather responsible for U.S. corruption?"

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Study of the Recovery, Role, and Capacity of States and Localities Damaged by the 2005 Hurricanes

Study of the Recovery, Role, and Capacity of States and Localities Damaged by the 2005 Hurricanes: "Study of the Communities Damaged
by the 2005 Hurricanes


Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana



NELSON A. ROCKEFELLER
INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT


A Joint Project of


PUBLIC AFFAIRS RESEARCH
COUNCIL OF LOUISIANA







*
GulfGov Reports:
One Year Later




The Katrina and Rita hurricanes of 2005 devastated many communities along the Gulf Coast. Homes and businesses, roads and bridges, and other important community facilities were destroyed. Many thousands of Gulf Coast residents were displaced, and cleanup and recovery challenges are enormous."

Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Protection and Reconstruction Efforts

Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Protection and Reconstruction Efforts: "Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Protection and Reconstruction Efforts

Don Basham, Chief of Engineering at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Dr. Ed Link of the U.of Md and Director of the Interagency Peformance Evaluation Taskforce (IPET); and Dr. Robert Traver, Villanova U. and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Foreign Press Center Briefing
Washington, DC
August 22, 2006

1:05 P.M. EDT

Real Audio of Briefing


MODERATOR: This afternoon we have a briefing from three people who will be talking about Hurricane Katrina and the Army Corps of Engineers and what the Corps has done since Katrina and some of the lessons learned from that event.

With us we have Don Basham, who is Chief of Engineering at the Corps, we have Ed Link of the University of Maryland, and who is also Director of the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force which looked at Katrina, and Robert Traver of Villanova University and the American of Society of Civil Engineers.

They will be -- we’ll start off with a few comments from each of them about the hurricane, about the system along the Gulf Coast, what we’ve learned and what we’re doing going forward and then open it up for your questions. So thank you for coming, and I think I’m going to turn it over to Don first off."

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

USATODAY.com-In Katrina, compassion met adversity

USATODAY.com: "In Katrina, compassion met adversity
More work awaits stricken region — and the country

By George H. W. Bush & William Jefferson Clinton

Next week will mark one year since Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast and cut a swath of destruction that was truly of biblical proportions. Together, our nation watched in helpless horror as the winds and the waters surged — killing more than 1,000 loved ones and wiping away once-vibrant communities. In essence, Katrina was an American tsunami: The devastation and despair it randomly cast throughout the Gulf Coast was painfully evocative of what we saw when we toured the Indian Ocean perimeter together in 2005."

Help center opens for Katrina evacuees - Yahoo! News

Help center opens for Katrina evacuees - Yahoo! News: "New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin opened the first of a planned series of service centers designed to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees outside Louisiana return to their hometown and rebuild it so it's 'no longer a city of haves and have nots.'"

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Philanthropists gave $577 million in relief

Philanthropists gave $577 million in relief: "Philanthropists gave $577 million in relief
But that's probably the max, study says
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By Bruce Alpert

WASHINGTON -- First the good news.

U.S. foundations and corporations provided $577.1 million in private contributions through the end of June for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts related to last year's Gulf Coast hurricanes, according to a new report by the Foundation Center.

The bad news is that more assistance is unlikely. Only 7 percent of the surveyed foundations, according to the report, expect to make additional hurricane-related commitments beyond September."

Friday, August 18, 2006

Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina'

Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina': "Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina'

By Stephen Barr
Friday, August 18, 2006; Page D04

The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service is launching an initiative called 'Government After Katrina' to look for ideas that can help the government operate more effectively and polish an image that was tarnished by a sluggish response to the hurricane.

'We need to leverage the occasion of Katrina's anniversary to focus new energy to the issue of improved government performance,' said Max Stier , president of the partnership, a nonpartisan group that seeks to revitalize federal service and encourage young people to take up careers in government."

Charities Stock Up on Marketing Supplies for Hurricane Season

Charities Stock Up on Marketing Supplies for Hurricane Season: "From late August to early October, Americans are on alert for something beyond their control: the hurricane season.

The devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma from last year still can be felt, and one has to question how organizations have prepared for another disaster.

'After every major disaster we do a 'lessons learned' to prepare ourselves better and to see what we need to fix,' said Margaret Carter, interim director of direct response fundraising for the American Red Cross, Washington. 'Katrina was felt on the largest scale, so we therefore need scalable solutions.'

The Red Cross raised $2.067 billion for relief from hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. It spent $1.787 billion, about 85 percent of that money. The rest is for its Hurricane Recovery program, which will assist victims in the coming years as needs arise."

Thursday, August 17, 2006

New Orleans pained, proud of Katrina documentary - Yahoo! News

New Orleans pained, proud of Katrina documentary - Yahoo! News: "ey came from down the block and from hours away to see director Spike Lee's view of how Hurricane Katrina changed their lives, and New Orleanians were sad and proud of what they viewed.
ADVERTISEMENT

'Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? We do,' Gerry Carter said early on Thursday after joining thousands who watched the premiere of Lee's film 'When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.'"

newsarticle - Philanthropy Journal-YFunding Katrina relief

newsarticle - Philanthropy Journal-Your online source for news about nonprofits, social issues, and policy change: "
Funding Katrina relief

Corporations, foundations gave over $577 million to effort, report says.



Over 400 foundations and corporations have committed more than $577 million to immediate relief and ongoing rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a new report says.

The vast majority of those institutional donors say donations made in response to the 2005 hurricanes did not affect their regular giving, says the Foundation Center's report, 'Giving in the Aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Report on the Foundation and Corporate Response.'"

BayouBuzz - Ford Foundation Says Grants To Gulf, Louisiana New Orleans Over 20M

BayouBuzz - Ford Foundation Says Grants To Gulf, Louisiana New Orleans Over 20M: "The Ford Foundation announced today that its grants for Gulf Coast recovery will surpass $20 million around the time of the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The amount doubles the initial commitment made by the foundation in the wake of the disaster.

