SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Give2Asia is mobilizing disaster response efforts with several partners to help communities reeling from Typhoon Yolanda in the central Philippines.
Typhoon Yolanda, also known as Haiyan, battered the central Philippine islands on November 8, with winds reaching 235 mph – the strongest ever recorded to make landfall. Widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure has been reported and the death toll has been initially estimated at 10,000.
Give2Asia began fundraising on November 8 to support local relief and recovery efforts. US-based donors can contribute to the Typhoon Yolanda Recovery Fund by visiting give2asia.org/yolanda.
"The stories and reports we are receiving from the disaster zone are heartbreaking," said Birger Stamperdahl, COO & VP of Program Development at Give2Asia. "We are calling on our community of donors to do what they can to support both immediate needs and to prepare for longer-term recovery for those affected."
Give2Asia's team in the Philippines, based in Manila, is identifying the most urgent needs for relief, as well as short-term and long-term community recovery. Give2Asia is focused on defining projects in partnership with local organizations based in the Philippines that will participate in recovery over the next six to 24 months. In addition, Give2Asia has partnered with several organizations making grants for the recovery effort.
- The PepsiCo Foundation is once again partnering with Give2Asia for disaster response, pledging $250,000 to relief and recovery efforts. The PepsiCo Foundation previously partnered with Give2Asia in response to the Sichuan Earthquake in April 2013.
- Several Give2Asia corporate sponsors, including Advent Software Inc., EMC Corporation, H.B. Fuller Company, and the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, have made gifts or launched employee-giving campaigns with Give2Asia.
- Donations to Jeepneed, a fiscal sponsorship partner of Give2Asia based in the Philippines, are being directed to relief efforts in Capiz, where 100 percent of buildings were damaged or destroyed according to local reports. Donors can support Jeepneed directly at give2asia.org/jeepneed.
- Give2Asia is working with institutional partner The Asia Foundation, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) to identify additional opportunities for long-term engagements for the recovery effort.
About Give2Asia Disaster Response
Give2Asia has responded to nearly 40 natural disasters in the Asia Pacific region during the past 10 years, including five in the Philippines. The strategy is to support recovery by partnering with local groups based within affected communities and to engage in multi-year programs to support rebuilding, economic recovery, psychosocial programs and other needs that may arise following a disaster. Give2Asia reports back to donors on every dollar spent. Learn more about Give2Asia's disaster response strategy at give2asia.org/disaster.
Contributions to the Typhoon Yolanda Recovery Fund go to support immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts of affected communities. Organizations or individuals interested in supporting through advised grants to local charitable organizations should contact Give2Asia immediately by emailing info@give2asia.org.
About Give2Asia
Give2Asia makes international grant making safe, effective, and impactful. Since its founding in 2001, Give2Asia has raised $237 million in gifts and donations from corporate, foundation, and individual donors for community partners in Asia. Give2Asia has demonstrated its effectiveness in serving the needs of international philanthropy with its on-the-ground presence, knowledge of diverse social and economic conditions, and the expert matching of donor interests with innovative and effective grantees.
Available for Interview:
Uyen Tran
Program Officer, Disaster Response Lead
Give2Asia
San Francisco, CA
CONTACT:Matt Grager
Director, Development & Communications
Give2Asia
(415) 967-6331
mgrager@give2asia.org