Help ACHS Raise Donations for New Zealand Earthquake Relief Efforts

Reportedly the worst natural disaster in New Zealand in 80 years, the death toll from the Tuesday February 22 earthquake in Christchurch has risen to about 75 with an estimated 300 missing and hundreds more left without fresh water. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has declared a national state of emergency.

American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) has strong ties to the New Zealand community. A New Zealand native and ACHS President Dorene Petersen originally founded ACHS in 1976 as the extramural department of an on-campus naturopathic college in Auckland, New Zealand. Dorene opened our U.S. office in 1991 and was joined by daughters Erika Yigzaw, Chief Institutional Officer, and Kate Harmon, Director of Marketing. Though the college has proudly called the U.S. home for more than 20 years, our history is firmly rooted in New Zealand’s traditions and shared knowledge of natural medicine. As such, our U.S. family pledges continual support to the relief and well-being of our New Zealand family.

It is with deep sympathies for the victims, their friends and families, and those tirelessly working on the ground to re-establish safe and healthy conditions that we ask for your support. Current relief efforts are working to supply basic human needs, focused on search and rescue, emergency shelters, and securing safe drinking water. Help us provide some ease and comfort for those devastated by the earthquake.

We understand there are several organizations out there soliciting your funds and attention, and that not all are reputable. To ensure your donations make it directly into the hands of the people who need it most, we recommend the following organizations, which we have personally verified with contacts on the ground in New Zealand:

• Salvation Army Earthquake Disaster Fund
• New Zealand Red Cross

All donations help. On behalf of ACHS, our friends and family in New Zealand, we thank you for your contribution, care, and compassion. Note, donations made to countries outside of the U.S., including Canada, Mexico, and Israel, are generally not tax deductible. To make donations, KEA New Zealand suggests:

• For tax deductible donations in the U.S.: ANZA, Variety International-The Children's Charity, and Seattle Christchurch Sister City Association: Donate at any Wells Fargo Bank: Account is: Seattle Christchurch Earthquake Relief: Account number is: 7267350473 or alternatively mail your check to: Seattle Christchurch Sister City Association (SCSCA), PO Box 51059, Seattle WA 98115
• To make donations from within New Zealand: The Downunder Social Club of Calgary requests donation funds go through the New Zealand Red Cross
  
  

American College would like to personally thank the gracious help offered from militaryconnection.com, Seasons and Regions Restaurant, Jopa Restaurant, Beaverton Farmers Market, and Prolab Orthotics to help increase awareness and support for the victims of the New Zealand earthquake disaster relief effort.

For more information about disaster relief in New Zealand, visit:

• http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/
• http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/videos
• http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4688671/Christchurch-quake-latest-info

Relief Efforts in Haiti: How to Help

A brief report posted to the World Health Organization website today says that "quickly delivering and coordinating life-saving care" to Haiti is "an immediate priority." Several major healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed, many people have yet to be recovered from the rubble, and several survivors have incurred serious injuries.

Here is a list of organizations supplied by The Washington Post where you can donate to specific relief efforts:

United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
Mercy Corps
Save the Children
International Red Cross
World Vision
Catholic Relief Services
UNICEF
International Medical Corps
Network for Good
CARE
Operation USA
Operation Blessing International
Convoy of Hope
The Global Syndicate
GlobalGiving
Beyond Borders
Community Coalition for Haiti
International Orthodox Christian Charities
Baptist World Aid
Doctors Without Borders
Habitat for Humanity
Action Against Hunger
Direct Relief International
B'nai B'rith International
Bright Hope
Hope for Haiti
American Jewish World Service
World Relief
TractorShare
American Friends Service Committee
Food for the Poor
CHF International
The Lambi Fund of Haiti
Islamic Relief USA
United Way Worldwide
International Organization for Migration
Food for the Hungry

In addition, there are several organizations accepting donations via text message. They include:

• Text the word "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 on behalf of the Yele Haiti Foundation, founded by Haitian musician Wyclef Jean.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 85944 to donate $5 on behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 25383 to donate $5 on behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 864833 to donate $5 to United Way Worldwide's disaster fund.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 on behalf of the American Red Cross.
• Text the word "Haiti" to 45678 (in Canada only) on behalf of the Salvation Army in Canada.

United Aromatherapy Effort Needs Your Help

A few months ago, Sylla Sheppard-Hanger, Founder and Director of the United Aromatherapy Effort, Inc., started a new campaign to provide military personnel and their families with emotional and physical support, including the use of aromatherapy and massage.

Sylla partnered the UAE with the United Service Organizations (USO) to provide troops with comforts away from home and has since sent a test box to Camp Phoenix. The soldiers at Camp Phoenix will forward the natural bug sprays sent to Forward Operating Bases for testing.

Now the United Aromatherapy Effort needs your help! According to a September press release, the UAE is "now soliciting small sprays for the next box to go to our "Soldier on the Ground" in Kabul, Afghanistan, Camp Phoenix." They are looking for individual sprays (2-4 oz), and suggested blends include:

• Respiratory (conifers/pines), because the air quality there is very bad (dusty, dry, and smelly), and quite polluted as well.
  
• Relaxing and sleepy time blends because the stress level is quite extreme.
  
• Wake up sprays for alert time, night duty, and morning call.

The UAE says to send anything anytime! If you want to ship directly, contact Sylla; otherwise, send to Florida or Louisiana, whichever is the closest location to you, and the UAE will ship to AFG from these two locations:

SHIP TO: UAE/ c/o Sylla Sheppard Hanger, 16018 Saddlestring Dr, Tampa, FL 33618

or UAE c/o Geraldine Zelinsky, 6051 Roma Dr. #103 Shreveport, LA 71105

To read more about the UAE and military disaster relief, visit http://achsnews.blogspot.com/2009/08/united-aromatherapy-effort-to-expand.html