"

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Judge Rules for Insurers in Katrina - New York Times

Judge Rules for Insurers in Katrina - New York Times: "Judge Rules for Insurers in Katrina

By JOSEPH B. TREASTER
Published: August 16, 2006

A federal judge in Mississippi sided with home insurance companies yesterday and ruled that they did not have to pay for the flooding that destroyed tens of thousands of homes in Hurricane Katrina."

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Chronicle, 8/17/2006: Rebuilding the World a Storm Destroyed

The Chronicle, 8/17/2006: Rebuilding the World a Storm Destroyed: "Rebuilding the World a Storm Destroyed

Operation Blessing


THE ROCKY ROAD AHEAD
Charities face an unprecedented challenge as they help people battered by Hurricane Katrina rebuild. But they have been helped hundreds of thousands of people who are volunteering to help organizations like Operation Blessing, which has been removing trees toppled by the storm.

NEARLY $3.3-BILLION has been raised by the largest U.S. charities in response to Hurricane Katrina, a Chronicle survey has found, some $2.7-billion of which has already been spent on recovery."

Philanthropy: Who Gave What for Katrina Relief

Philanthropy: Who Gave What for Katrina Relief: "Philanthropy: Who Gave What for Katrina Relief
A survey of donors in the aftermath of the Gulf Coast hurricanes finds corporate foundations were the leaders in funding recovery efforts


Foundation Center released a report on Aug. 9 titled 'Giving in the Aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Report on the Foundation and Corporate Response,' the second of a series of three reports on the subject. The first was released earlier as a summary of immediate findings"

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Nonprofits will gut homes for free

Nonprofits will gut homes for free: "Nonprofits will gut homes for free
As deadline nears, wait can be long
Thursday, August 10, 2006
By Bruce Eggler

New Orleanians seeking help with cleaning and gutting their flood-damaged homes by the Aug. 29 deadline set by the city can contact more than a dozen nonprofit organizations that offer free gutting, according to a list posted on the city's Web site.

Most of the organizations report they have waiting lists from one to six months long, but a few apparently are prepared to handle new requests quickly. Besides 15 groups still accepting applications, the city includes three other groups whose lists are so full they are not accepting applications at this time."

FOXNews.com - 3 Doors Down Aids Katrina Relief Efforts - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment

FOXNews.com - 3 Doors Down Aids Katrina Relief Efforts - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment: "3 Doors Down Aids Katrina Relief Efforts
Wednesday, August 09, 2006

PASCAGOULA, Miss. — Members of 3 Doors Down have presented two checks to aid Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Guitarist Matt Roberts presented a $25,000 check Tuesday to Resurrection Catholic School, which he attended, to help replace library books.

Principal Darnell Cuevas said the school lost thousands of books when Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29."

Monday, August 07, 2006

Louisiana Weekly - Your Community. Your Newspaper.-8 N.O. groups awarded funding to revitalize Gulf Coast

Louisiana Weekly - Your Community. Your Newspaper.: "8 N.O. groups awarded funding to revitalize Gulf Coast

August 7, 2006 talkback

Eight New Orleans-based groups were among 17 organizations from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia that recently were awarded grants from the Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health that will be used to revitalize communities among the Gulf Coast in the wake of Huricanes Katrina and Rita. The $250,000 in grant money will be used to address issues such as housing and urban planning; needs of hurricane survivors and the diaspora; culture and arts; worker and day laborer rights; and environment, health and green rebuilding."

Friday, August 04, 2006

Success in raising funds depends on aid's destination - baltimoresun.com

Success in raising funds depends on aid's destination - baltimoresun.com: "After an earthquake rocked the Indonesian island of Java in May, donors responded. World Vision U.S., a Christian aid organization, quickly received hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to help those left devastated by what nature had wrought.

To aid the more than 700,000 displaced in Lebanon during fighting that has raged between Israel and Hezbollah over the past three weeks, the call has gone out again.

This time, donors have been 'lukewarm,' a senior official says, offering $160,000 in donations to assist those injured and displaced by the attacks. That's just one-quarter of what they gave after the Indonesian disaster."

Friday, July 28, 2006

The Jakarta Post - Absence of standard practices blamed for disaster aid chaos

The Jakarta Post - Absence of standard practices blamed for disaster aid chaos: "Absence of standard practices blamed for disaster aid chaos

Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The absence of standard operating procedures for providing medical assistance to disaster victims makes relief efforts less effective, a medical doctor says.

Murdani Abdullah of the Indonesian Society of Internists said the government should establish guidelines for medical relief to ensure the programs function well.

'We don't have a good scenario for medical relief operations in disaster-hit areas. Everybody is doing their own work in there,' he told reporters."

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

2005-2006: Katrina, charity, and unexpected change - News

2005-2006: Katrina, charity, and unexpected change - News: "The academic year 2005-2006 marked one of unexpected change for both the Washington University campus and the nation. Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the gulf coast region largely shaped a year of charity and change.

Some students returned to campus in late August with news that the homes they had left were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The disaster hit close to the Washington University community as students from the Gulf Coast region learned of displaced friends and family members. Despite early warnings from the government, Hurricane Katrina and the flood that followed, heavily devastated the gulf coast region including Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. "

Nonprofits help businesses hurt by Katrina - Dateline Florida

Nonprofits help businesses hurt by Katrina - Dateline Florida: "Nonprofits help businesses hurt by Katrina

BY ZAC ANDERSON

PUNTA GORDA -- More than 70 dogs and cats and 14 horses rode out Hurricane Katrina in Richard Gingles' Long Beach, Miss., animal clinic.

So many animals needed shelter that Gingles ran out of space in his boarding kennels and was forced to stash pet carriers beneath operating tables and reception desks.

'We were just overflowing,' Gingles said Monday.

