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In her October 2018 Newsletter, Tess Widdifield, the Rotary and Community Fundraising Manager for Shelterbox Canada and a member of The Rotary Club of Toronto Twilight, talks about Shelterbox responding to current disasters and current Shelterbox operations world wide. Here's more of her newsletter....
EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI STRIKE INDONESIA:
On Friday, September 28 a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Sulawesi Indonesia, triggering a destructive tsunami. 20ft high waves swept through parts of the country, leaving little behind. Entire areas have been wiped away, and families have lost everything. At least 844 people are confirmed dead with the death toll still rising. Access to affected areas is severely restricted, and many remote areas have not been heard from, so the full extent of destruction and damage is vastly unknown. Too recently the Indonesian island of Lombok was affected by multiple major earthquakes and their hundreds of aftershocks, displacing over 20,000 people. ShelterBox teams have been in Lombok for the past month helping families recover. ShelterBox is in communication with the Indonesian Government, local disaster management organizations, and Rotary colleagues in Indonesia to assess the situation and understand how best we can help Sulawesi families who have lost everything. Read More and on Facebook .
SHINE FOR SHELTERBOX: Make a difference this winter: Is your Rotary Club looking for a way to support ShelterBox and engage your local community? Join communities and Rotary Clubs all over the country this winter and get together to brighten lives by hosting a fundraising candlelit dinner for ShelterBox Canada. Shine for ShelterBox is the perfect way to not only raise funds and awareness about ShelterBox Canada and our partnership with Rotary, but to also introduce your community to the amazing work Rotary does to support disaster relief. Sign up at www.shelterboxcanada.org/shine
SHELTERBOX OPERATIONS UPDATE: JOIN US EVERY TUESDAY ON FACEBOOK FOR LIVE OPERATIONS UPDATES FROM SHELTERBOX HQ.
TIMELY RECOVERY: With each different disaster, the speed at which we are able to help families back on the road to recovery differs greatly. Each response is dependent on a number of factors such as the type of disaster, accessibility and existing relationships. On 29th July 2018, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia. In the following weeks, more earthquakes measuring 6.9, 6.3 and 5.9 magnitude hit, as well as hundreds of aftershocks. The Island of Lombok was most severely affected by the earthquakes. Due to the enduring support of Rotary District 3410 and PDG Eva Kurniaty, a ShelterBox Response Team was able to deploy quickly to the affected area. The single Rotary club on Lombok worked tirelessly, providing vital assistance with assessments, training, distributions, and planning of logistics. The work is still ongoing, but in partnership with Rotary we aim to have supported the recovery of a total of 600 families.
CURRENT DEPLOYMENT UPDATE: ShelterBox is currently assisting families in the Philippines following Super Typhoon Mangkhut, Indonesia following a serious earthquake in Lombok, Kenya due to flooding and Somaliland due to drought. We are also supporting families in Ethiopia due to conflict and flooding, as well as in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad due to the Lake Chad Basin crisis, Iraq and the Syrian Region due to ongoing conflict. You can find the latest updates at www.shelterboxcanada.org/operations-update
REMINDERS:
SHELTERBOX HERO PROGRAM - The ShelterBox Canada Hero program recognizes the ongoing dedication and support of Rotary Clubs in Canada who believe that no family should go without shelter. Rotary Clubs are recognized based on their total annual giving throughout the year. There are three ShelterBox Canada Hero levels: Bronze ($1,200+), Silver ($3,600) and Gold ($6,000). In appreciation, each ShelterBox Canada Hero will receive a Hero certificate, digital badge for their website and recognition on our webpage. Find the current list of Hero Award winners at shelterboxcanada.org/hero
YOUTH EXCHANGE CHALLENGE - The ShelterBox Youth Exchange Challenge is an exciting opportunity for participants of the program to develop many personal skills all while supporting a Rotary Project Partner and making a real difference to communities around the world. The challenge is simple. Students are encouraged to spread the word about ShelterBox and fundraise for our work around the world in their local community or with their host Rotary Club. Sign up your District by getting in touch with us at support@shelterboxcanada.org
VOLUNTEER WITH SHELTERBOX - With the new Rotary year upon us there are so many ways to be the inspiration and make a difference in our communities and around the world. ShelterBox is looking for more dedicated individual across Canada to join our volunteer team. Whatever skills, knowledge or spare time you have, you can play a vital role in ensuring no family goes without shelter. Learn more about our various volunteer roles and how you can get involved in the 2019 Rotary year by visiting us at shelterboxcanada.org/volunteer
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE: ShelterBox Nomination - Exciting news has landed: ShelterBox has been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of our humanitarian efforts in areas of extreme conflict around the world. We are truly honoured by this nomination and will keep you updated with any further news as it happens – the winner is announced, this month, in October 2018. Thank you for helping us ensure no family goes without shelter.
