AID Statement,
January 9th, 2005.
AID CAUTIONS
COMMUNITY ON MISLEADING FUNDRAISING TACTICS
Association for India's Development (AID) wishes to
caution the community to be circumspect about independent events or
solicitation being made in the name of AID for Tsunami relief efforts. As
reports of fraud, misrepresentation and solicitation by fly-by-night operators
trying to make a fast-buck in the name of Tsunami-relief are emerging in the
media in general, it has to our notice in possibly two separate
instances that AID and its well-wishers might be the victims of such tactics as
well.
In one incident, a club/party
organizer in Washington DC has sent misleading emails to potential
patrons that proceeds from an event will go to AID. Such a solicitation was
made without AID's knowledge, authorization or consent. In a separate incident,
AID's logo and banner for Tsunami relief was being used to sell questionable
merchandise in at a popular online auction site. Again in this instance, this
has been done without AID's knowledge, authorization or consent.
At the same time, several
community groups and organizations are genuinely and generously coming forward
to help support AID's Tsunami relief and rehabilitation efforts in India. In the
majority of such instances, these groups and organizations have approached AID
and informed AID of their desire to do so. AID is thankful for such efforts.
In order to protect the public
and organizations from inconvenience or from erroneous, misleading or
fraudulent solicitation, AID recommends the following:
- If you are an organization that wants to make contributions
to AID or to direct your members to contribute to AID, please get in
touch
with us either at our headquarters or at a local AID chapter so that
volunteers are able to assist you with how such requests may be
appropriately handled.
-
Please review correctness of information regarding mailing addresses
for checks made to AID on our website or by calling our office.
-
In order to protect yourself, please make your donation on AID's secure website or to find a list of authorized websites.
-
Please call our head office or an AID chapter for verification of a
solicitation. Please bring any suspect solicitation in the name of AID
to our attention. We also request you to report any abuse or misuse of
AID's name or logo by third parties.
Resources:
Correct websites:
Main website: www.aidindia.org
Tsunami Relief pages: survivors.aidindia.org
AID Chapter Contacts:
http://www.aidindia.org/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92
AID Phone number: 1-888-TALK-2-AID
AID and Tsunami Relief work:
AID began
Tsunami Relief work hours after disaster struck. Our India based
volunteers, chapters and offices were help in the areas affected by the
Tsunami in the relief camps in Chennai and other affected areas on
December 26th itself. Meanwhile, around mid-day of December 26th in the
US, AID had approved relief funds out of its Relief and Rehabilitation
fund. Our website and online donation site was up by late evening of
December 26th and volunteers were doing outreach to the community
explaining the scale of the disaster and how AID was involved in relief
work in India. AID volunteers have also sent in
various reports of field work, the scale of the relief effort we are involved
in. The community at large has also responded in unprecedented ways and AID has
directly received contributions currently estimated to be over $1.5 million. We
have also thousands of messages and phone calls with offers of help, volunteer
time, in-kind contributions as well as kudos, blessing, greeting cards and
words of encouragement. AID can never be thankful enough for this outpouring of
support for its work.
About AID:
Association for India's
Development (AID), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization with
over 40 chapters in the US.
AID has received the highest 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, America's
best-known independent evaluator of charities. AID projects and partners have
also received several national and international awards and recognitions.
AID is committed to the cause of alleviating poverty in India,
measuring progress with the yard-sticks of self-reliance, social justice,
people's involvement, and volunteerism. AID supports projects that empower poor
and marginalized communities in India
through developmental efforts in areas such as women's issues, education,
literacy, micro-credit, community health, sustainable livelihoods, watershed
development and environmental issues.
Contributions to AID Inc. are tax-deductible in the US.
Our federal tax-ID is 04-3652609. To obtain copy of the current financial
statement, please write to AID, P.O. Box ?F', College Park, MD 20741-3005. Documents and information
pertaining to AID can be obtained from the Secretary of State for the cost of
copies and postage. |
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