The next time Long Beach residents are forced to leave town, Gingles plans to have more kennel space, and he's getting help from three Charlotte County nonprofits.

Carolyn Freeland traveled to Mississippi last week on behalf of the local nonprofits to give Gingles and 13 other business owners $1,000 grants"

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

CANOE -- CNEWS - Canada: Canadian charity to help tsunami victims

CANOE -- CNEWS - Canada: Canadian charity to help tsunami victims: "Canadian charity to help tsunami victims
By MARY GAZZE, Toronto Sun
Schools reopen in tsunami hit town

A Canadian charity will ship more than $400,000 in medical supplies tomorrow to help victims of the recent tsunami that rocked the Indonesian island of Java.

The seven skids of cargo — which include bandages, antibiotics and wheelchairs — are expected to arrive Sunday in Jakarta, the capital of the disaster-stricken country."

CTV.ca | Aid agencies team up on Mideast fundraising

CTV.ca | Aid agencies team up on Mideast fundraising: "Aid agencies team up on Mideast fundraising

Updated Mon. Jul. 24 2006 11:32 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

As Canadian evacuees continue to arrive home safely from Lebanon, relief agencies are turning their eyes to those who are still living in the conflicted region.

Four of Canada's largest aid agencies announced Monday they are joining forces to form 'The Humanitarian Coalition.'"

Fishupdate.com: Tsunami relief continues for aquaculture sector

Fishupdate.com: Tsunami relief continues for aquaculture sector: "A TSUNAMI relief fund supported by donations from YSI continues to provide aid to victims of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia.
The Fund for Rebuilding Aquaculture in Tsunami-Affected Areas is administered by Aquaculture without Frontiers, which works in conjunction with local citizens and the country’s Directorate General of Aquaculture."

Friday, July 21, 2006

Death toll nears 550 in Indonesian tsunami; president pledges sped-up warning

Death toll nears 550 in Indonesian tsunami; president pledges sped-up warning: "PANGANDARAN, Indonesia (AP) - The death toll from the Indonesian tsunami rose to nearly 550 on Friday as the president vowed to speed up the installation of a nationwide system capable of warning coastal communities of killer waves by mid-2008."

N.O. reclaims 16 trucks it was given after Katrina

N.O. reclaims 16 trucks it was given after Katrina: "ixteen trucks donated to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and that City Council members controlled or assigned to private nonprofits have been returned to the city, the city said Thursday in a report spurred by recent revelations that former Councilwoman Renee Gill Pratt steered four of the vehicles to a pair of favored groups, including one that now employs her.

In a six-page memo presented Thursday to the council, City Attorney Penya Moses-Fields said the vehicles, which were donated in mid-September by DaimlerChrysler AG, were turned over to the city's equipment maintenance division between July 5 and Monday, some with more than 20,000 miles on the odometer."

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Feds need La. help for hurricane plans - Yahoo! News

Feds need La. help for hurricane plans - Yahoo! News: "he Bush administration said Monday it needs specific lists of Louisiana's shelters, immobile hospital patients and transportation pickup points before it can promise reliable evacuation help during a major hurricane.


In a letter to Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made clear what responsibilities the federal government will shoulder the next time a huge storm strikes."

Travel Video Television News-A Letter from Indonesia

Travel Video Television News: "
A Letter from Indonesia
Jul 20, 06 | 8:51 am


On behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, please find the following are some brief facts with regard to the tsunami that hit Pangandaran Beach (350 KM from Bandung, the Capital City of West Java Province) on Monday 17 July 2006, at 15.19.

The rate of the tremor was 6.8 on Richter Scale. The earthquake sent a 1-2 meter tsunami crashing into beach resort in Pangandaran, Cilacap and Kebumen that lashed Java Coast.

The most affected area is Pangandaran Beach which is the main resort for domestic tourists. It is indicated by the casualties rates due to the tsunami waive, which has left at least 500 people death and more than 600 missing in Beach Resort and Fishing Communities. The data of victims is gradually changing. However, there have been reported foreign tourists casualties."

Habitat for Humanity to receive $600,000 for hurricane rebuilding from Bank of America campaign -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l

Habitat for Humanity to receive $600,000 for hurricane rebuilding from Bank of America campaign -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l: "Habitat for Humanity to receive $600,000 for hurricane rebuilding from Bank of America campaign

Keep the Change™ savings program Money to help rebuild homes in Gulf States

Habitat for Humanity International will receive more than $600,000 from an innovative Bank of America campaign to help victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, officials of the organizations announced today.

AMERICUS, Ga.(Jan. 12, 2006) – Habitat for Humanity International will receive more than $600,000 from an innovative Bank of America campaign to help victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, officials of the organizations announced today.

The money will be used for Operation Home Delivery, which is building homes in Mobile County, Ala.; Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Slidell and Thibodaux, La.; and soon in the New Orleans metropolitan area, with plans to expand into coastal Mississippi. "

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Macleans.ca | Top Stories | Politics | Red Cross officials urge Canadians to give money to help people in Lebanon

Macleans.ca | Top Stories | Politics | Red Cross officials urge Canadians to give money to help people in Lebanon: "Red Cross officials urge Canadians to give money to help people in Lebanon

MONTREAL (CP) - Red Cross officials and Lebanese-Canadians are urging Canadians to give money to help people in the war-torn country.

The Canadian Red Cross says it supports an appeal issued today by the International Committee of the Red Cross which is seeking $9 million to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon."

Tsunami generates charity cash hike - Business - Business - theage.com.au

Tsunami generates charity cash hike - Business - Business - theage.com.au: "THE 2004 Boxing Day tsunami has left Australian charities flush with funds.

Analysis by Givewell, the Australian researcher of charities, found that the tsunami created a huge spike in fund-raising, with income last year up by a massive 44 per cent, compared with 8 per cent in 2004. Sustained income growth was up 11 per cent."

