Eight American relief groups have raised more than $3.9-million to aid victims of disasters in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a Chronicle tally.
The American Red Cross has brought in more than $2-million of that total.
Some groups say the response has been stronger than anticipated. Mercy Corps expected to raise about $100,000, but has brought in more than three times that amount.
The Western Union Foundation gave $100,000 to help victims of the earthquake in Indonesia. The rest came online from individual donors.
Other groups still have a long way to go to raise what they say they will need to help areas overseas recover from the disasters.
Save the Children USA has raised $318,000 for victims in Indonesia and the Philippines; globally, it has brought in $925,000. But the charity hopes to raise $15-million from donors around the world for the disasters.
While coverage by American news outlets of the disasters has ebbed, many groups still expect to raise the bulk of their contributions in the next few weeks and months.
World Vision has raised $927,000 so far, $500,000 of which came from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. But the group expects to raise a total of $2.5-million.
It plans to send two additional direct-mail appeals and another e-mail solicitation.
“We’ve found our donors to be very faithful,” says Casey Calamusa, a communications officer with the relief group in Federal Way, Washington. “We’re expecting to be able to raise that money,”
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