Canadians for Tsunami Relief: Media Update

Canadians for Tsunami Relief: Media Update... as of this early morning.

Canadians for Tsunami Relief Collected Over $620,000

$620,298.43 was collected from donation booths at over a dozen local malls and a multicultural TV appeal that ran for a total of 28 hours, from 10:00 a.m. to midnight on both Saturday and Sunday in major mainstream and ethnic media outlets. Donation hotlines were in operation from 10:00 a.m. till midnight on Saturday, January 8, and Sunday, January 9, 2005. Two hundred phone lines were active with six shifts of volunteers, accounting for over 1,200 individuals, speaking a total of more than 10 languages receiving calls at 100 Borough Drive, Scarborough.

After Rogers Media Network set an excellent example on Friday, January 7, 2005, by donating $150,000 to kick off the fundraising campaign through all its media outlets, Canadians for Tsunami Relief received the following organizational pledges:

Ellen’s Health Food Ltd.: $250,000
Buddha’s Light International Association: $10,000
Seniors and Staff Members of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care and Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation: $7,000
Cranberry Resort: $5,000

Canadians for Tsunami Relief is truly grateful for the generosity demonstrated by these organizations, and urges all other organizations in Canada to make a pledge to C.T.R. to help Canadian Red Cross and Oxfam Canada with their disaster relief efforts in South Asia.

Apart from organizational pledges, Canadians for Tsunami Relief is grateful for the media support it received to make this campaign a success. Rogers Media Network aired a two-hour multicultural TV appeal Sunday evening at OMNI 1 & 2, while CHIN International, Ridge Radio in Oakville, Fairchild Radio’s Indonesian program, and Filipino radio station Padyo Pinoy ran promotional spots throughout the weekend to promote C.T.R. fundraising initiatives and donation methods. TorontoTV/Maxibyte Inc. also made the January 5, 2005, C.T.R. campaign launch press conference available for viewing on Channel 3 on its website at www.torontotv.org.

TD Canada Trust branches across Canada still welcome individual and corporate donations through cheques payable to “C.T.R.” or deposits into transit 532, account 521-1313. The total amount collected through C.T.R. by January 11, 2005, will be eligible for Government of Canada’s dollar-for-dollar donation matching program, information of which available at Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) website.

Canadians for Tsunami is deeply moved by the overwhelming response of the public, especially those who volunteered their time, work and expertise. More than 200 volunteers helped manage donation booths at local malls, and over 1,500 individuals showed up at the call centre to help - a few hundred in excess of what was required and could be accommodated. C.T.R. offers its more sincere gratitude and apologies to those whose efforts were not 100% utilized, and is indeed overwhelmed by the phenomenal results and amazing community support it has received after only one week of work since its formation.


Interview Opportunity

As a past president and board member of United Way, Dr. Joseph Y.K. Wong indicates that many local charities are worried that the tsunami fundraising efforts may jeopardize local needs. The joint fundraising efforts of Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation, Canadians for Tsunami Relief and some local organizations are golden examples of how fundraising can be a win-win situation for all, and how corporations are aware of both local and international needs. The local companies and organizations are willing to dig deeper into the corporate budget to help satisfy both local and international needs.

Dr. Joseph Y.K. Wong
Member, Order of Canada
Chair, Canadians for Tsunami Relief
Chair, Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care
Chair, Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation
Cell: (416) 806-0082

Ellen’s Health Food Ltd.
Ms. Ellen Pun, CEO
Ms. Sara Ching, Registered Dietitian
Office: (905) 709-9323

The latest information, media updates, press releases, supporting organizations and full colour poster are available at the http://www.yeehong.com/CTR website.