Star-Telegram | 07/19/2006 | Indonesia pledges to build a national tsunami alert system

Star-Telegram | 07/19/2006 | Indonesia pledges to build a national tsunami alert system: "Indonesia pledges to build a national tsunami alert system
By IRWAN FIRDAUS
The Associated Press

PANGANDARAN, Indonesia -- Indonesia pledged to build a nationwide tsunami alert system as soldiers pulled bodies from ravaged beaches, homes and hotels here Tuesday, a day after a wall of water swept ashore with no warning. The death toll hit at least 463, with nearly 280 people missing."

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

No tsunami alert system in place to guard Indonesia

No tsunami alert system in place to guard Indonesia: "No tsunami alert system in place to guard Indonesia
By Achmad Sukarsono

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Lack of funds has crippled the creation of a tsunami warning system, leaving earthquake-prone Indonesia without a single working detection buoy, an official said on Tuesday, a day after a tsunami killed over 270 people.

No sirens alerted residents in Pangandaran beach, the worst-hit area of Monday's tsunami, after a 7.7 magnitude quake struck 180 km (112 miles) offshore in the Indian Ocean. "

Monday, July 17, 2006

eircom net Ireland-International / Irish news headlines from leading Irish newspapers-Tsunami kills up to 50 - Red Cross

eircom net Ireland-International / Irish news headlines from leading Irish newspapers: "Tsunami kills up to 50 - Red Cross
From:Reuters
Monday, 17 July, 2006


By Achmad Sukarsono

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A tsunami triggered by a strong undersea earthquake off the southern coast of Java island swept away buildings at an Indonesian beach resort on Monday and killed between 40 and 50 people, a Red Cross official said.

News of the disaster spread panic across a region still recovering from a tsunami less than two years ago that left nearly 230,000 people killed or missing, mostly in Indonesia. But there were no reports of casualties or damage in any other country from Monday's tsunami."

Flood pulls people together to rebuild

Flood pulls people together to rebuild: "Flood pulls people together to rebuild

By Heather Yakin
Times Herald-Record
hyakin@th-record.com

Callicoon - Floodwaters don't care that people volunteered their time and effort trying to help others.

Tess McBeath is tired, and she and the rest of the Delaware Youth Center board are trying to figure out how to come up with $250,000 to repair flood damage, to fix up the hall and pavilion and the caretaker's cottage, to replace playground equipment.

They're nonprofit, all-volunteer and completely dependent on donations.

It's not just that she's the youth center's president and the Delaware town clerk, so she's dealing with disaster from all directions. It's also the strain of figuring out what comes next."

Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Director Quits

Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Director Quits: "Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Director Quits

By RUKMINI CALLIMACHI
The Associated Press
Friday, July 14, 2006; 9:58 PM

NEW ORLEANS -- The head of a Katrina charity established by former Presidents Bush and Clinton resigned Friday under duress following the exodus of seven members of one of its committees.

In a statement, the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund announced that 'in the best interests of the mission of The Fund,' its executive director, Mary Ann Wyrsch agreed to step down."

Hard Work In the Big Easy

Hard Work In the Big Easy:
snip snip>>>

"Yes, the Big Easy has become a lot harder to visit, especially if, like a growing number of travelers, you're looking to volunteer in a city severely damaged and surprisingly unhealed since Hurricane Katrina's devastation last August. It's a city that even has its own version of refugee camps. Within hours of touching down, I found myself ladling out scrambled eggs to a long line of residents at a makeshift 'cafe' under a tent set up by aging hippies to feed homeless locals."

Private money steered to storm victims

Private money steered to storm victims: "Private money steered to storm victims
Many opened hearts, wallets after Katrina
Thursday, July 13, 2006
By Bruce Nolan

A private agency Gov. Kathleen Blanco created last year to disburse millions of unsolicited dollars that Americans sent directly to Baton Rouge for hurricane relief has begun distributing part of about $40 million to nonprofit groups for housing, legal aid and other services to residents affected by Katrina or Rita."

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

'Breathtaking' Waste and Fraud in Hurricane Aid - New York Times

'Breathtaking' Waste and Fraud in Hurricane Aid - New York Times: "WASHINGTON, June 26 — Among the many superlatives associated with Hurricane Katrina can now be added this one: it produced one of the most extraordinary displays of scams, schemes and stupefying bureaucratic bungles in modern history, costing taxpayers up to $2 billion."

Friday, June 23, 2006

Chron.com | Red Cross Gets Surge in Katrina Volunteers

Chron.com | Red Cross Gets Surge in Katrina Volunteers: "Red Cross Gets Surge in Katrina Volunteers

By RUSS BYNUM Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Less than a month after signing up as a Red Cross volunteer in Georgia, 67-year-old Al Lucas went to a Louisiana shelter filled with hundreds who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina.

Nine months later, he's still on the roster as a disaster team captain for the group's Savannah chapter, one of thousands who remain active nationwide after first coming to the agency in Katrina's wake.

'The first thing that dawned on me was this was not going to be a unique situation,' says Lucas, a retired Coast Guard air-rescue crewman. 'These kinds of things could happen anytime, anywhere, to us.'"

Nonprofit Sector Research Fund - What's New-"Weathering the Storm': a Katrina Report

Nonprofit Sector Research Fund - What's New: "Weathering the Storm': a Katrina Report

NEED FOR FEMA AND RED CROSS TO COORDINATE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH LOCAL AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IDENTIFIED

NEW REPORT HIGHLIGHTS ROLE OF GRASSROOTS NONPROFITS IN DISASTER RELIEF

National responder groups were overwhelmed by the monumental task of providing relief to hundreds of thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims, shifting a large burden onto small relief agencies. However, these local groups received limited support and coordination from FEMA and the American Red Cross, according to a report by Tony Pipa, Weathering the Storm: the Role of Local Nonprofits in the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort, commissioned by the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program (NSPP) of the Aspen Institute."

