Tzu Chi Volunteers Receive Recognition
for September 11 Rescue Efforts
Reported by Wu Chi-chun
Translated by Queenie Huang, Northern California
On September 11, Tzu Chi volunteers joined
the rescue efforts at the World Trade Center and Pentagon
disaster sites. The Tzu Chi blue-and-white uniforms at the
disaster scenes symbolized the humanitarianism of the Chinese-American
community. For their contributions and efforts, they received
high recognition from government officials and local organizations.
On the morning of September 26, representatives from the Tzu
Chi USA headquarters in Monrovia, California, were invited
by the city government for a press conference in recognition
of the foundation's rescue efforts.
At the press conference, city officials
including Monrovia Mayor Lara Blakely, city council members
Victor Franco and Joe Garcia, chief of police Joseph Santoro,
and fire department chief Sam DiGiovanna expressed their greatest
esteem and respect towards Tzu Chi. Santoro remarked that
Monrovia city government officials are working together with
Tzu Chi towards rescue and relief efforts. It is our greatest
hope that via the media, the American government will realize
that Tzu Chi is a humanitarian relief organization that continues
to assist the world community regardless of national origin,
race, color or religion. In order for the foundation to distribute
relief funds and assist victims' families, Santoro hopes that
government officials can assist the organization in obtaining
a complete list of victims involved in the Pentagon and Twin
Towers tragedies. This would include the list of policemen
and firemen who were also victims of these tragic events.
He also thanked the Tzu Chi Foundation in Taiwan for establishing
its American headquarters in the city of Monrovia. He observed
that Tzu Chi has become a great pride and asset of the city.
The city will constantly continue to be a supporter of the
U.S. Tzu Chi organization in bringing its spirit and love
to the community.
The rescue efforts after the September
11 tragedy are now in their sixteenth day. Relief efforts
have moved from the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan
to aid centers established by the state and federal governments.
There are about twenty volunteers at the Piers 94 emergency
center in New York and the victim relief center in New Jersey.
The volunteers provide resources for psychiatric therapy,
interpretation and translation, and food assistance for workers
and victims' families.
So far, the Tzu Chi U.S. headquarters in
Monrovia has processed a total of 289 emergency aid cases,
among which 247 cases have received emergency funds. The majority
of these emergency aid cases were families from Taiwan and
America. The foundation provided funds not only to victims
and their families, but also to individuals who were indirectly
affected by the disaster. These funds will help towards shelter,
transportation, consolation, and search and rescue.
It is also worth mentioning that in order
to help families through this tragedy, Tzu Chi volunteers
have finally received the recognition of the Family Aid Center
of New York City. After contacting the center, the Tzu Chi
"Financial Aid Station" was established to provide
daily services from 8 am to 9 pm to people in financial difficulties.
In this way, the Chinese community wants to deliver love and
care to the victims of this tragedy.
Although the disaster took place
on the east coast, 47 Tzu Chi offices around the country have
participated in different ways to provide disaster relief,
including blood donation and fundraising activities. The Tzu
Chi southern California branch office recently hosted a blood
donation drive. In a short six hours, over 200 people participated
in the blood donation drive. Many donors drove two hours to
the center and waited another four hours before donating blood.
