The emergency and short-term relief efforts by the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and other agencies have provided much-needed immediate care to the citizens of Mississippi and Louisiana that were

DG Charlie Kelly

devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Those Clubs which sent donations to their choice of "first-responders" can be assured that they are greatly appreciated. Many of our D5130 Clubs have been waiting to take part in the ongoing and longer-term rebuilding needs. More and more specific - and longer-term - needs are being identified by Clubs and Districts in the affected areas, and we will be posting these, as they are communicated.

Please look here for information posted at Rotary International's website. Please look here for what D5130 Clubs have done and are doing.

Please let DG Charlie know via email what your Clubs have done and/or are planning to do.

To date, D5130 Clubs have reported sending over $20,000 directly to various agencies, determined at the Club level. Of course, many of our Rotarians have contributed on their own, to their own favorite agencies, and these amounts are not included.

Questions are being asked about getting "Paul Harris" credit for contributions to Katrina relief. Just like with the Tsunami relief (and other prior emergency/disaster relief efforts) through The Rotary Foundation, these donations are in the category of "Donor Advised Funds" (DAF). DAFs DO NOT receive "Paul Harris" credit. DAF donations are spent immediately, and therefore they do not accumulate the earnings that normal "Annual Giving" provides for Foundation operations (the 3-year hold that we are familiar with).