Thursday, June 22, 2006

TownOnline.com - Arts & Lifestyle: Post-Katrina syndrome hits home

TownOnline.com - Arts & Lifestyle: Post-Katrina syndrome hits home: "This is the third and final article in a series written by Wellesley Middle School students who traveled to Louisiana over April vacation with member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills to help with the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Sophie Cushman is in seventh grade.
Post-Katrina syndrome. Three words, a condition affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
Last August, a Category 3 hurricane, Katrina, hit Louisiana and a few other southern states. In towns outside New Orleans, trees came down on hundreds of houses, cars were crushed and houses flooded. In the lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, conditions were even worse."

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Yakima Herald Republic Online-Those involved in Katrina fraud should repay

Yakima Herald Republic Online - Home Page - Yakima, Washington News, Classifieds, Information, Advertising: "Those involved in Katrina fraud should repay

Government investigators have discovered that Hurricane Katrina relief efforts were bilked out of some $1.4 billion that went for everything from season football tickets to pricey hotel rooms in Hawaii.
And while we're appalled, we're frankly not surprised at such a display of greed and corruption of well-intentioned efforts to help. It is a sad testimonial to the reality that no matter the extent of a tragedy, there are those who will exploit it.

Obviously the oft-criticized Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to work on its allotment procedures. But we don't intend to engage in FEMA-bashing that was so justifiably prevalent in the wake of the agency's response to the tragedy. That's because we don't want to see the generous and compassionate response of concerned Americans and their government diminished in future natural disasters because of the threat of a few who stoop to this type of rerouting of money intended for helpless victims."

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

House Bill Raises Disaster Fraud Penalties

House Bill Raises Disaster Fraud Penalties: "House Bill Raises Disaster Fraud Penalties

By JIM ABRAMS
The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 20, 2006; 2:21 PM

WASHINGTON -- Scammers hoping to finance tropical vacations or season tickets to football games with federal disaster funds may have second thoughts with House passage of legislation imposing sentences of up to 30 years for fraud related to disaster relief.

The legislation, approved by a voice vote Tuesday, was brought to the House floor a week after congressional investigators concluded that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was defrauded of up to $1.4 billion as it rushed to provide relief after last year's hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

Monday, June 19, 2006

Reuters AlertNet - "DON'T SHORT CHANGE JAVA EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Reuters AlertNet - "DON'T SHORT CHANGE JAVA EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS: "Don't Short-change Java Earthquake Victims

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

6,000 dead and 600,000 homeless. Another 400,000 sleeping outdoors because they're afraid to go inside. The earthquake in Central Java should be receiving more attention, including greater international assistance. Why isn't this happening?"

Tycoon gets serious about giving

Tycoon gets serious about giving: "Oi Hong Leong



Singapore tycoon Oei Hong Leong is still serious about making money but from now on, part of the cash he makes from his famously masterful investments will go to charity.

The new direction was underlined in a dramatic fashion recently when Oei announced he was giving 1 million Singapore dollars (C$700,000) to help victims of the earthquake in Central Java."

Leaderless Palm Beach Red Cross chapter insists it's ready: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Leaderless Palm Beach Red Cross chapter insists it's ready: South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "f a hurricane hits Palm Beach County this season, it again will be the busiest time of the year for the local Red Cross chapter.

But the agency known for coming to the rescue in disasters is without a local leader.

Former Executive Director Dean Dimke left in April after four years to become communications manager for a South Carolina electronics company, and the Red Cross has yet to fill his job."

Friday, June 16, 2006

Agency: Cities not prepared for disasters - Yahoo! News

Agency: Cities not prepared for disasters - Yahoo! News: "New Orleans is still woefully unprepared for catastrophes 10 months after Hurricane Katrina, and the two cities targeted by the 9/11 attacks don't meet all guidelines for responding to major disasters, a federal security analysis concluded Friday."

Aid groups say shortage of funds hampering Indonesia quake efforts

Aid groups say shortage of funds hampering Indonesia quake efforts: "Aid groups say shortage of funds hampering Indonesia quake efforts

Canadian Press
Published: Thursday, June 15, 2006

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Six international aid groups appealed Thursday for more funds to help survivors of last month's earthquake in Indonesia, saying the shortfall meant they were unable to carry out emergency relief work.

'The scale of this disaster is much greater than first thought,' said David MacDonald, from Oxfam. 'Donors . . . need to re-evaluate their commitments to reflect ongoing urgent needs for the basics such as shelter, water and sanitation.'"

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

New Orleans CityBusiness -- "Red Cross head says agency is better prepared for hurricanes

New Orleans CityBusiness -- The Business Newspaper of Metropolitan New Orleans: "Red Cross head says agency is better prepared for hurricanes
By AP

2006-06-14 10:33 AM CST

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — The interim president of the American Red Cross says a lack of communication and available warehouse space during Hurricane Katrina were among the lessons learned from the storm, but the agency is better prepared this storm season.

In April, the Red Cross announced that it would invest $80 million in disaster recovery services and preparedness by tripling its warehouse space and improving communications."

FT.com / World / International economy - Cost of Java quake to exceed $3bn

FT.com / World / International economy - Cost of Java quake to exceed $3bn : "Cost of Java quake to exceed $3bn
By Shawn Donnan and Taufan Hidayat in Jakarta
Published: June 12 2006 22:06 | Last updated: June 12 2006 22:06

Indonesia is to tell donors that last month’s central Java earthquake caused more than $3bn (€2.4bn, £1.6bn) in damage, making the likely cost of reconstruction potentially higher than far deadlier disasters such as last year’s earthquake in Pakistan."

