OT: Tsunami Relief

Quoted message said:

Sorry if this is a repeat, but upon searching Google Groups I did not
see mention of such.

For those that are interested in helping out with donations, here's a
list from e-Gullet of organizations sending relief to
tsunami/earthquake victims http://tinyurl.com/3vs9a . I've been in
Bangkok/Singapore over the last couple of weeks and the fund-raising
efforts here are still going strong. More than 140 000 dead (to date)
and millions homeless. The affected countries need help--not just for
now but for rebuilding, as well.

My personal choices:
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
www.oxfam.org
www.mcc.org (Mennonite Central Committee--yes, it is affiliated with
the Mennonites, but the work they do goes far and beyond
proselytizing).

rona

I heard some of the workers with Doctors Without Borders weren't being
allowed in some of the areas to assist. Not sure if this is still the case.
Still a worthy cause.

I was saddened to hear King Bhumibol Adulyadej's grandson, Bhumi Jensen, was
a casualty in this tragedy.

Jill

Quoted message said:

www.mcc.org (Mennonite Central Committee--yes, it is affiliated with
the Mennonites, but the work they do goes far and beyond
proselytizing).

I can attest to this. I know someone from a homosexual splinter group of
the Mennonite church who has taken a two year position staffing a
non-sectarian drop in center for poor single moms. Any Christian church
willing to place an avowed lesbian to work with women and children gets
my vote. Oh, and she is living with a family that is donating the space
and food and receiving a teensy stipend. Your money would not go to
fru-fru stuff. My friend specifically said she wanted to serve
(atonement for not so great things done in past) not convert, and never
speaks of her religious convictions.
blacksalt
Humming: "only remembered, only remembered, only remembered for what we
have done".

from the Doctors Without Borders website:

A Special Note Regarding Donations for South Asia Disaster Relief

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has received
an extraordinary outpouring of support for the people of South Asia and
we are extremely grateful. As you know, it is very important to MSF
that we use your contribution as you intend it to be used. This is why
we want to let you know that at this time, MSF estimates that we have
received sufficient funds for our currently foreseen emergency response
in South Asia.

Right now, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, our teams are on
the ground providing assistance to people affected by this disaster and
carrying out multiple assessments in the region in order to determine
how MSF can provide the most effective aid to those in need. We will
continue to assess our financial needs as the scope of our operations
in the affected areas becomes clearer over the coming days.

We kindly request that you contribute to our general Emergency Relief
Fund, which is enabling our quick response to the current disaster in
South Asia as well as humanitarian needs in war-torn Darfur, Sudan, and
elsewhere in the over 70 countries where MSF is working around the
world. The Emergency Relief Fund provides a resource for MSF to draw
upon immediately when a crisis occurs, allowing a quick response to
events where the speed of our response is crucial to saving lives.

Please understand that your support is very important to us-it is the
support of individual contributors like you that is enabling us to send
our emergency medical teams and relief supplies so quickly to help the
people affected by the South Asia disaster.