Sep 12, 2001

Tzu Chi USA News Update

Tzu Chi New Jersey Chapter:

1.	Thanks to the help from a senator’s daughter, New Jersey volunteers had the opportunity to enter the disaster area. They met up with a volunteer, who was trapped in Manhattan. They are beginning to provide support and help there. All of the volunteers are safe now.
2.	Yesterday, New Jersey chapter provided supplies such as water, food, and blankets to two shelters (the two stations provided housing to people who live in New York, but work at New Jersey). However, today, the stations are closed, because those people have already returned to New York.

Tzu Chi Seattle Branch:

Due to the cancellation of flights, ten students from Taiwan, who are studying abroad in US, could not return to their schools in other cities. Therefore, volunteers have already arranged housing for them

Tzu Chi USA Main Office:

1.	We are continuing to maintain contact with volunteers from other US cities.
2.	We are continuing to provide with Tzu Chi’s direction and events regarding our help and support work.
3.	We are providing information and search hotlines. We have received a call from a girl in Taiwan, looking for her uncle/aunt who worked at First Bank in World Trade Center. We have asked New Jersey chapter to take care of this. Right now, the person is still missing.
4.	We received a call from a volunteer at Taichung chapter in Taiwan, who is looking for someone in New York who is missing. Right now, we are still searching.
5.	Another volunteer at Taichung chapter in Taiwan, along with two others, called US Tzu Chi from the disaster area seeking for help. We have asked New Jersey chapter to take care of this. Everything is under control now.
6.	We have started to promote fundraising activities.

Source: Tzu Chi USA Main Office