The Chronicle, 1/21/2005: $597-Million Raised by U.S Charities for Tsunami Relief

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January 26, 2005

$597-Million Raised by U.S Charities for Tsunami Relief

By Nicole Wallace

American relief charities have raised more than $597-million to aid victims of the deadly earthquake and tsunamis in South Asia. That amount now far exceeds the $350-million pledged by the United States government.

In fact, so much money has come in that several relief organizations have announced that they have stopped actively raising money for relief efforts.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, together with its network of more than 180 national societies, has raised $1.2-billion, which the organization says will be sufficient to pay for its relief efforts. The federation noted that 85 percent of the money raised had been donated or pledged by individuals.

Following the lead of the international federation, the American Red Cross has announced that it will no longer conduct new fund-raising activities for tsunami relief, but urged donors to fulfill pledged gifts.

Unicef, which has collected nearly $300-million -- including $68-million raised by the U.S. Fund for Unicef -- and Catholic Relief Services, which has received $51.1-million for its relief efforts, also have stopped seeking new donations.

"We're still accepting donations, and are confident that we can use the donations that we're receiving to benefit the people affected, but we're no longer actively soliciting," says Mark Melia, director of annual giving and support at Catholic Relief Services.

Oxfam America, in Boston, says it is moving in a similar direction.

Already the organization has closed its first tsunami-relief fund, which will benefit projects that help direct victims of the disaster. On January 13, Oxfam started a second fund, to support projects in regions near the areas that were devastated.

The organization's goal as it helps the countries harmed by the tsunami rebuild is to avoid creating inequities between coastal areas that were directly hit and impoverished areas further inland.

Long-Term Recovery

Other groups, however, continue to raise money for relief and recovery projects.

CARE USA, in Atlanta, has raised a little more than half of the $50-million goal it set based on reports from its workers in affected areas, and continues to solicit gifts to meet that goal, says Lurma Rackley, a spokeswoman for the organization.

"We realize that we don't know exactly how many pledges are going to be met, nor the actual cost of rehabilitation once all the remote areas are reached and the complete assessment is done, but we suspect that everything we can raise will be needed and beyond that," says Ms. Rackley.

Save the Children, in Westport, Conn., estimates that it needs to raise an additional $20-million to carry out its five-year recovery plan in Indonesia.

Fiona K. Hodgson, the organization's vice president for leadership giving and public affairs does not think that the fact that other charities have stopped raising money will hurt Save the Children's efforts to meet its goal.

"If today is any indication, it's the reverse," Ms. Hodgson said the day the Red Cross announced that it had stopped raising relief funds. "A couple of phone calls have come in from people who wanted to support the Red Cross, have seen that message, and are now coming to us."

In addition to gifts from individuals, some of the money raised by American relief groups has been contributed by companies and foundations. The Chronicle has tallied more than $116-million in cash and more than $124-million in products and services awarded to relief efforts by grant makers.

According to a recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive, Americans feel good about the country's response to the disaster.

Sixty-six percent of the 2,209 adults surveyed said that the American people are doing all they can to help victims of the tsunamis, including supporting relief charities.

Online Giving

Among the results from organizations across the United States:

The American Red Cross, in Washington, has raised $236.2-million, more than $84-million of which has come in online. The organization's total includes $18.3-million donated during a two-hour telethon broadcast on NBC on January 15.
The U.S. Fund for Unicef, in New York, has received $68-million for its relief efforts, $35-million of which has come in online.
Catholic Relief Services, in Baltimore, has brought in $51.1-million, $12.1-million of which was donated online.
Save the Children has received $41-million in contributions, with more than $11.3-million coming in through the organization's Web site.
World Vision USA, in Federal Way, Wash., had received gifts totaling $29-million, with Internet contributions accounting for $12.9-million of that figure.
Oxfam America has raised $26.8-million, $13.1-million of which was donated online.
CARE USA has collected $25.5-million for its relief efforts. Internet gifts account for $7.7-million of that total.
Doctors Without Borders, in New York, has raised more than $20-million, $16-million of which was contributed over the Internet.
AmeriCares, in Stamford, Conn., has raised approximately $20-million.
Mercy Corps, in Portland, Ore., has raised $19-million. Internet gifts account for $7.5-million of the total Mercy Corps has raised for its relief efforts.
The Salvation Army, in Alexandria, Va., has raised $8.1-million.
American Jewish World Service, in New York, has raised $8-million, with online donations making up $3.5-million of that amount.
The International Rescue Committee, in New York, has raised $7-million, with online donations accounting for about 10 percent of that amount.
Lutheran World Relief, in Baltimore, has raised more than $6.4-million.
Direct Relief International, in Santa Barbara, Calif., has raised $6.2-million.
United Jewish Communities, in New York, has raised more than $5-million.
International Medical Corps, in Santa Monica, Calif., has raised $3.5-million.
Islamic Relief USA, in Burbank, Calif., has raised $3.5-million, $1-million of which has come in online.
The Mennonite Central Committee, in Akron, Pa., has raised $3-million.
Church World Service, in Elkhart, Ind., has raised $2.8-million.
Food for the Hungry, in Phoenix, has received $2.6 million.
International Aid, in Spring Lake, Mich., has raised $2.5-million.
The Brother's Brother Foundation, in Pittsburgh, has raised $1.5-million.
Action Against Hunger, in New York, N.Y., has received $865,000.

Donations also have been pouring in to charities around the world.

Internationally, World Vision has raised more than $220-million, and Oxfam International affiliates have received $149-million.

CARE's worldwide network has raised $97-million, and Doctors Without Borders affiliates have together raised more than $50-million.

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