Tzu Chi Foundation Gives $1.5 Million
in Financial Assistance to 8,400 Families of Hurricane Katrina
Disaster
HOUSTON, Texas (SEPTEMBER 20, 2005) —
Relief efforts continue as Tzu Chi provides financial assistance
in the form of checks or gift cards to evacuees in Houston,
Beaumont, Dallas, Kansas City, Phoenix and Indianapolis. More
than 8,400 families—20,000 people—have
received assistance so far.
In the Dallas area, relief
efforts began on Sept. 9 and continued today at the Will Rogers
Auditorium in Fort Worth. So far, Tzu Chi has provided $260,000
in financial assistance to 1,677 families—4,237
people—in the form of gift cards. Each family
receives the gift card personally from Tzu Chi volunteers.
Relief work began on Sept. 4 in Beaumont,
a city about ninety minutes by car, east of Houston at the
Louisiana border. Although Sept. 14 was the last day Tzu Chi
volunteers were stationed inside Beaumont Ford Park, For 12
days, Tzu Chi distributed nearly $500,000
in the form of gift cards to 2,657 families—6,356
people—with financial assistance in the form
of gift cards. Families received an average of $200 each.
The gift cards allow families to purchase daily necessities.
“In addition to providing immediate
financial assistance, the Tzu Chi emergency cash gift lets
families know that there are many people in this country and
all over the world who really care. In 30 countries, Tzu Chi
volunteers have been taking to the streets to ask the public
to give. Our volunteers deliver Tzu Chi’s emergency
cash gifts personally to clients. In times like these, we
must reach out and give hope. It is about compassion and respect,”
says Austin Tsao, Chief Executive Officer of Tzu Chi Foundation,
U.S.A.
In Houston, Tzu Chi started
providing financial assistance to evacuee on Sept. 9. So far,
Tzu Chi has assisted more than 3,500 families in the city
of Houston. Tzu Chi volunteers have been inside Houston’s
largest sheltering locations, the Astrodome, Reliant Center
and the George R. Brown Convention Center. At the large shelters,
Tzu Chi volunteers personally delivered $535,000
in checks to 2,630 families.
In the last week, Tzu Chi volunteers actively
reached out into the community to reach those who were not
residing at the major shelters. Volunteers visited local churches
where evacuees were staying at and also provided assistance
to the Asian community. Tzu Chi assists anyone in need regardless
or race or religion. Volunteers in the Houston area provided
financial assistance to families staying at the Freeway
Manor Baptist Church, St. Francis Cabrini Church, Spring Tabernacle,
First Baptist Church in Katy and St. Bartholomew Church.
Working with the Asian community, Tzu Chi volunteers also
gave assistance at the Chinese Culture Center, the
Hong Kong Mall and Chinese Community Center.
Elsewhere in the United States, local
Tzu Chi volunteers also helped evacuees in Kansas
City, Phoenix and Indianapolis.
Since Sept. 4, nearly 1,000 Tzu Chi volunteers
have pitched in to make sure evacuees receive the Tzu Chi
emergency cash gift. Volunteers are from Houston, Austin,
Dallas, Arlington (TX), Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Indianapolis,
Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Las Vegas, New
York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington D.C. and Vancouver,
Canada.
To help those impacted by Hurricane Katrina,
please call 1-888-9-TZUCHI to give by credit
card or mail checks to Tzu Chi at 1100 S. Valley Center
Avenue, San Dimas, CA 91773 OR 6200 Corporate Drive, Houston,
TX 77036. For more information, please call (909)
447-7799 or (713)981-8966
