Charlene Seidle, associate director of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, is helping to facilitate financial contributions to relief efforts for the victims of the devestating tsunami in southern Asia. 

The following is an advisory message that Seidle sent on Tuesday, Dec. 28, to contributors to the Jewish Community Foundation. Jewishsightseeing.com passes it on for any reader wondering how to help. 

The Jewish Community Foundation's telephone number is (858) 279-2740. Seidle may be reached via email at charlene@jcfsandiego.org

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As you have no doubt heard, the South Asia Tsunami has caused mass devastation and loss of life. Almost 50,000 people are now known dead with thousands still missing, and more than one million people displaced and homeless. It is one of the most catastrophic natural disasters we've ever seen. 

I wanted to give you a few options if you would like to make a grant to assist in these efforts. 

American Jewish World Service (AJWS): 
The AJWS provides relief, assistance and support to people around the globe in the name of the Jewish community—putting into practice the principle of tikkun olam. For several years, AJWS has partnered with 24 NGOs in Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Burma and Maldives in sustainable community development projects. Now AJWS is working with these local groups to assess needs and provide emergency relief—food, water, shelter and medicine—and long-term development support. AJWS has already sent a shipment of medicine to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India. They expect one of the largest immediate needs to be water because corpses have contaminated the water supply. 


American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): 
The JDC is the overseas arm of the Jewish community—providing relief, promoting Jewish renewal, rebuilding Jewish communities in 60 countries around the world, and helping Israel address urgent social challenges. Now, they have set up a special emergency fund for victims of the tsunami—broadening their focus on Jewish people to meet the needs of all affected. The 90-year old JDC has an outstanding track record of providing timely relief in the wake of disasters worldwide. Funds raised will help various agencies on the ground provide emergency supplies for the hundreds of thousands of people who have been left homeless due to flooding and structural damage. JDC is coordinating these efforts from their office in Bombay. 


Unicef: 
A significant percentage of those affected by the tsunami are children. In most of these countries, the population is young to begin with, so many children have lost or been separated from their parents. Unicef has already responded to a government request for shelter supplies in Sri Lanka, providing more than 30,000 blankets and sleeping mats as well as clothing. A relief flight from Copenhagen is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today, carrying oral rehydration salts for sick children, medical supplies sufficient to serve 150,000 people for three months, shelter equipment such as tents and blankets, and other urgent relief items. In India and Indonesia, Unicef is also providing water purification devices and medical supplies. The other needs of these regions are still being assessed. In the Maldives, Unicef is working with the government to coordinate an international relief effort that will include the immediate provision of water purification supplies, food, clothing for children, shelter supplies and other basics. Unicef is also working in Thailand, Bangladesh and Myanmar to support government-led efforts to meet local needs. Unicef has long-established offices in each affected country staffed by experts who live and work there throughout the year and are very familiar with the region.


The AJWS and JDC are ways to provide nonsectarian support in the name of the Jewish community while Unicef is primarily focused on children. Any contribution will make a significant difference. Please let me know if you would like more information or if I can be of further assistance.  If you would like to recommend a grant to any of these organizations, you may indicate as such by return e-mail, and I will be happy to process it for you.   — Donald H. Harrison