Relief

Well, the rain had stopped when I awoke this morning and the on shore breezes returned to blow away the clouds to reveal the last of the night stars peeking out before dawn. After almost three weeks the skies over L.A. & the South Bay are clear and things here in So Cal are finally drying out.

But not before some pretty heavy damage and some tragedy.: Massive Mudslide in Ventura County

Prayer to all those who have lost loved ones in these storms.

Driving into work this morning I heard of a great organization on KROQ's Kevin & Bean show for Asian Tsunami relief. A gentlemen from Sri Lanka who had previously emigrated to the U.S. and was back visiting family during the Tsunami called in to the radio show to speak about his experiences, the situation in Sri Lanka and to point out an excellent charity already at work.: Sri Lanka Sumithrayo

I did some poking around online and found this organization’s principal intent is to be the premier non-profit counseling center in a nation whose suicide rates peaked to 8,500 in 1995.But give the horrific tragedy that took place, the they redirected their efforts to building temporary, and perhaps later permanent housing for displaced Tsunami victims. Because their infrastructure is already provided for by pre-existing contribution from the government and such, and they have been getting a wave of volunteers, all donation to the housing fund go directly into buying materials (as well as feeding volunteers and the like).

Two other groups who will continue to need assistance are the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders. Because of the devastated infrastructure and sanitation systems, rotting corpses of both people and animals where rescuers cannot get to them them, lack of a proper food and the over burdened hospitals, it is expected that tens of thousands more people may die of disease in the wake of this disaster. These two organizations will be hard at work for many, many months.

I’m not knocking the Red Cross’s invaluable work or that of the much less-publicized, but just as hard working, Salvation Army. I’m just pointing out other groups doing good work that might need your help.

If anyone knows of any other worthy organizations at work that could use some support, please feel free to post them in the comments section.