Thursday, May 05, 2011

Disasters need philanthropic response

A news release from the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation underlines the idea that community foundations can often be excellent places for your donations to areas hit by disasters. The following release was posted today, May 5, by Susan Bankston of the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation that serves the seven counties of the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina:

Disaster Relief Funds in Alabama and the Pee Dee Region

The tornadoes in the southeast last week left hundreds of individuals homeless and helpless. Volunteers and donations began pouring in within 24 hours to offer assistance and comfort to those affected by the devastation. The Pee Dee Disaster Relief Fund of the Eastern Carolina Community Foundation (ECCF) was established for just such a purpose when natural disasters strike the Pee Dee region. When tornadoes damaged homes in Darlington in 2010, a grant of $3,500 from this fund was matched by the City of Darlington and used for roof repairs on several homes.



Local community foundations are a natural fit for such responses. Should you wish to respond to the need in Alabama, The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has established the Alabama Tornado Recovery Fund to accept gifts that will in turn be used throughout the state in the regions impacted by the April 27 tornadoes. They will work to effectively deploy the resources that will be needed for long-term recovery. The Alabama Tornado Recovery Fund at The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham follows a model used by community foundations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You can link to their homepage at www.foundationbirmingham.org. Please consider a gift to the ECCF Pee Dee Disaster Relief Fund so that we are poised to respond when natural disaster relief funds are needed in our own communities. Further information is available at our website www.easterncarolinacf.org or by calling 843-667-1131.

Susan B. Bankson

Executive Director

Eastern Carolina Community Foundation

234 West Cheves Street

Florence, SC 29501

843-667-1131

susan@easterncarolinacf.org

Full disclosure -- I have been on the board of the ECCF just about since the founding though my term ends at the end of May.

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