Radio Ink - The Voice of Radio Revolution

Radio Ink - The Voice of Radio Revolution: "The NAB reports that local radio and TV stations generated a record $10.3 billion in public service in 2005, through a combination of airtime donated for public service announcements and money raised for charity and disaster relief. "

Lives Suspended on Gulf Coast, Crammed Into 240 Square Feet - New York Times

Lives Suspended on Gulf Coast, Crammed Into 240 Square Feet - New York Times: "Lives Suspended on Gulf Coast, Crammed Into 240 Square Feet
Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times

By DAN BARRY
Published: June 14, 2006

LAKESHORE, Miss., June 12 — If you were to fly over rural Hancock County here, you would see more than 9,000 of them, white rectangles clumped in sun-bleached parks and scattered in piney woods like pieces of a trashed picket fence. Pick any one, and contained within that FEMA trailer are lives in claustrophobic suspension."

Monday, June 12, 2006

Tropical Storm Alberto drenches Cuba - Yahoo! News

Tropical Storm Alberto drenches Cuba - Yahoo! News: "AVANA - Tropical Storm Alberto drenched western Cuba Monday after a weekend of heavy rains prompted evacuations, caused some dilapidated buildings to collapse and flooded low-lying areas in Havana."

newsarticle - Philanthropy Journal-"Aid flows into Indonesia

newsarticle - Philanthropy Journal-Your online source for news about nonprofits, social issues, and policy change: "Aid flows into Indonesia

As rebuilding from quake starts, fears of disease outbreak loom.

06.06.2006 -

Contributions continued to flow to Indonesia in response to the earthquake that rocked the country in late May, and the official death toll dropped to 5,800 from 6,200 as of June 5, the Associated Press reported."

KRT Wire | 06/12/2006 | Smaller towns say there'd overlooked in Katrina aid

KRT Wire | 06/12/2006 | Smaller towns say there'd overlooked in Katrina aid: "Smaller towns say there'd overlooked in Katrina aid
BY RYAN LAFONTAINE
Knight Ridder Newspapers

BILOXI, Miss. - With much of the national media attention still focused on New Orleans' struggle to recover from Hurricane Katrina, Bay St. Louis Mayor Eddie Favre says it's a wonder South Mississippi receives any help at all.

'There's still so much emphasis on saving New Orleans or rebuilding New Orleans that all of us in South Mississippi are being overshadowed,' Favre said."

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Reuters AlertNet - Red Cross triples emergency appeal for Indonesia

Reuters AlertNet - Red Cross triples emergency appeal for Indonesia: "GENEVA, June 7 (Reuters) - The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Wednesday tripled its appeal to 38 million Swiss francs ($31 million) to help survivors of last month's devastating earthquake in Indonesia."

ReliefWeb » Document Preview » Indonesia Yogyakarta Earthquake: Revised Appeal no. MDRID001

ReliefWeb » Document Preview » Indonesia Yogyakarta Earthquake: Revised Appeal no. MDRID001: "Indonesia Yogyakarta Earthquake: Revised Appeal no. MDRID001

The Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 183 countries.

In Brief

THIS REVISED EMERGENCY APPEAL SEEKS CHF 38,045,439 (USD 31 MILLION OR EUR 24 MILLION) IN CASH, KIND, OR SERVICES TO ASSIST 325,000 BENEFICIARIES FOR 12 MONTHS.

A timely and generous donor response to the preliminary appeal (now CHF 20 million, including hard and provisional pledges) has enabled an effective response operation. Assessments continue on relief and longer-term recovery needs, and a revised plan of action is in preparation, to be issued in the coming weeks. The Federation encourages cash contributions (a further CHF 18 million is required) to allow maximum flexibility in assisting the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia, or PMI) to deliver the planned assistance to the affected population."

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Aid flows into Indonesia - Philanthropy Journal-Your online source for news about nonprofits, social issues, and policy change

Aid flows into Indonesia - Philanthropy Journal-Your online source for news about nonprofits, social issues, and policy change: "id flows into Indonesia

As rebuilding from quake starts, fears of disease outbreak loom.

06.06.2006 -

Contributions continued to flow to Indonesia in response to the earthquake that rocked the country in late May, and the official death toll dropped to 5,800 from 6,200 as of June 5, the Associated Press reported.

Estimates of fatalities fell following news that some of the missing had been found alive and other victims had been counted more than once among the dead, AP said.

But aid workers now are concerned about possible disease outbreaks as a result of conditions in which people are forced to cook and clean with dirty water, and where some are living in chicken coops, adding to fears of a bird flu outbreak in a country where three dozen people have died of the virus since early 2005, Reuters said."

Monday, June 05, 2006

Channelnewsasia.com- Singapore Red Cross sending 2,000 tents to quake-hit Java

Channelnewsasia.com: "The Singapore Red Cross will be sending 2,000 tents to help victims of the Central Java earthquake.

The tents are estimated to cost S$720,000.

The Singapore Red Cross will send the tents to sister national society, Palang Merah Indonesia, which will help with the distribution. "

Union Leader - Flood telethon raises $418,000 - Sunday, Jun. 4, 2006

Union Leader - Flood telethon raises $418,000 - Sunday, Jun. 4, 2006: "Flood telethon raises $418,000

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sunday, Jun. 4, 2006

Manchester – Friday’s telethon at WMUR-TV raised $418,000 to help victims of May’s flooding.

Gov. John Lynch was among those taking calls from donors."

Local officials ask FEMA: Where's the flood money? - The Boston Globe

Local officials ask FEMA: Where's the flood money? - The Boston Globe: "Local officials ask FEMA: Where's the flood money?

By Alexander Reid, Globe Staff | June 4, 2006

The rains have stopped and floodwaters have receded. Lowell's return to normalcy now depends on something besides the elements: money.


City officials are counting on millions of dollars in aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help recover from last month's flooding, considered the worst to hit the city in decades. President Bush declared Lowell and the surrounding region a disaster area on May 25 and federal officials say they are working as fast as they can to assess the damage and provide aid."

