As some of you may know Kara Waddell, a Kindermusik with Sarah parent, leads the NGO Operation Blessing here in China. She is now in Chengdu to coordinate relief efforts, and I hope our community of families and schools will be able to support the work she and her team are doing to assist children in the quake affected areas. Operation Blessing is partners with the China Charity Federation and China Foundation for collecting funds legally in China and for coordinating disaster relief activities. Collection of needed goods is also normal for this type of disaster, and Operation Blessing will be making arrangements for this type of aid to be sent in the coming days from partners here in Beijing.
Here is a message that came through from Kara this evening. Details for assisting Operation Blessing are included after her message. If you are in a position to do so, this is an excellent way to ensure your donation will reach people who need it most through a very trustworthy and experienced organization.
Children’s Hope Int’l and Operation Blessing with the Children’s Social Work Association and Red Cross are focusing on children at risk and checking on foster homes, orphanages, and other children in hard hit areas. We’ll be in touch with needs.
It’s amazing here - everyday people driving their cars full of supplies and going themselves… we had 11 cars of Chengdu citizens crammed with supplies that went to Dujiangyan today. Another team in Mianyang who will spend the night. It’s wonderful to see everyone helping. Foreigners are not currently allowed to go to these impacted area.
Please be aware that disaster relief unfolds and twists and turns in bizarre ways so one’s plans change every few hours, it seems. Currently, Operation Blessing China relief workers have established a dual response:
Mianyang City - where 3000 are being reported dead, 18,000 buried in rubble which could greatly increase the death toll; we have a partnership there with an official government church and government officials in this area. They are reporting greatest needs are shelter and food. We can purchase in the region so cash donations currently most helpful. Large scale food or shelter supplies please contact me directly (corporate donations already in China).
Dujiangyan City - we have a 2-year old friendship with the Red Cross from a district in this city. We are making local purchases of relief supplies and will help distribute with the Red Cross.
We also intend to check on foster homes or orphanage facilities in the area. Anyone aware of a foster care facility in need in impacted region please contact Operation Blessing.
The roads are extremely bad and in my opinion the government is not in error to focus on getting its military and government aid workers into the more remote, mountainous areas first without allowing other NGOs initially. We are keeping in close contact wtih the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation as well as the China Charity Federation for coordinating
response.
Donations really are needed. Schools that are interested in putting together donated disaster relief kits (ziploc bags iwth certain supplies) can likely also give us drawings and cards that we can give to schools in the area. Kits may or may not be used in this relief in Sichuan but any
cash donations made will be used. I hate to always ask for cash but all relief experts are right - give to whoever you trust, but cash in response scenarios really, really helps.
CORPORATIONS interested in helping with in-kind product donation or cash donations;
China tax-deductible receipts are available
catherine@obchina.org (Chinese)
chiawhui@obchina.org (English)
6466-9296
SCHOOLS interested in helping with in-kind product donation or cash donations, please contact:
chiawhui@obchina.org
CASH DONATIONS in RMB 1000 RMB and under:
Please drop off at office on Liangmaqiao Lu - beside the Canadian International School; the link below contains directions:
http://www.obchina.org/contact/beijing/
6466-9296 (office on Liangmaqiao Lu); keep trying the number if busy
heidi@obchina. org
CASH DONATIONS of RMB 1000 or more:
Tax-deductible receipts and/or gift pick-up may be possible.
http://www.obchina.org/contact/beijing/
6466-9296 (office on Liangmaqiao Lu); keep trying the number if busy
chiawhui@obchina. org
ONLINE DONATIONS:
https://www.cbn.com/giving/obChina/option.asp
Domestic and international credit cards can be used. 100% of funds dedicated for use in China although funds collected in the U.S. All funds received this week online we’ll dedicate to this earthquake relief, recovery and development efforts.
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