TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORTS BY LOCAL Ys

The tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia on December 26, 2004 principally affected the YMCA movements in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia, where YMCA properties were damaged and family members were lost. Today, these YMCAs continue to provide services and programs to the people in their community who are struggling to rebuild their homes, livelihoods and learn to live with their trauma.

YMCAs around the world responded in solidarity to support the response to the tsunami. The members, volunteers and staff of many of the YMCAs in the United States have found ways to connect their citizens to the communities overseas.

At the Kenosha YMCA in Wisconsin, children from 11 different program areas organized events ranging from bake sales to silent auctions, collectively raising ,000. The swim team of the Farmington Valley YMCA in Connecticut rallied together to conduct a swim-a-thon which raised ,400 while bringing together 200 members who learned a good deal more about the international YMCA family.

One YMCA led a Yoga-thon and another conducted a community prayer service. From Childwatch to Teen Club; senior groups to Boards of Directors; from rural to urban YMCAs; swim teams to daycamps; thousands of YMCA members reached half-way around the world to support their neighbors. Together, with the efforts of 102 local USA YMCAs and 700 donors, World Service raised over half a million dollars as part of the tsunami effort. Thank you for your support. It will enable the YMCA of the USA and the YMCA global family to support the rehabilitation, rebuilding and strengthening of the YMCAs in Sri Lanka and India.

To contribute, make checks payable to:

National YMCA Fund Inc., and designate them for the “YMCA Tsunami Fund.”

Checks should be sent to:

YMCA World Service
YMCA of the USA
101 N. Wacker Drive
Chicago IL 60606

You can also go to www.ymcaworldservice.org and specify “Tsunami Fund” for contributions. Note: These funds are donor-designated gifts and 100% will be strictly dedicated to YMCA relief and rebuilding tasks in the affected areas.