Red Cross Comes to the Aid of Earthquake Survivors in China

The American Red Cross prepared to provide assistance
By Maya Pai, Communications Associate

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 — “So far they have only been able to release 20 or 30 survivors,” says Francis Markus of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, when somberly describing a high school in Beichuan, China. The school housed approximately 1,700 students and teachers, many of whom were in class when the 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck, reducing the building to rubble. The first medical responder to enter Beichuan County was a medical team from the Chinese Red Cross.


Residents look for signs of survivor among the rubble of a collapsed building at the township of Hanwang in Mianzhu city, northeast of Chengdu, in Sichuan province. (Credit: REUTERS/Bobby Yip)
The Red Cross Society of China mobilized immediately after the earthquake, sending employees and volunteers to help those in the affected areas by providing relief supplies such as tents, quilts, water and food. Hundreds of volunteers have been coming in from Chengdu, the provincial capital, to help with rescue and first aid. Others are providing relief supplies such as tents, quilts, water and food. Red Cross relief workers are also providing shelter to thousands of people left homeless.

According to Markus, many of the roads are still blocked and relief distribution networks are just being established. As the full scope of this disaster comes to light, the American Red Cross is ready to support the Red Cross Society of China in its response efforts.

“Our hearts go out to those whose lives were lost and to families affected by this massive earthquake,” said David Meltzer, senior vice president, International Services of the American Red Cross. “We are prepared to help our fellow humanitarian organizations during this critical time.”

The American Red Cross has pre-positioned relief supplies— like tarps, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and water jugs— in Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and elsewhere to be able to quickly assist survivors of international disasters. The American Red Cross will coordinate its response activities, which may include providing financial support, relief supplies and trained disaster experts— with the International Federation and Red Cross Society of China.

You can help those affected by countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the International Response Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation.

Red Cross and Red Crescent Response

Immediately following the storm, the Myanmar Red Cross began assessing the damage as well as caring for survivors' needs by distributing family kits, containing clothing, blankets, cookware and hygiene supplies, and drinking water to the schools and pagodas serving as emergency shelters.

The American Red Cross has contributed $250,000 to relief efforts and is prepared assist the Myanmar Red Cross with additional aid and supplies, estimated at $1.25 million.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has successfully shipped shelter kits, made up of tarps, ropes and hammers, and jerry cans for storing clean water to the Myanmar Red Cross, who is partnering with UNICEF to distribute to the hardest hit areas of the coastal delta region.

The American Red Cross and International Federation will continue to tap into their pre-stocked emergency supplies – such as tarps, hygiene kits and insecticide-treated bed nets – located in warehouses in Kuala Lumpur and Dubai as requested.

The American Red Cross is in close contact with its colleagues at the Myanmar Red Cross and the International Federation. We continue to monitor the situation, assess the needs of survivors and stand prepared to offer additional assistance as future needs are identified.

UN progress report urges new
commitment to Millennium
Development Goals

NEW YORK, USA, 2 July 2007 – Despite progress made at the halfway point to the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the global MDG targets will be achieved only if more concerted action is taken immediately and is sustained until 2015 and beyond.

Despite progress in lifting families and communities out of poverty around the world, a staggering 980 million people still live on less than $1 a day. And one region in particular, sub-Saharan Africa, is not currently on track to achieve any of the goals.
But large-scale advances towards the MDGs in some developing countries show that results for children and families are possible when the collective will is backed by collective action.

'Much remains to be done’
These are among the key findings of a major United Nations update released today in Geneva, ‘Millennium Development Goals Report 2007’.

The report tracks progress on all of the MDG targets set forth by world leaders at the Millennium Development Summit in September 2000. Thes goals include eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and gender equality, reducing child and maternal mortality, combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.

“The results presented in this report suggest that there have been some gains and that success is still possible in most parts of the world,” writes UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in the report’s foreword. “But they also point to how much remains to be done,” he adds.


Honouring aid commitments

Accelerating progress on the MDGs requires a combination of strong government leadership, good policies, practical strategies for scaling up public investments in vital areas and adequate financial and technical support from the international community, the report asserts.

While citing worldwide results on increased primary school enrolment and reduced child mortality – as well as slow but significant progress on poverty reduction and gender equality – the report notes that most developed countries have not honoured their commitments to provide “adequate financing within the global partnership for development.”

