[December 30, 2004]
AID BEGINS RELIEF EFFORTS IN TSUNAMI HIT AREA. APPEALS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS RELIEF AND REHABILITATION
Click to download the press release.

[December 29, 2004]  AID has sent $75,000 for immediate relief in Tamil Nadu.

[December 29, 2004]   Please send your checks to the following mailing addresses. (Checks should be drawn in favor of "AID". Please indicate "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund" in the check memo)

Western Zone:
AID Zone 3,
P.O. Box 4801
Mountain View, CA 94040-0801

Eastern Zone:
AID
P.O. Box F
College Park MD-20741

[December 26, 2004]
APPEAL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS TSUNAMI RELIEF AND REHABILITATION

For Immediate Release

December 26, 2004

Association for India's Development, Inc. (AID), a US-based voluntary non-profit development organization with over 40 chapters across the US, has appealed for charitable contributions for supporting relief and rehabilitation efforts in response to the massive and devastating tidal waves that have affected parts of southern India. AID has approved $7,500 from its relief and rehabilitation fund toward immediate relief efforts, and requests the community to contribute significant additional amounts so that prompt relief and an enduring rehabilitation effort for affected people are possible.

We are fortunate to have AID-India volunteers and close partner organizations who are active in some of the worst affected areas including Chennai, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. They anticipate immediate need for shelter, food, clothing and medicines for people who are rendered homeless or expected to be evacuated from affected areas. Considering the massive scale of the disaster, which has wiped out entire costal villages or fishing communities, it is expected that long-term rehabilitation will require significant resources.

On the morning of December 26^th, tidal waves set off by a massive earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale near western Indonesia, unleashed death and destruction in South and South East Asia. The death toll is estimated at 11,000, including over 3,200 in India alone. Tens of thousands are homeless. Initial estimates indicate close to 1800 people in Tamil Nadu have lost their lives to nature's fury, and many more are feared to have lost their homes. Hundreds of deaths have also been reported in the Indian states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

AID is receiving updates from its office in Chennai, southern India, and with its partner organization, the Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF). Over the next several days, AID will continue to assess the disaster and assist relief and rehabilitation efforts. Volunteers of AID-India and TNSF are already helping with preliminary relief efforts. Chennai-based Balaji Sampath, full-time coordinator of AID-India, said: "One thing that is clearly needed when we talked to people affected is shelter - but this is not something that we can do immediately.  We will need to work on this over the next two weeks. Our immediate focus is to help Government relief reach the affected people and also rebuilding shelters for the poorest who was affected. Food and clothing for the affected people is also being arranged."

AID will work with its partners to support relief proposals and estimates that the amount already committed will only cover a fraction of the total relief effort, it appeals to its volunteers, donors, and the larger community to generously support this effort. Any contributions in excess of the present need will serve to shore up the AID Relief and Rehabilitation Fund, making prompt support possible in case of future emergencies.

Contributions to AID can be made through secure on-line credit-card deductions from AID's website (www.aidindia.org), where further details and updates will also be posted. Please indicate that your contribution is for the "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund". Checks payable to "AID" can be mailed to:

AID Zone 3,
P.O. Box 4801
Mountain View, CA 94040-0801

(Please indicate "Relief and Rehabilitation Fund" in the check memo)

For additional information call: 1-888-TALK-2-AID or (301) 422-4441 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

About AID:

The 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.

AID and Disaster Relief:   AID has significant experience in relief and rehabilitation efforts, including the 1999 super-cyclone in Orissa and floods in West-Bengal. AID also supported similar efforts in Gujarat after the 2001 earthquake and the communal carnage of 2002 in the state. AID also launched a similar relief and rehabilitation effort for flood victims in Assam and Bihar in 2004. With the support of generous contributions in times of critical need, AID has disbursed over $600,000 in relief and rehabilitation efforts in the past 5 years.

Resources:

1. Association for India's Development http://www.aidindia.org

2. Work in Orissa: http://www.aidindia.org/orissa/archives/

3. Work in Assam and Bihar- http://www.aidindia.org/AssamBiharFloods/

4. Work in Gujarat - http://www.aidindia.org/gujarat/

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