Red Cross accepting donations
POSTED: May 15, 2008
The Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross said the national organization is working with sister agencies in Myanmar and China to assist in the recovery from disasters in the two countries.
In noting the effort, the Red Cross said it does not need volunteers or donations of goods that cannot be sent to the two countries, but it can use funds to continue to assist the recovery efforts by Red Cross workers already in the disaster zones.
Myanmar was struck by a cyclone on May 2 that tore through the coastal regions of the country, causing thousands of deaths and leaving an estimated 1 million people homeless.
The Myanmar government has resisted outside assistance, but the Red Cross, through its affiliation with the Myanmar Red Cross, was able to send several planeloads of relief supplies, including shelter kits and 8,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets. The American Red Cross also has provided $250,000 with which the Myanmar Red Cross is able to use to purchase supplies and pay for transportation.
“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,” the Hawaii State Chapter of the American Red Cross said.
It said the Myanmar agency is relying on its existing volunteer base for its relief efforts.
In China, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies allocated $240,000 for disaster response to the magnitude-7.9 earthquake that struck near Chengdu on Monday. The Hawaii unit said there are no plans to deploy personnel to the disaster site.
Assistance with information on individuals traveling in the two countries is available through the Department of State Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (888) 407-4747. The Red Cross said it is not accepting family reunification requests because the agencies in Myanmar and China are fully engaged in relief work.
Donations to assist with the effort can be made to the Red Cross International Response Fund online at www.redcross.org or sent to the Hawaii State Chapter, 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu 96816. Information is available from the Hawaii office at (808) 739-8109 or at (800) RED CROSS.
