This is the next installment of the ongoing ShelterBox diaries, led by TexMex, to provide a place for those who still want to donate to the ShelterBox effort, now helping out in both Haiti and Chile. So far the DailyKos community has contributed over $130,000, enough to purchase 130 ShelterBoxes, providing high-quality shelter, along with privacy and dignity, to 1300 people. We are making slow but steady progress toward 131. Here are some links where you can help out, if you're so inclined, and others to give you a sense of the good that ShelterBox is doing.
Here is the Secure donation page
https://app.etapestry.com/...
ShelterBox home page
http://shelterbox.org/
ShelterBoxUSA page
http://www.shelterboxusa.org/
Canada ShelterBox
http://www.shelterbox.ca/
To find out more about how you can help, follow along to the rest of the diary below.
At present, there are still matching funds available to match your donations. See the comments below for details.
UPDATE: New matching funds have been pledged!
These diaries now are being posted only twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday mornings, rather than daily. We will continue to monitor the latest diary for donations in between those days.
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So far, more than 10,000 ShelterBoxes have been sent to Haiti, with hundreds more on the way.
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With the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile just weeks after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, and with the recent large aftershocks continuing, ShelterBox has responded with initial aid to Chile, even while continuing their efforts in Haiti:
First ShelterBoxes sent to Chile.
An initial consignment of 448 ShelterBoxes is being sent to Chile in response to the massive earthquake that hit the country.
ShelterBox is utilising all its global resources to respond as quickly as possible to this latest disaster. ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) members Pat Prendergast (UK), Tom Lay (UK) and Traci Oliver (US) are currently en route to Chile’s capital Santiago. On arrival the team will join up with local Rotarians and the Red Cross to establish where the greatest need for emergency shelter is.
The team will be joined by 448 ShelterBoxes, enough aid for up to 4,480 people. The boxes are being sent from prepositioned stock in Melbourne, Australia. ShelterBox has a network of strategic locations around the globe where boxes are stored to allow a speedy response to any disaster wherever it may strike.
With the earthquake in Chile following so soon after the earthquake Haiti, the need to support ShelterBox could not be greater.
General Manager, Lasse Petersen, said: ‘We’re responding to the massive disasters in both Haiti and Chile as well as other disasters across the world that aren’t making the headlines.
‘Whenever disasters strike they inevitably leave devastated families in their wake, families who lose everything through no fault of their own.
‘We urgently need donations to fund our disaster relief efforts, to help us respond to the current disasters and to acquire more tents and life saving supplies in readiness for future disasters.
Update - 1000 more ShelterBoxes en route to Chile.
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What's in a ShelterBox?
Each “ShelterBox” supplies an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and lifesaving equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless. The contents are tailored depending on the nature and location of the disaster, with great care taken sourcing every item to ensure it is robust enough to be of lasting value. Highly trained ShelterBox Response Teams distribute boxes on the ground, working closely with local organizations, international aid agencies and Rotary clubs worldwide.
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Where do the tents come from?
Our rugged dome tents are a unique ShelterBox design that has evolved as the result of years of experience in countries around the world.
Modelled on a typical African bush hut, the tents have been successfully stood up to snowfalls in the mountains of Kashmir, tropical downpours in Indonesia and the intense sunlight of Kenya and surrounding countries.
The tents have built in mosquito screens, integral groundsheets, good ventilation, internal privacy screens. We have also developed a heavy-duty flysheet that can prolong the life of the tent by eight to 10 months by protecting it from the UV damage caused by intense tropical sun.
ShelterBox continues to research ways of improving its tents and is currently looking at ideas such as a thermally insulated inner tent.
The tents are currently made in China and supplied by the Scottish company Vango.
A special arrangement with Vango allows us to keep sufficient tents in stock to house 25,000 people. These tents are supplied on credit and held ‘in bond’ ready to be released as and when funds are available – greatly increasing our ability to respond to major disasters.
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Here is a camp of ShelterBox tents set up in Haiti:
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How can you help? We want to make this easy so here's what you do (h/t Bugsby):
- Use one of the links at the top of this diary to get to a donation page. For on-line donations, there are two places to acknowledge Daily Kos: the "In Honor of" section, or the Comments box further down. You can do either or both.
- Once your donation has been made, come back here and post a comment at the bottom of the thread so we can add the donation to the Daily Kos total. Please put the dollar amount in the subject line to help us find it easier. That way we can give you mojo for your gift and confirm any matching funds. ;)
- People who don't want to report publicly, or who don't have a Daily Kos account (hi, lurkers!), can always email TexMex, or carolina stargazer, who will then report the amounts for them (anonymously if desired.) To find those email addresses click the user name in orange anywhere in the diary, or in the user profile.
Now suppose you've got some money you'd like to offer as an incentive to bring in donations. Here's how that's done:
- Scroll down to the bottom of the comments.
- Post a comment about your intentions. Use the subject line stating how much you have available in matching funds.
- State the terms of your match. For instance, if you have $50 which you'd like to use to encourage small donors to participate, you might say you'll match gifts between $5 and $10 up to a total of $50.
- Check back and read the comments following your offer, to see if you've had any takers. The nice folks monitoring this diary will help you keep track. Once your $50 is fully matched, then you follow the link to ShelterBox and donate your 50 bucks.
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Here is a video of ShelterBox deploying tents in Jacmel, Haiti:
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A Haitian cooking in Jacmel, where 250 ShelterBoxes were distributed. Photo by Mike Greenslade
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There is much more information on the ongoing efforts in Haiti and Chile elsewhere in other diaries. In particular, the ongoing Haiti diaries series, developed by Dallasdoc and maintained by a number of other volunteers, provides excellent information and resources. The previous Haiti diary by RunawayRose is here, and the current Friday version has just been posted here by allie123. There a great deal of useful information and daily new updates on the latest news in these diaries, so be sure to check them out. Swampus also has excellent info on other drives to procure tents for Haiti. Note that while the problems have faded from the MSM, they still exist, and many people still need help. If you are able to help, please consider doing so. There will continue to be many needs over the next few days and weeks, so you may also want to consider donating to other organizations as well. Even if you are unable to contribute at this time, please spread the word to others.
Thanks.