Posted on: Monday, November 7, 2005
Katrina giving sets record
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
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HOW TO DONATE Reach the American Red Cross Hawaii State Chapter at www.hawaiiredcross .org. Hawai'i chapter RELOCATES The American Red Cross Hawaii State Chapter is temporarily moving to new offices today, said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, the chapter's chief executive officer. "We don't know how long we'll be in these offices," Matayoshi said. "Our offices were not compliant with the American Disability Act. They have not been repaired or updated in the 30 years since it was built, so we needed the renovations." In the interim, the Health and Safety services will be at the Kalani High School campus and the rest of the American Red Cross services will be on the fifth floor of the Bank of Hawaii building at the corner of Bishop and King Street. A general contact number for American Red Cross services is 734-2101. Matayoshi said a more detailed list of new contact numbers will be released today. |
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More than $2 million has been donated to the local chapter of the American Red Cross since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29.
It is, according to Coralie Chun Matayoshi, chief executive officer for the Hawai'i chapter of the American Red Cross, the quickest the state chapter has topped $2 million in donations following a disaster.
"With Katrina, people felt it could happen to them too," Matayoshi said. "It was an unprecedented disaster and when that happens, the best thing you can do is open up your pocketbook and give."
Hawai'i residents have opened their wallets before.
Following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Matayoshi said the Hawai'i chapter topped $2 million in donations in six months. When the tsunami hit in Indonesia last year, killing tens of thousands, the chapter topped $2 million in about three months.
For Katrina, topping $2 million took less than two months.
Around the state, businesses, schools and social clubs have banded together to make donations for hurricane recovery. Some examples:
Bank of Hawaii and its employees, even in American Samoa and the West Pacific, raised $42,590 in donations toward the American Red Cross and Salvation Army relief efforts.
The United Korean Association of Hawai'i and the Council of Korean Christian Churches in Hawai'i donated $72,316 to the American Red Cross.
Hawaiian Telcom donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross, with about half the money coming from employees.
The Marsha Nadalin Salon & Spa at Kahala Mall donated $5,618.10 through a series of events where employees donated tips and held a bake sale. Haircuts and massages were offered at reduced prices with proceeds all going to the American Red Cross for hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Students at St. Francis School held an all-school challenge to raise money for hurricane victims. They raised $6,000, donating to Catholic Charities of Hawai'i and the American Red Cross.
Soto Academy in Nu'uanu had 117 students participate in a walk-a-thon to benefit hurricane victims, raising more than $11,000.
Foodland Super Market Ltd. gave more than $63,000 to the American Red Cross Hawaii Chapter from its "Give Aloha" program at Foodland and Sack 'n Save checkouts statewide.
The Schuler Family Foundation donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross.
The Tony Group Foundation raised $45,628 for the American Red Cross Hawaii State Chapter, with every employee donating and the company matching each donation.
Matayoshi said the public's generosity is overwhelming, but people should understand that when they make a donation naming a specific disaster, the money can only be used to aid victims of that particular disaster. So victims of hurricanes Wilma or Rita have not received as much financial support as those affected by Katrina, she said. When the Islands were struck by Iniki in 1992, more than $1 million poured into the Red Cross, but more than $11 million was needed. The difference came from this federal fund called the Disaster Relief Fund, Matayoshi said.
"We are encouraging people that if they're giving, to give to the Disaster Relief Fund, a national relief fund that helps victims of all kinds of disasters," she said. "We like to encourage people to think broadly for any disaster when they're giving."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.
