Disaster Relief (Ongoing coverage)

This AFP Blog contains material about ongoing Disaster relief efforts gathered by the AFP Fundraising Resource Center and was renamed from Hurricane Katrina. Please Note: PRESS RELEASES where marked. Other Sites Disclaimer: AFP provides this listing of hyperlinks as a privilege to the user. AFP does not necessarily endorse, support or attest to the accuracy of information posted on those Internet pages. Some urls may require registration to view and/or may only be available for a limited time.

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."