By Kay Scrimger
January 10, 2005

Mayors across the country have galvanized effective efforts to assist the victims of the earthquake/tsunami in a variety of ways. Many are contributing to the relief effort by posting links to relief organizations on the city's website, and others are holding fund-raisers, such as candlelight vigils and other events.

In the words of Conference President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, "The loss of life and suffering of the people of these countries is beyond our comprehension. Mayors of the United States are actively and effectively encouraging their citizens to support the relief effort in every way possible."

Executive Director Tom Cochran said, "Because we know that mayors will want to share how they are assisting in the tsunami relief effort, we have set up a special part of our website to make it easy for them to do so. We encourage all mayors to go to usmayors.org/tsunamirelief to describe their efforts."

Several of the many cities responding to the tsunami crisis are:

Austin: Under the leadership of Mayor Will Wynn, Austin has sponsored a tsunami fund-raiser and vigil on Friday, January 7, in which donations for Asian tsunami victims could be made throughout the day. volunteers staffed a drive-through spot for donations and another for pedestrians. Money raised will go to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund.

Wynn also helped answer phones on January 5 in a telethon that raised $43,000. The city has posted a link on its website at www.cityofaustin.org that lists organizations where donations can be made.

"Over the past few days we have all seen the aftermath of an unimaginable catastrophic event," Mayor Wynn said. "The loss of life is staggering. In light of this devastation, I am asking Austinites to look deep in their hearts and deep in their pockets and give immediately to a relief fund."

Charleston: Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. has encouraged citizens of his community to contribute to Water Missions International, a local non-profit company, founded by two engineers who have developed water purification technology. Following the tsunami disaster, the mayor joined Water Missions International founders George and Molly Greene in a request for financial assistance and transportation to provide water treatment systems developed by their company. Each self-contained unit can provide daily water needs for 3,000 to 5,000 people.

Riley said, "The Charleston area has a company which has the technology to provide clean, safe drinking for the victims of the tsunamis. I urge our residents to offer their donations for Water Missions International. Water Missions International can fill an immediate and critical requirement for drinking water which is the most vital need at this point." A fund-raising effort for tsunami victims on January 6, yielded $28,000, $22,000 for Water Missions International, and the rest for the Red Cross.

Riley suggested that any mayor who would like to know more about Water Missions International and their product can go to www.watermissions.org. to gain additional information.

Las Vegas: "The residents of Las Vegas are very generous and are always willing to give in a time of need," said Mayor Oscar B. Goodman. "This aid will go to help areas that were hardest hit by the tsunami, including the city of Phuket, Thailand. The city of Las Vegas has had a relationship with that area since the city of Phuket was adopted as a sister city in the 1990's. We would like to continue to do whatever we can to help the thousands in the area who have been affected."

In his news release, Goodman suggested that citizens could best help "those affected by the crisis and countless others around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund." The city also suggested that donations can be made to the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Center for International Disaster Information and provided their websites.

Long Beach: Conference Vice President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O-Neill has listed a variety of relief agencies on the citywide website for consideration by the public and employees. The Fire Department has begun a cash collection from its membership for donation to relief agencies, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Tsunami Relief, Save the Children, and the Salvation Army. In addition the city has informed the public of basic safety advice and information regarding the city's readiness to respond to a tsunami and is preparing a more detailed report for the city council.

New York City: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg stated that, "There has been tremendous loss of life, and the great distance between our two parts of the world hasn-t lessened the impact New Yorkers are feeling. New York City is home to many South Asians, and our prayers are with them and their families."

New York has compiled a list of organizations working to provide relief and has posted it on its website. The city points out that at this time, monetary donations to relief organizations can be of the greatest assistance in providing the necessary tools for rescue and recovery.

Providence: Mayor David N. Cicilline has directed his administration to post a link to 60 reputable relief organizations on his city's website, along with information on how people can help. He said the Providence city website has been linked to USAID, the U.S. government agency responsible for economic and humanitarian assistance around the world. Cicilline said, "I want to make it easier for people in our community to reach out to the victims of the tragedy and to ensure that funds are delivered to the appropriate agencies.

"There's nothing we can do to take away the enormous pain and devastation this tragedy left in its path, but our collective compassion and generosity can help the people of this region recover from this disaster."

Stamford: Mayor Dannel P. Malloy has respectfully requested that local residents and corporate citizens consider directing their resources to AmeriCares. "AmeriCares is headquartered right here in Stamford. I can think of no better organization to receive our community's support during this difficult critical period of relief," he said.

AmeriCares has already mobilized emergency response teams and airlifts into the affected nations. These teams are providing much-needed medicines, medical supplies, personal care items, and water purification treatments.

Washington (DC): In response to the tsunami/earthquake in South Asia, Mayor Anthony A. Williams has contacted the embassies of the affected countries to offer condolences on behalf of the city, and he will continue to reach out to residents who need our assistance. "Our prayers are with the victims of this terrible disaster and their families," Williams said. "I encourage people to seek out opportunities to make contributions to those in need during this terrible time."

In addition, the Mayor's Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA) distributed information to government employees regarding organizations that accept donations for relief efforts. Finally, the DC government's Emergency Management Agency (DC-EMA) set up an Internet link to charitable organizations for residents interested in donating to relief efforts. The link can be found at: dcema.dc.gov

The Conference of Mayors welcomes information about other cities' efforts to help tsunami victims. Please go to the Conference of Mayors website usmayors.org/tsunamirelief to describe your city's efforts online. Contact Kay Scrimger at 202-861 6772 or send e-mail to kscrimger@usmayors.org.