Donors swamp charities
Canadians give more than $70-million; one group says it has enough cash for now
By CAROLINE ALPHONSO
UPDATED AT 10:31 AM EST Wednesday, Jan 5, 2005
Canadians have donated more than $70-million in tsunami relief, a surge of generosity that has astounded leading aid agencies and led one organization to announce that it has enough money to meet its immediate needs in South Asia.
Relief agencies, which saw donations climb yesterday by $20-million from Monday's total, say staff and volunteers are working at a fever pitch to funnel funds to aid workers providing emergency supplies of water, food and shelter.
Many agencies say the generosity of Canadians and people around world is unprecedented.
"Sometimes you think right after the Christmas season people don't have the most money," said Suzanne Charest, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Red Cross, the leading fundraiser. "It's been a phenomenal response from the Canadian public."
Médecins sans frontières (Doctors Without Borders) said on its website that it has "received sufficient funds for our currently foreseen emergency response in South Asia." Additional money is being directed to its general emergency response fund for long-term work in the region or in other affected areas.
"We felt that in order to be transparent and honest with people who are giving gifts to us . . . we had to tell people, 'Okay, we have funded the first phase of our operations,' " said David Morley, the organization's executive director in Canada.
"We'll know in a little while how long we'll be staying in the area, and what the best way we can be helping in the area is."
Many of the dollars Canadians have donated won't head to the tsunami-affected areas straight away because the money is pouring in faster than it can be spent.
As a result, major registered charities say the money being collected now will be used for years to come, and one organization, World Vision, has stated in a newspaper advertisement that when donations exceed what is needed, it "will redirect funds to similar activities to help needy people."
"Right now, the focus is on emergency relief operations," said Ms. Charest of the Red Cross. "But we're looking at providing support for many years. This is a long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction program."
As of yesterday, the Canadian Red Cross said it had raised $48-million; World Vision said it had collected $8-million; MSF about $4-million; Unicef $5.5-million; Oxfam more than $2.6-million; and Care Canada $2.5-million. The Canadian International Development Agency has said it will match all donations to these and four other agencies.
The donations of ordinary Canadians -- which, if made until Jan. 11, can be claimed on last year's tax returns -- are now almost matching the $80-million that the federal government has pledged to send to the stricken areas. As it continues to grow, this will mean that the government pledge must also increase.
Some federal money will go for government initiatives, such as deployment of the Disaster Assistance Response Team and debt relief. The rest will be used to match individual donations to the selected agencies, and federal officials say there's no cap on the matching funds.
Aid-agency staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly collecting and tabulating donations.
World Vision's call centre has received more than 50,000 calls. An additional 25,000 people have donated directly on its website. "I know we're going for long, long hours and late into the evening," spokeswoman Linda Tripp said.
At the Red Cross, "dozens and dozens of volunteers" are answering phones and opening envelopes, Ms. Charest said. People have also been dropping by with cheques.
All of this has led some groups to fear donor fatigue. As people give to victims of the tsunamis, other crisis areas, such as Sudan, are not receiving as much aid.
Agencies raising money for domestic causes, meanwhile, are optimistic it won't affect their donations.
Barbara Kaminsky, who heads the Canadian Cancer Society's B.C. and Yukon division, conceded there was a "tiny downturn" after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as Canadians donated money elsewhere.
"But we're hopeful that people will continue to support causes that are close to home as well as those that are on an international stage."
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