M.A. Center Donates $1M to Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund

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*Press Release* Source: M.A. Center

 

M.A. Center Donates $1M to Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund

Tuesday December 13, 1:27 pm ET

 

International Humanitarian Organization Mobilizes Thousands of U.S.

Volunteers to Collectively Support Gulf Coast Hurricane Relief Efforts

 

SAN RAMON, Calif., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Former President William J.

Clinton recently accepted a $1 million donation on behalf of the

Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund from the M.A. Center, a 501©3 humanitarian

organization headquartered in San Ramon, California. This donation

represents one of the most generous gifts from a non-government

organization that the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund has received.

 

"As our first major gift in the United States, it was imperative to

extensively research organizations to find the right fit that matched

the culture and mission of the M.A. Center," said Mr. Dayamrita

Chaitanya, executive director of the M.A. Center, and leader of the

center's Katrina related relief efforts in the U.S. "Our recent tour of

the Gulf Coast region emphasized how much work still needs to be done in

this area. We chose to commit this donation to the Bush-Clinton Katrina

Fund because we believe it will have the opportunity to make the most

impact on underserved local residents of the Gulf Coast."

 

The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund is a 501©3 charitable fund established

at the request of President George W. Bush to help serve the unmet needs

in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. A disbursement of $40 million

will be divided among three funds established by Governors Blanco,

Barbour, and Riley. The fund largely focuses on collecting donations to

assist in the long-term recovery plan for the affected states.

 

Earlier in the week, members of the Board of Directors from the M.A.

Center visited New Orleans to tour the region and seek out additional

opportunities for its U.S. volunteers to participate in a long-term

rehabilitation project in the Gulf Coast area.

 

The M.A. Center has also contributed to the Southeast Asia Tsunami

relief efforts, supporting the efforts of the M.A. Charitable Trust, in

India. M.A. Charitable Trust has pledged $23 million in aid, as well as

provided food and clothing for close to 10,000 families, donated other

much needed items and services such as boats, fishing nets, sewing

machines, and continues to offer vocational training and educational

classes for villagers and children. In addition, M.A. Charitable Trust

has committed thousands of volunteers to build 6,200 homes in different

locations throughout India and Sri Lanka. To date, roughly 1,500 homes

have been completed.

 

There are more than 100 regional M.A. Center volunteer service groups

throughout North America who participate in organized charitable work

that support efforts in the M.A. Center's main humanitarian focus areas

of disaster relief, hunger and poverty, education, gender equality,

maternal and child health, environmental sustainability and global peace.

 

About the M.A. Center

 

Based in San Ramon, California, the M.A. Center is an international

humanitarian organization that supports the worldwide charitable work of

Mata Amritanandamayi, who for the past 30 years has dedicated her life

to the uplifting of suffering humanity.

 

Mata Amritanandamayi, known throughout the world as "Amma," which means

mother, has earned international recognition for her outstanding

humanitarian contributions to the world community. Also recognized as

the "Hugging Saint," Amma was invited to speak at the United Nations

Conference on Visions for the 21st Century in 1995, timed to coincide

with the 50th Anniversary Summit of the United Nations. In 2002, she was

recognized as an extraordinary spiritual leader with the Gandhi-King

Award for Non-Violence; an accolade which has honored Kofi Annan, Nelson

Mandela and Dr. Jane Goodall in previous years.

 

For more information please visit http://www.amma.org

 

 

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Source: M.A. Center

 

--

"Naan Amme Snehikkunnu"

Be Love,

Egyirba

http://www.egyirba.net

 

-=-=-

.... Make every act an offering to me (God); regard me as your only

protector. Relying on interior discipline, meditate on me always.

Remembering me, you shall overcome all difficulties through my grace.

But if you will not heed me in your self-will, nothing will avail you.

--Bhagavad Gita 18:57-58. Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita, translated

by Eknath Easwaran, copyright 1985.