Sep 16, 2001

Day 6 - Tzu Chi USA News Update
Reported on 9/16/01 6:00 p.m. EST

9/15 10:30 p.m. EST
New York
8 Tzu Chi volunteers distributed ice water and hot food to rescue workers, police officers and military personnel at ground zero. Although food was in sufficient supply, hot food was lacking. A Chinese restaurant in Manhattan has volunteered to provide hot vegetarian food for free daily by 8:30pm.

9/16 4:00 p.m. EST
New York
Tzu Chi volunteers arrived at the Armory Center. The City of New York had set up missing persons reporting center at the Armory Center. Volunteers encountered two Chinese families there and offered to be interpreters. The center asked the volunteers to translate forms into Chinese and also requested ongoing help. The volunteers are also discussing with the translation service center to allow Tzu Chi to set up a service station there. This would allow Tzu Chi to offer care and counseling to the victims and their families.

New Jersey

1.	Sorted relief supplies at the supplies dispatch center.
2.	Offered translation and other services to the missing persons reporting center.
3.	Dedicated 7 volunteers to finding missing persons and preparing the list of ongoing care recipients.

Seattle

1.	A traveler from Florida who was stranded since 9/11 boarded a 6am flight today with volunteers' help and has safely arrived back at Florida.
2.	Volunteers arranged a change of airline for four stranded travelers from Taiwan. The travelers boarded an Eva Airlines flight back to Taiwan at 3:55am this morning.
3.	Many thanks to sister Liao who works at the airport for gathering information from various airlines and posting signs offering Tzu Chi's help to help to all Chinese speakers (with language difficulties) who needed it. Sister Liao's consideration helped many stranded travelers and warmed many hearts.

 

Source: Tzu Chi USA Main Office