In particular, notes the Secretary-General, “the lack of any significant increase in Official Development Assistance since 2004 makes it impossible, even for well-governed countries, to meet the MDGs.” In fact, only five donor countries have reached or exceeded the UN target of allocating 0.7 per cent of their Gross National Income for aid to the developing world.

“There is a clear need for political leaders to take urgent and concerted action,” declares Mr. Ban


Children and women at the centre

Still, the MDG progress report stresses that achieving the goals is not just the responsibility of governments. Rather, it is the collective responsibility of every segment of society.

The strength of the MDGs lies in their interconnectedness and their ability to address root causes of poverty and inequality. Empowering women, for example, is not only one of the goals but also plays a critical role in achieving the other seven goals, the report states.

And the status of women also has a direct impact on the well-being of children, who are at the heart of the MDGs. Healthy, educated and empowered women have healthy, educated and confident children.

As ‘Millennium Development Goals Report 2007’ makes clear, only through investment in the future of communities and societies – that is, investment in children – can the cycle of poverty in the developing world be broken, once and for all.

--> DONATE NOW

Environment Organization

Organization Number: 95-3941826
Organization Name: Surfrider Foundation USA
Address: PO Box 6010
Address:
City: San Clemente
State / Province: CA
Zip / Post Code: 92674-6010
Country: United States
Phone: 1-949-492-8170 Ext:
Fax: 1-949-492-8142
Organization Email: info@surfrider.org
Website Address: http://www.surfrider.org

Detailed Description: The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots based, non-profit environmental organization that works to protect the coast.

Founded in 1984, Surfrider now has 60 Surfrider chapters located along the East, West, Gulf, Puerto Rican, and Hawaiian coasts. The Surfrider National USA headquarters are in San Clemente, California. Surfrider has over 40,000 members in the U.S.; in addition, International Surfrider chapters and affiliates have been established in 4 foreign countries, Japan, Brazil, France and Australia.

Surfrider Principles

Represented by 40,000 members and 60 local chapters in the U.S., the Surfrider Foundation also has affiliations in Australia, Japan, France, and Brazil. The Surfrider Foundation has adopted the following principles to guide and govern the activities of the organization.

1. SURFRIDER recognizes the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the planet's coasts are necessary and irreplaceable. SUFRIDER is committed to preserving natural living and non-living diversity and ecological integrity of the coastal environment.

2. SURFRIDER promotes the right of to free and open low-impact access to the world's coastlines, waves and beaches. SURFRIDER acts to preserve this right of access.

3. SURFRIDER is dedicated to the protection, rehabilitation and restoration of native coastal ecosystems.

4. SURFRIDER believes environmental education is essential to the future health and well-being of the planet. SURFRIDER seeks to develop and utilize educational materials that are informative, factual, proactive, synergistic and fun.

5. SURFRIDER strives to be accurate and nonpartisan in its communications with its members and the general public. In-addition, SURFRIDER expresses the unique values inherent in wave-riding; individualism, camaraderie, non-materialism, and an appreciation for man's historic relations with the Ocean.

6. SURFRIDER is a grassroots organization effective through the participation of its members. SURFRIDER activities emphasize the value of an involved membership.

7. SURFRIDER encourages all commercial enterprises to adopt the CERES Principles. SURFRIDER will not permit sponsors to divert the Foundation from its mission or projects undertaken.

8. SURFRIDER does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, or national origin for any reason. SURFRIDER promotes the healthy enjoyment of the coastal environment for all people.

9. SURFRIDER and its representatives, affiliations and chapters agree to abide by these principles and all rules and regulations governing nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations.

AIDS Housing

Homeless & Crisis Assistance : AIDS Housing Coalition Houston
Next

Organization Number: 76-0416114
Organization Name: AIDS Housing Coalition Houston
Address: 502 W. 24th
Address: City: Houston
State / Province: TX
Zip / Post Code: 77008
Country: United States
Phone: 713 864-1795 Ext:
Fax: Organization Email: ahch@wt.net
Website Address: http://web.wt.net/~ahch

Detailed Description: AHCH operates various levels of housing for people with AIDS. We are the only same day entry shelter in Harris County, TX. We accept residents without prejudice and make appropriate referrals to help them overcome their barriers.

AHCH is about self-empowerment training; identifying barriers that are causing the person to be homeless and stress chemical harm reduction. We help people how ever we can and do not accept government contracts. AHCH does rely solely on public donations and private foundation grants.

From website
http://www.charity.com/