Gujarat Relief Urgently Needed

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>Frank Morales

>(Recipient list suppressed) >Gujarat Relief Urgently Needed >Date:

Sat, 27 Jan 2001 23:50:54 -0600 > >Namaskar, > > As the world is now aware, one

of the most devastating >earthquakes >in world history has hit the South Asian

sub-continent on Friday, >January >26th. The epicenter of this deadly quake -

7.9 on the richter scale >- was >in the western Indian state of Gujarat. At the

latest count, >approximately >15,000 people have been killed, with many

thousands more injured and >missing. The damage is easily in the multimillions

of dollars. > > A world-wide appeal for donations and assistance has been

>issued >by many charitable and relief organizations in order to help

>alleviate some >of the incalculable suffering that has occurred. The need is

>immediate. The need is urgent. > > As fellow followers of the culture and

religion of Sanatana >Dharma, our brothers and sisters in Gujarat, and

throughout the >entire >affected region in India, need our immediate help.

Sanatana Dharma >is a >religion that teaches the invaluable importance of

compassion, >service and >love. Now is the time to live our religion's highest

ideals by >sharing >what we have and doing what we can to help our fellow

Hindus in this >terrible time of need. > > Below is an appeal for funds by one

of the best and most >effective >Indian relief organizations on the scene. I

personally endorse the >appeal >and urge you to please donate as much as you

can to this relief >effort. Please forward this appeal to as many people as you

can. >Thank you. > >Jaya Sri Rama, > >Frank Morales, M.A. >International

Sanatana Dharma Society >www.dharmacentral.com >

>____ > >INDIA DEVELOPMENT &

RELIEF FUND, INC. >[Tax-Exempt Organization under U.S. Internal Revenue Code,

Section >501©(3): >ID 52-1555563] > >Press Release >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE >

>January 28, 2001 > >(Prepared by Beth Kulkarni and reviewed by National

President Dr. >Vinod >Prakash) > >One of the worst earthquakes in recorded

history has hit Gujarat >state, >India. More than 15,000 people are feared to

have died and hundreds >more >have been injured. It is thought that the city of

Ahmedabad has >suffered >the highest number of deaths. Property damage is

estimated to be in >the >millions of dollars. > >India Development & Relief

Fund (IDRF) has released $20,000 for the >relief >and rehabilitation of the

victims of this natural disaster. It, as >all >funds that are raised by the

organization, will be sent to >well-established, non-governmental organizations

(NGOs) with >outstanding >reputations for humanitarian service and fiscal

responsibility. > >IDRF, an established non-profit organization in the United

States, >is >administered by volunteers with no honorarium or overhead. It

>channels 100% >of the contributions to voluntary NGOs that have a proven track

>record of >accountability and dedication. Because of the working relationships

>with >many NGOs in India, specific organizations that will best utilize >the

funds >will be quickly identified. IDRF maintains bank accounts both in >India

as >well as in the USA which allows for a quick transfer of funds to the

>selected organizations. > >During the past decade, IDRF has raised $5.8

million in support of >various >charitable organizations in India, including

$300,000 for the 1993 >Latur >(Maharashtra) earthquake victims, $315,000 for

1999 Kargil victims >and more >than $550,000 for Orissa super-cyclone victims.

> >Besides accepting individual, corporate and organizational donations >by

>check, IDRF is eligible to receive corporate-matching gift funds. >Donors

>working for firms that have such a program are encouraged to take >advantage

>of it to increase the funds available to help the victims of this >huge

>national disaster. Gifts of appreciated stocks can also be donated, >making

>it possible to give generously without incurring the capital gain >taxes. >

>Donations to IDRF are tax-exempt in United States. Checks can be >made

>payable to "IDRF" and mailed to: > IDRF, 4807 Phebe Ave., Fremont, CA

94555-2502 > >In the memo, please mention "Gujarat Earthquake". > >Additional

information is available at the organization's website, >http://www.idrf.org,

>or by emailing idrf (AT) aol (DOT) com. Volunteers in the various parts of the >United

>States: > >West: >Chetan Gandhi (562) 921-4912 chetangandhi >Shyam

Gokulgandhi (510) 794-5088 idrf (AT) aol (DOT) com > >Mid West: >Srinarayan Chandak (309)

662-8353 chandak1 (AT) aol (DOT) com >Vijay Pallod (281) 568-4995 pallod (AT) aol (DOT) com > >East:

>Garima Shrivastava (770) 394-5031 vijayshrivastava (AT) hotmail (DOT) com >Abhay Belambe

(781) 641-1593 abelambe (AT) hotmail (DOT) com > >

>------------------

>Frank Morales, M.A. >Languages and Cultures of Asia >University of

Wisconsin-Madison >fmorale1 (AT) students (DOT) wisc.edu >Home (608) 288-0266 >Dharma

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