The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) today announced that it opened an emergency mailbox to collect funds for relief efforts following May 3rd’s Cyclone Nargis which hit Myanmar, where it currently assists some of the estimated 10 Jews. Funds are being collected—on a non-sectarian basis—to aid the estimated several hundred thousand cyclone victims without shelter and safe drinking water. The efforts are part of JDC’s International Development Program (IDP) which responds to natural and manmade disasters, providing immediate relief and long term assistance.
“Our hearts go out to those suffering. We are quickly mobilizing to assess the situation and help those in need in Myanmar,” said Steve Schwager, Chief Executive Officer, JDC. “We are now in contact with leaders from the local Jewish community in Yangon and with other disaster relief partners in the region to determine an appropriate emergency response, one that ensures that we reach those who are not being served by others,” he continued.
JDC’s non-sectarian efforts have provided aid to those affected by the cyclone in Bangladesh; the earthquake in Peru; the Tsunami in South Asia; the floods in Haiti and the Dominican Republic; the victims of terror in Turkey; the earthquakes in El Salvador, India, Morocco, and Turkey; the displaced people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the eruption of the Mt. Nyiragongo volcano; and the war-torn communities in Kosovo.
