U.S. Relief Charities Bring In $745-Million for Tsunami Victims

American relief charities have raised more than $745-million to help victims of the deadly earthquake and tsunamis in South Asia. While several of the largest international aid groups have stopped soliciting funds, they continue to receive donations.

The American Red Cross has raised $308.9-million, an increase of almost $73-million since it announced on January 26 that it no longer needed new gifts. Its tsunami-relief fund continues to grow, in part, because it is still counting gifts that were mailed before that date.

“We’ll still be processing donations for quite some time,” said Sarah Marchetti, a spokeswoman at Red Cross headquarters, in Washington.

Several charities say they have benefited from the Red Cross’s decision to cease seeking money for tsunami relief. The Brother’s Brother Foundation has had several new donors who said they had wanted to give to the Red Cross but decided to redirect their giving after that group stopped soliciting, said Luke Hingson, president of the Pittsburgh charity, which has raised $1.5-million total. “We’ve seen some money come our way because of that,” he said.

Several groups are moving in a direction similar to that of the Red Cross. The International Rescue Committee, in New York, has raised $8.2-million, but plans to stop its fund raising soon. “We’re hoping to raise from the private sector $10-million,” said Mark Collins, a fund raiser with the group. “We’ve got a little ways to go.”

Other groups that have stopped solicitations for South Asia relief are still receiving contributions as well. Catholic Relief Services, which ended its request for funds last month, has raised $75.8-million. Part of the reason behind the continued flow of gifts is that Catholic dioceses continue to raise money for the disaster, said Mark Melia, the Baltimore group’s director of annual giving and support.

The U.S. Fund for Unicef, in New York, has raised $78.3-million, a $10.3-million increase since it halted solicitations four weeks ago. “If a corporation is offering, we’ll accept it, but we’re not actively looking” for donations, said Laura Contreras, a spokeswoman for the fund.

Oxfam America, in Boston, last week joined the Red Cross, Unicef, and Catholic Relief Services in no longer asking for tsunami-relief donations. The group, which has garnered $30-million for the disaster, is encouraging people who visit its Web site or who call and inquire about a possible donation to give to a new general fund that supports relief and development efforts worldwide.

Many charities, however, continue to ask for money for relief and rebuilding efforts in South Asia.

For example, CARE USA, in Atlanta, has raised $30-million, 60 percent of what it needs for its goal of $50-million.

Among the results from other organizations continuing to raise funds:

• Save the Children, in Westport, Conn., has raised $47-million.
• World Vision USA, in Federal Way, Wash., has received gifts totaling $43.3-million.
• Lutheran World Relief, in Baltimore, has raised $11.4-million.
• The Salvation Army, in Alexandria, Va., has received donations of $9.8-million.