SHELTERBOX UPDATE:
TYPHOON MANGKHUT:
On Saturday, 15 September, Typhoon Mangkhut stormed through the Philippines leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Storm surges, severe flooding and landslides have forced over 200,000 people out of their homes. A team of highly-trained ShelterBox Response Volunteers are already on the ground, speaking to our Rotary contacts to understand how we can help families who have lost everything. Watch the video to hear more updates on what we have been doing so far. The Philippines is one of the world’s worst disaster-affected countries. We have responded there 24 times in 13 years - more frequently than any other country. A ShelterBox team is currently on the ground ready to help families who have lost everything. We're speaking with our Rotary contacts in the area to understand how we can help as quickly as possible.
THE FORGOTTEN CRISIS: People across the Lake Chad Basin region are affected by one of Africa’s biggest and most under-reported humanitarian crises. The crisis began in 2009 when Boko Haram led an insurgency in Nigeria. Since then, violence and displacement have spread across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad, an area collectively known as the Lake Chad Basin. The crisis has since become more complex. Extreme poverty, underdevelopment and climate change are adding to the violence that has forced 2.3 million people to flee their homes. With vital Rotary support, we've helped over 12,000 families in the region so far. Your ongoing support will help us reach even more families in need. Read More
TIMELY RECOVERY: In Indonesia, Rotary has been instrumental in helping us provide aid to families in Lombok, after a series of earthquakes in July and August. Due to the enduring support of Rotary District 3410 and PDG Eva Kurniaty, a ShelterBox Response Team was able to deploy quickly to the island of Lombok. The work is still ongoing, but in partnership with Rotary, we aim to have supported the recovery of a total of 600 families. See how we are helping.
About ShelterBox Canada: Canada is a registered charity that has been a part of the global ShelterBox network since 2010. We have a team of over 120 volunteers across the country who share their passion with us and help us raise awareness and fundraise across the country. There are ten Canadian ShelterBox Response Team members who work tirelessly with the rest of the International Response Team to deliver aid to families who need it around the world. To learn more about our board and staff click here .
Rotarians and Rotary groups all over the world help ShelterBox in a variety of ways. In addition to tireless fundraising, they provide invaluable assistance during our responses. With more than 33,000 clubs worldwide, Rotarians are able to give us first-hand knowledge of many of the countries in which we respond, logistical and operational assistance and vital links into communities. This personal, community connection helps us to provide just the right support to enable people to lead in their own recovery – to make sure that our work has a lasting impact. One of the ways we recognize the incredible support of Rotary Clubs in Canada is through our ShelterBox Hero Program. Learn more about the awards and see a current list of winners.
ShelterBox and Rotary are official project partners in international disaster relief. ShelterBox is a registered charity independent of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation. Since 2012, we have been neighbours, friends and community leaders. Their aim is to create positive, lasting change in communities at home and all over the world.project partners with Rotary International, a global community of 1.2 million. Rotary has supported ShelterBox from the start when a local club championed the simple idea to package up essential shelter items in our now-iconic ShelterBoxes. As ShelterBox grew, so did Rotary support, and we are now international project partners in disaster relief. This partnership has helped us to become who we are today. Our global network of ShelterBox affiliates, which provides all-round assistance, evolved from Rotary relationships.
E: support@shelterboxcanada.org T: 647.352.1930 www.shelterboxcanada.org
ShelterBox Canada – 159 Jane Street, Office 2, Toronto, ON M6S 3Y8
Is your club interested in having a ShelterBox Presentation at an upcoming meeting? Let us know at support@shelterboxcanada.org