Friday, June 02, 2006

Eagle-Tribune Online-"Donations to flood disaster fund can be made online

Eagle-Tribune Online: "Donations to flood disaster fund can be made online

)
By Erika Cohen
Staff writer

CONCORD — Residents can now donate online to help their fellow Granite Staters who sustained property damage as a result of last month's record floods.

Donations to the Disaster Recovery Fund, which is maintained by the state treasurer, will go directly to residents needing assistance cleaning and fixing up homes and other properties damaged by the floods. While nonprofit community service organizations will dole out the money, those organizations will pay all of their own administrative costs."

Thursday, June 01, 2006

New Orleans prays, parades to open storm season - Yahoo! News

New Orleans prays, parades to open storm season - Yahoo! News: "New Orleans greeted the first day of hurricane season on Thursday with prayers and a parade for the mayor who led the city through devastating storms last year."

FEMA closing volunteer camps

FEMA closing volunteer camps: "FEMA closing volunteer camps
Critics say housing needed for recovery
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
By Robin Gaby Fisher
Newhouse News Service

Thursday is the start of the new hurricane season. It also is the day the Federal Emergency Management Agency will begin dismantling camps that have housed and fed 40,000 volunteers who came to Louisiana to help salvage blighted areas in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita."

The Chronicle, 6/1/2006: Charities Win Mixed Results from Appeals to Help Indonesian Earthquake Victims

The Chronicle, 6/1/2006: Charities Win Mixed Results from Appeals to Help Indonesian Earthquake Victims: "Charities Win Mixed Results from Appeals to Help Indonesian Earthquake Victims

By Brennen Jensen, Candie Jones, and Caroline Preston

More than 50 American charities are providing medical care, food, and other services to victims of Saturday's earthquake in Indonesia, but their fund-raising efforts have thus far met with varied results.

Save the Children, for example, had received $70,000 through May 30, largely via an online appeal to past donors. That amount is greater than the sum the organization raised in the four days following the earthquake last year in Pakistan, which killed an estimated 80,000 people — more than 10 times the number killed in this most recent temblor."

Death Toll in Indonesian Quake at 6,234

Death Toll in Indonesian Quake at 6,234:
snip snip>>
"But Jan Egeland, the U.N.'s top humanitarian official, said the aid effort appeared to be going well overall, with major improvements in coordination among aid organizations and nations since the 2004 tsunami that killed 131,000 people in Indonesia's Aceh province alone."

Where 24 hours is an eternity from Guardian Unlimited: News blog

Where 24 hours is an eternity from Guardian Unlimited: News blog: "Mark Snelling, the British Red Cross's information delegate in Indonesia, describes the charity's relief operation in quake-hit areas.

It's five days since the earthquake tore through southern regions of Java island in Indonesia.

And while it may be a cliché to talk about a race against time, everyone involved in the relief operation knows that that even 24 hours here is an eternity.

The numbers are getting scary. The latest official figures put the number of dead at more than 5,700, with thousands more injured."

Navhind Times on the Web: World-"Indonesia quake: relief efforts pick up

Navhind Times on the Web: World: "Indonesia quake: relief efforts pick up

Reuters

Yogyakarta (Indonesia), May 30: International relief efforts picked up today for survivors of a weekend earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people on Indonesia’s Java island, with over a score of countries now involved.

Planes carrying vital supplies from abroad reached the stricken region, while the airport at the ancient royal capital of Yogyakarta re-opened to commercial traffic despite a heavily damaged terminal.

A plane carrying a 40-member Chinese medical team as well as five tonne of medical supplies landed early today at Solo, some 60 km north of Yogyakarta province, Xinhua news agency reported."

Community Newswire-NEW DISASTER GUIDE FOR GENEROUS PUBLIC

Community Newswire: "NEW DISASTER GUIDE FOR GENEROUS PUBLIC


By Ben Pindar, Community Newswire
POLITICS Disasters, 01 Jun 2006 - 15:11

To mark the launch of Volunteers' Week the Government has today published a new guide for people who want to help those affected by major disasters.

Thousands of people across the country have been motivated to act over the last 18 months as the full horrors of the Indonesian earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the Pakistan earthquake and the Asian tsunami unfolded on television screens.

However, many people were left feeling powerless and unsure of how best to contribute to the large-scale relief efforts.

Today the Department for International Development (DfID) launched a new booklet which explains that by donating money, organising a fundraising activity or volunteering to work for a charity we can all help to save lives"

A Failure to Communicate: Politics, Scams, and Information Flow During Hurricane Katrina

A Failure to Communicate: Politics, Scams, and Information Flow During Hurricane Katrina: "A Failure to Communicate
Politics, Scams, and Information Flow During Hurricane Katrina
by Paul Piper | Librarian, Western Washington University and
Miguel Ramos| Library and Archive Paraprofessional, Western Washington University

Hurricane Katrina initially made landfall north of Miami, Florida, on Aug. 25, 2005, as a Category 1 hurricane, then swelled out over the Gulf into a massive force 5. It hit the Louisiana coast near New Orleans at 6:10 a.m. (CDT) on Aug. 29, diminished somewhat to a Category 3 storm. At around 11:00 a.m. (CDT) that same date, several of the levees holding back the waters of Lake Pontchartrain, a brackish lake of 630 square miles, breached. Within minutes, considerable flooding had occurred, forcing many remaining residents to flee to their rooftops, where many remained for days. Many more didn’t make it.

The official death toll now stands at 1,420, with damage projected from between $70 billion to $130 billion, but both of these figures could rise by time of publication. Hurricane Katrina has topped Hurricane Andrew as the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. Over a million people were displaced — the largest humanitarian crisis in the U.S. since the Great Depression."
Tags:

Comic Relief returns to help Katrina victims - Celebrity News - MSNBC.com

Comic Relief returns to help Katrina victims - Celebrity News - MSNBC.com: "omic Relief, founded 20 years ago to help the homeless, is returning after an eight-year hiatus to help children and animals recover from Hurricane Katrina, founder and president Bob Zmuda said Wednesday."

Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/01/2006 | N.J. church plans to donate $1 million to Gulf Coast

Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/01/2006 | N.J. church plans to donate $1 million to Gulf Coast: "N.J. church plans to donate $1 million to Gulf Coast

SUMMIT, N.J. - Fountain Baptist Church plans to donate $1 million toward the Gulf Coast's hurricane recovery - a church charitable contribution exceeded only by Los Angeles Oriental Mission Church's $3 million donation five years ago to earthquake victims in El Salvador, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University"

Reuters AlertNet - NEWSBLOG: Indonesia Quake

Reuters AlertNet - NEWSBLOG: Indonesia Quake: "AlertNet is posting material in this blog about the response to the Indonesian earthquake that occurred on Saturday in the Yogyakarta area. We will add information as and when we get it, so please check back for updates.

Monday 18:00GMT

The U.N. World Health Organisation (WHO) is setting up a surveillance system in the quake-affected area to detect and control outbreaks of communicable diseases, including diarrhoea.

This was a key feature of disease control in Aceh after the tsunami, the agency says. It will also help organise vaccination campaigns against measles, which it says can be a major killer and spreads rapidly in crowded areas."

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Red Cross medicos to aid quake victims

Red Cross medicos to aid quake victims: "Red Cross medicos to aid quake victims
Wednesday May 31 17:42 AEST

A surgical team from the Australian Red Cross will leave Melbourne to assist in the aftermath of the earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java."

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Local Charity Helps Indonesia Quake Victims

TheKansasCityChannel.com - News - Local Charity Helps Indonesia Quake Victims: "Local Charity Helps Indonesia Quake Victims
Heart To Heart Sending Donated Supplies

POSTED: 4:25 pm CDT May 30, 2006
UPDATED: 4:48 pm CDT May 30, 2006
Email This Story | Print This Story
OLATHE, Kan. -- A local organization is lending a helping hand in the disaster response to a massive earthquake in Indonesia.

KMBC's Erin Little reported that Heart To Heart International, based in Olathe, is always looking for the best way to respond to natural disasters, wherever they occur. "

IOL: Quake survivors need the basics to live

IOL: Quake survivors need the basics to live: "Bantul, Indonesia - Thousands of desperate Indonesian earthquake survivors were still waiting for aid on Tuesday as they prepared for a fourth night under make-shift tents, despite pledges that help would come quickly.

The death toll from Saturday's powerful earthquake rose to about 5 700, and the most urgent task was to get help to the remainder of the 200 000 displaced people who had yet to receive medical aid or food.

As the world rallied by providing aid, emergency teams and cash pledges, the United Nations said the relief effort on Indonesia's main island of Java was largely under control - but cautioned that problems remained."

OneWorld U.S. Home / Today's News / Daily Headlines / News - U.S. Aid Agencies Help with Indonesia Quake

OneWorld U.S. Home / Today's News / Daily Headlines / News - U.S. Aid Agencies Help with Indonesia Quake: "U.S. Aid Agencies Help with Indonesia Quake
Aaron Glantz
OneWorld US
Wed., May. 31, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO, May 30 (OneWorld) - American private aid agencies are responding to the massive earthquake that hit Indonesia over the weekend. The magnitude 6.3 quake that struck southern Java in the early morning Saturday left over 5,000 dead, 20,000 injured, and 130,000 homeless.
"

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

NBC 4 - News - Southland Charity Pledges $1.6 Million To Quake-Stricken Java

NBC 4 - News - Southland Charity Pledges $1.6 Million To Quake-Stricken Java: "Southland Charity Pledges $1.6 Million To Quake-Stricken Java

POSTED: 7:17 am PDT May 30, 2006
UPDATED: 9:52 am PDT May 30, 2006
Email This Story | Print This Story
BURBANK, Calif. -- A Southland-based Moslem charity announced Tuesday that it has teamed up with the Mormon church to send $1.6 million of emergency supplies to the earthquake-stricken Indonesian island of Java.

Islamic Relief said in a statement that more than 200,000 pounds of supplies requested by the Indonesian government will be transported aboard a Boeing 747 cargo plane departing from Salt Lake City later in the day.

The supplies were provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the statement said, adding that Islamic Relief is covering most of the transportation costs and will distribute the materials on the ground in the stricken areas."

ReliefWeb » Indonesia: Find a charity

ReliefWeb » » Indonesia: Find a charity: "Indonesia: Find a charity

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has emergency response teams on Java and is working with local partners to provide immediate shelter for earthquake survivors.

The Catholic humanitarian agency Caritas Internationalis is present in the area, and Catholic hospitals and local churches are assisting earthquake victims.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has staff on the ground working with local partners to distribute shelter material for those left homeless by the earthquake.

Church World Service, a member of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) network, has distributed blankets and will try to transport tents, health kits and food supplies to the earthquake area.

Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, a German aid organisation, is appealing for earthquake relief funds."

Britain pledges £3 million to help Indonesian quake relief effort | 24dash.com - Central Government

Britain pledges £3 million to help Indonesian quake relief effort | 24dash.com - Central Government: "Britain pledges £3 million to help Indonesian quake relief effort
Back to Central Government


Publisher: Jon Land
Published: 27/05/2006 - 18:44:08


Britain pledged £3 million towards relief efforts following the Indonesian earthquake as aid workers flew out to the disaster zone tonight.

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn agreed the package to be channelled through the United Nations after the disaster on the island of Java."

Ottawa pledges $2M to Indonesia quake victims; no Canadians reported affected

Ottawa pledges $2M to Indonesia quake victims; no Canadians reported affected: "The federal government has committed $2 million to assist victims of Saturday's devastating Indonesian earthquake that left thousands dead and decimated homes and hotels in the country's central region.

'On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to extend our sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and to those communities hit by this dreadful act of nature,' Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement Saturday."