Tzu Chi Gives Dental Care, Relief Aid
to Hurricane Victims
The Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation
began providing dental care to the evacuees of Hurricane Katrina
in Beaumont,Texas aboard a mobile dental vehicle on Sept. 7,
while stepping up other efforts to help the evacuees in Texas
and other states.
The Tzu Chi dental vehicle, a mobile dental
clinic equipped with advanced instruments, is owned by the
Los Angeles-based Tzu Chi Free Clinic. Tzu Chi volunteers
drove it to Beaumont on Sept. 6, a 1,500-mile journey that
took over 40 hours.
On the first day of service, 53 patients
registered. Almost all of the patients had their teeth pulled.
Some medicines required for the patients were provided by
the local Red Cross.
Since Sept. 4, Tzu Chi members have begun
providing shopping cards and cash aid to the evacuees in Texas.
In principle, each household was given US$200. Between Sept.
4 and Sept. 8, Tzu Chi has distributed US$298,300 to 1,465
households - 1,377 in Texas, 85 in Kansas, and one each in
New York, New Jersey and North California.
For the evacuees now staying at temporary
evacuation centers in Texas, Tzu Chi will give at least US$200
in shopping cards or checks to each household with data provided
by the American Red Cross.
To respond to a call by Dharma Master Cheng
Yen, founder of Tzu Chi, to raise funds to help the hurricane
victims, Tzu Chi members in 18 countries have taken various
action to solicit donations. These countries include the United
States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Dutch St. Maarten, Paraguay,
Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei,
Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand, France, Austria, South
Africa, and Taiwan.
Tzu Chi members in the United States and
Canada have committed US$4 million to the relief efforts.
The basic principle in Tzu Chi's relief
projects is for Tzu Chi members to give aid to the recipients
directly in person and with a manner showing sincere respect
for the recipients.
Tzu Chi, a Buddhist humanitarian organization
founded in 1966, has set up a coordination center in Houston
to handle the relief efforts. Following the current emergency
assistance, Tzu Chi will map out mid-term and long-term relief
plans for the evacuees.
related link: http://www.reliefweb.int
