Our guest speaker on Friday, July 7th via Zoom was Bill Tobin, who is ShelterBox USA volunteer ambassador. ShelterBox was founded 20 years ago by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in England. ShelterBox USA became a Rotary International project in 2012, a role that it retains today.
ShelterBox USA goal is "No family without shelter after a disaster." ShelterBox USA is an Office Project Partners in Disaster Relief. Currently, more than 114 million people around the world have lost their homes to disaster and conflict.
ShelterBox is working to change this by delivering customized emergency shelter, tools, and household supplies to displaced families enabling them to rebuild their homes and live on the long road to recovery.
Bill commented that it took 15 years to meet one million people and five more years to meet the second million and continue working on the third million people. Their Strategic Goal: Increase their impact. Expand their reach. Disaster timeline rapid response is being prepared. When a crisis occurs, they need funding up to six months in advance. This year, our Club became a partner with ShelterBox USA.
Five things you might not know about ShelterBox USA. Twice nominated for the Peace Prize.
1. Regional procurement. (Tents and tarps).
2. Appropriate Shelter-several different tents available to include on concrete pad
3. Pre-positioned aid.
4. It might not come in a box. The use of plastic bags is expanding.
5. SBOP ShelterBox Philippines. Referred to the Burkina Faso PDM results.
Thanks, Bill, for an awesome program.