Thank you, @Snoopy!
Two ways to send help to the Philippines:
LBC Australia will send your donations to the Philippines for free. Just bring your donation to any LBC Australia branch: Blacktown, Glendenning and Melbourne until 30 November 2013. You can find the locations of all their branches here. Suggested donations: canned/bottled food, medicine, bottled water/juice/milk, sleeping bags, mosquito nets, toiletries, laundry/detergent soap.
Caritas Australia is accepting cash donations online. Go to their website and click "Donate Now".
How is Caritas responding?
Since even before the typhoon made landfall, the Caritas network has been working with communities affected. Early preparations included evacuating people from hard hit areas and we now continue to assess the emergency needs and deliver vital humanitarian assistance where required. We are working closely with local partners to ensure those who are most in need will receive help.
The international Caritas network has committed more than $1 million to the relief efforts through its member organisations. Caritas Australia has commited $100,000 so far.
Our network partner CRS (Caritas USA) is prioritising emergency shelter, water and sanitation, household relief items (blankets, kitchen items, cookware), potable water and toilets.
This aid will help at least 16,000 families and includes:
18,000 tarpaulins for emergency use
1 million water purification tablets to ensure people have access to safe, clean drinking water
18,000 emergency shelter supply kits
5,000 water, sanitation and hygiene kits
5,000 non-food item kits
“We are ready to respond through our networks in any way we can to this disaster,” says Richard Forsythe, Caritas Australia’s Humanitarian Emergencies Coordinator.
