CAUSES | Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts worthy of your support: Filipino American Museum’s Bayanihan Spirit and Purple Yam Restaurant’s Sunday brunch

FAM Filipino American Museum Bayanihan Spirit
FAM Filipino American Museum Bayanihan Spirit

NEW YORK CITY | It was inevitable: Hundreds of people and organizations around the world have stepped up to the plate to offer their services and aid to the Philippine victims of super Typhoon Haiyan. The deadly cyclone killed more than 3,600 people, and many more have been left struggling to overcome the destruction that was left in the typhoon’s wake.

The deluge of benefits, fundraisers and international pleas for donation comes with it a major problem: finding a reputable group that can get the supplies to the people who need them.

Sending cash directly to people in the area isn’t as helpful, since there’s nothing they can buy. But if you’re able to donate, the most important way to help right now is with a cash donation to a vetted relief organization. While medical supplies, food water and clothing are still in scarce supply, it’s very difficult to get the hard materials collected and then delivered and distributed there.

If you want to donate or help promote a fundraiser, the first order of business is to uncover where the money is going to. Is that humanitarian group or charity actually on the ground in the Philippines?

An NGO, the US Philippine Society (http://www.usphilippinessociety.org/) has a vetted list of relief organizations - $40 can feed a family of 5 for a week.

Gawad Kalinga USA (http://gk-usa.org/) is another relief organization with collection and distribution systems, was identified by the NY Times, and has a history of doing this work. They’ve already distributed 60,000 food packs and aim to provide another 200,000 packs in the next 2 weeks.

The next step is to figure out if there is a crack in the system. Are there specific needs, voiced by Philippine victims (antibiotics and other med packs, for example), that are not being served by the overwhelmingly institutionalized support mechanism?

As someone who has received tons of emails announcing their own relief efforts, I’d like to call attention to two benefits for which I voice my whole-hearted support.

BAYANIHAN SPIRIT

Hosted by the Filipino American Museum in association with more than 30 New York organizations, including Filipino Mundo-NYC.

Thursday, Nov 21 2013 8:00 pm

Tickets are $10. The event takes place at GALAPAGOS ART SPACE, 16 Main Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201. Tickets are available at http://www.filipinoamericanmuseum.com

All proceeds for this Thursday November 21st benefit starting at 8:00 pm will go to National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON). To learn more about NAFCON USA, visit www.nafconusa.org

The line-up of performers is terrific. View it in the graphic at the end of this article, or visit Filipino Mundo-NYC at http://www.meetup.com/FilipinoMundo-NYC/events/151716032/ or Bayanihan Spirit at http://cargocollective.com/FilipinoAmericaMuseum/BAYANIHAN-SPIRIT-Performer-list

For more information, here are the social media outlets.
#FAMaid
Facebook facebook.com/filipinoamericanmuseum
Twitter @famnewyorkcity
Instagram @famnewyorkcity

Filipino Mundo-NYC is honored to be a community partner of Bayanihan Spirit..

Photo by Neal Oshima, designed by Chef Romy Dorotan. This photo is from the cookbook "Memories of Philippine Kitchens," by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan
Photo by Neal Oshima, designed by Chef Romy Dorotan. This photo is from the cookbook “Memories of Philippine Kitchens,” by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan

TULONG TULONG SA PILIPINAS

NOVEMBER 24, Sunday, from 11 am to 4 pm at Purple Yam restaurant in Brooklyn

$40 brunch!

Featuring dishes by Chefs Romy Dorotan, King Phojanakong, Perry Mamaril and Pancho Gatchalian.

ALL PROCEEDS go to GAWAD KALINGA. Visit http://gk-usa.org/

RSVPs are suggested! Call 718-940-8118. Or email bettyannquirino@gmail.com

This past Sunday, November 17th, Purple Yam Restaurant in Brooklyn raised $7,615 for Gawad Kalinga USA.

To give context, to date 11.8 million people have been affected compared to 3 million people in Haiti’s Hurricane; 12,000 people have been injured, 921,000 people displaced from their homes.

The UN has estimated that $3M in cash is needed immediately for basic rebuilding of homes and essential buildings (hospitals, schools, etc.). International appeals have brought in 19 percent of that amount – primarily from the business sector. Asia Citibank turned over all of one day’s profit to relief, JP Morgan is matching employee donations up to $250,000. Doctors without Borders and the Red Cross are providing medical support and other governments have donated food and water.

FM NYC joins FAM Filipino American Museum Bayanihan Spirit
FM NYC joins FAM Filipino American Museum Bayanihan Spirit
  • New York Filipino-American Writers Hold a Bayanihan Benefit for Typhoon Haiyan Survivors (gotadelechemnl.wordpress.com)
  • Statement by the President on Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda (whitehouse.gov)
  • Response to Typhoon Haiyan (nonprofitnewswire.wordpress.com)
  • Valley Filipino groups helping homeland wrecked by typhoon (fresnobee.com)
  • Help Support Victims of Typhoon Haiyan by Joining Oceana’s Newest Fundraiser! (weeklyfog.com)
  • Filipinos fight to survive in aftermath of typhoon Haiyan (socialistworker.co.uk)
  • Super Typhoon Haiyan: Donate Money or Donate Your Time From Home! (interoccupy.net)
  • Help Our Filipino Families Rebuild After Typhoon Haiyan (tompfeifer.wordpress.com)

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