in the meantime, here's some very condensed info you may find of use.
If you have a blood relative or a spouse in the area affected by the giant quake in Asia, and you have NOT heard from them yet, and your own attempts (if any) to contact them are not working, call your local Red Cross chapter. Ask them if you can file a Disaster Welfare Inquiry. This is a process by which the Red Cross in this country will contact organizations (Red Cross and otherwise) in the quake zone and attempt to locate your relative and determine his or her condition. You may not be able to get an answer immediately, but they're persistent.
People currently living in the United States should go to http://www.redcross.org to determine their local chapter. The left-hand side of the screen will include a box labeled 'Find Your Local Red Cross - Enter your zip code here'. You should be able to get a phone number out of the resulting info. If you cannot get this to work and you can't find your chapter in the phone book, the national number is 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669). DO NOT call both your local Chapter and the National number to try for a faster DWI- it will only mess things up.
If you don't have anyone over there, but you want to help, either look up your local chapter or call that national number, and ask to contribute to the International Response Fund. The American Red Cross pursues a policy of putting donor dollars where the donors want them to go, and the International Response Fund will cover pretty much everywhere affected by the quake, as well as any other places where international disasters might arise.
Thank you.
If you have a blood relative or a spouse in the area affected by the giant quake in Asia, and you have NOT heard from them yet, and your own attempts (if any) to contact them are not working, call your local Red Cross chapter. Ask them if you can file a Disaster Welfare Inquiry. This is a process by which the Red Cross in this country will contact organizations (Red Cross and otherwise) in the quake zone and attempt to locate your relative and determine his or her condition. You may not be able to get an answer immediately, but they're persistent.
People currently living in the United States should go to http://www.redcross.org to determine their local chapter. The left-hand side of the screen will include a box labeled 'Find Your Local Red Cross - Enter your zip code here'. You should be able to get a phone number out of the resulting info. If you cannot get this to work and you can't find your chapter in the phone book, the national number is 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669). DO NOT call both your local Chapter and the National number to try for a faster DWI- it will only mess things up.
If you don't have anyone over there, but you want to help, either look up your local chapter or call that national number, and ask to contribute to the International Response Fund. The American Red Cross pursues a policy of putting donor dollars where the donors want them to go, and the International Response Fund will cover pretty much everywhere affected by the quake, as well as any other places where international disasters might arise.
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-27 06:23 pm (UTC)If you like, you can also specify on a check memo line "South East Asia Earthquake and Tidal Wave Relief". That's what the Canadian site says, anyway, and it can't hurt for us to try it.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-28 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-29 03:51 am (UTC)