<p>Yes, you have the stress of applying to college, but others are struggling to live. The death toll in Southeast Asia has risen to 117,000 as of a few hours ago, and many more are dying from lack of food, water, and medicine. The United States has only allocated $35 million for relief in Asia, that's not even enough to cover the damages (which is in the billions), let alone provide food and shelter to millions of the homeless and injured. The people have to fill in the gaps. This catastrophe is one of the grandest scale that I have seen so far in my lifetime. I will begin a fundraising project in my school as well as my community.</p>
<p>Please do your part to help. Though it may not be your family out there right now, it some day may be, and you will need to count on the generosity of strangers as well.</p>
<p>Below are some foundations and organizations that have contributed substantial relief. They ask for monetary donations, even 10 dollars will make a difference, especially if we all contribute. Thanks for your time, please consider the lives you may save.</p>
<p>God help those who were affected. I am plannign to donate some money but i got to question Oxfam America...why only 78 percent? Those people need every penny we donate.</p>
<p>it's a big big organization that's connected with Oxfam international, 78% is a VERY high percentage. Consider that to run such an organization, they not only need manpower (people to actually go into the countries and find out what the people NEED there), but also transportation and delivery services, as well as salaries for the people that run the organization. If you were to give money to an ordinary citizen like me, I'd donate 110% of it to the countries, but I certainly will not be able to send the necessary supplies overseas as effectively as an organization like Oxfam. The bigger the organization, the faster thigns will get done, however, they need to keep themselves afloat somehow as well. (advertising also makes up a large portion of the 22% not sent overseas)</p>
<p>Yes, I got an email from save the children (dot org). The type of email I NEVER EVER respond to! But I clicked on the link, made pretty darn sure it was the actual organization's website and put $50 on my credit card. May give more later.</p>
<p>Here is the response I got (obviously a canned autoresponse, but still it is very easy to do!!!!) :) So I will share the link</p>
<p>Dear NJres,</p>
<p>Thank you for your generous contribution to Save the
Children's Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund. With
support from donors like you we can quickly initiate and
expand the delivery of food, water, medical care, temporary
shelter materials and non-food relief such as clothing to
children and families in coastal Indonesia, Sri Lanka and
India whose villages were washed away.</p>
<p>We hope that you know how much your generosity means to
wonderful children around the globe.</p>
<p>Note: Federal income tax law requires us to inform you that
no goods or services were provided to you in return for your
gift and that, therefore, the full amount of your gift is
deductible for federal income tax purposes.</p>
<p>It's based really close to where I live, I may be able to drop off checks and donations there... maybe I'll direct the funds raised to "save the children". Thanks a lot!</p>
<p>hey, pebbles, how are you doing the fundraising project in your community? i wanted to do the same thing, but i don't really know to get it started. i was thinking of sitting outside the library w/ a table or outside starbucks or something, but i'd probably get kicked out. and how are you sending the money you fundraise? are you going to work through some sort of organization? i'd really love to find a way to fundraise in my community cuz i swear like, half of the people don't even know what's going on in the world and it would make them more aware. actually, i really would like to FLY out there and actually help out, but that doesn't seem possible at this point, seeing as how i have school and no money.</p>
<p>I've contacted a few organizations that I'm interested in raising money for (save the children is one of them, and i also plan to contact oxfam and red cross), and asked them for printed information, brochures, posters, anything to spread the word. Meanwhile, I've been banding together a network of my friends and teachers. Since I'm heavily involved in a lot of clubs in school, one of them having over 200 members, I'm going to make announcements in all those clubs, pass out some brochures, and start the fundraising there. Hopefully I'll collect checks or cash, keep in contact with representatives from those organizations.</p>
<p>I also have a lot of friends in different schools who are looking to jump in on the project, they can spread the word in their school, and tell their friends to spread the word, and so on. In the end, all the funds will be directed to one or two people, who will then drive (or mail) it over to the headquarters of whatever organization we choose. Right now, i'm leaning toward save the children because it's based in my home state and not too far away, so that we could hand-deliver all the donations there instead of worrying about internet safety or getting lost in the mail.</p>
<p>I donated $10 to the Red Cross. My mom donated somewhere else. (She doesn't like Red Cross since they threw out extra blood or whatever after 9/11.)</p>
<p>Red Cross is short on blood again, though. It's sad that they had to throw out extra blood, but blood definitely does not stay fresh for long - it will go bad and cause all sorts of trouble, so there's really nothing else they can do. </p>
<p>We do two blood drives every year in Student Council for Red Cross, and it's very effective, someone should consider doing that for their own schools as well.</p>
<p>Wow, there are always people like you in the world, speeddemon608. I certainly am glad that you are out-numbered. And when you're in need, I hope others will help you out much more readily than you have helped them.</p>