Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Calling All Angels, Part 2: More Ways to Help

I'm sorry to keep nagging you about the whole deal with Ondoy/Ketsana, but: seriously, people, if we do get another storm by the end of THIS WEEK, there's a good chance that it's going to mess with the ongoing relief efforts. So, pray for the weather to stay clear, for our countrymen to stay warm and dry, and, please, for the love of sweet mangoes, save up all your energy towards helping out and keeping safe.

As it stands, I've decided to keep blogging about ongoing relief efforts for typhoon victims for the rest of the week. Remember, just because people like you and me can't brave the floodwaters (like hunky actors Gerald Anderson and Jericho Rosales) doesn't mean that we can't help. Now's as good as a time as any to save up the shopping and bar tab money, and get ready for the storms ahead.

The following partial list of resources has been aggregated from Google Spreadsheets (http://tr.im/zOqX and http://bit.ly/donate2ondoy), Facebook, and other online sources. Contact information for other organizations looking for volunteers and relief goods can also be found at the above-mentioned spreadsheets.

Special thanks in advance to Manuel Quezon III and the admins of the Definitely Filipino fanpage on Facebook, for stepping up and providing constant updates on all relief efforts - thus giving the Pinoy blogverse a better reason to band together and Get Things Done during this time. MARAMING SALAMAT PO!

METRO MANILA
Update: A link to the spreadsheet is now posted at ondoyrelief.org; more aggregated info can be found at typhoonondoy.org.

Volunteer Activities and Other News:
  • Have you checked on those close to you? Even if you don't have a relative or friend in the flooded areas, you may already know one - through your maids, drivers, security guards, laundresses, and other household staff. You may also want to check with those who work closely with you, especially people like clerks, dry-cleaners, and hairdressers. If you trust them like family, help them out now; you might even end up doing away with the middleman and "adopting" your own community!
  • Also, check with your nearest college or university - or alumni associations for your college/ university - to see if they can use more manpower for their relief efforts.
  • Philippine National Red Cross needs volunteer workers, especially doctors and divers, and vehicles for the ongoing rescue effort. Contact your local PNRC chapter for details.
  • Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS): The Philippine Animal Rehabilitation Center now accepts animal evacuees from all affected areas, especially dogs and cats. Donations are needed for supplies such as covered cages, covered carriers, and dog/cat kibble, as well as "human supplies" like canned people-food and drinking water.
  • Confirming a post from the Lola Techie group on Facebook: The Ortigas Megatent (beside Renaissance Condo along Meralco Ave.) is now a relief hub for donations of food, meds, and water, but needs more volunteers!
Retailer Drop-Off Points for Relief Goods (in-kind donations of food and clothing preferred; please note that some of these outlets will take NO CASH)
  • All branches for Aboitiz 2Go
  • All 7-Eleven Branches
  • All branches for Mail and More (covering FedEx and Air21; call 632-879-4789 for more details)
  • Gas stations: Total, Shell, Petron
  • Amber Ultralounge - The Fort, Taguig. (**UPDATE: All donations taken at Amber will be distributed by the Philippine National Red Cross. Preferred donations include ready-to-eat food, drinking water, clean water bottles, medicine, and first-aid supplies.)
  • ARANAZ - Rockwell, Greenbelt, PowerPlant Mall
  • Trilogy - PowerPlant Mall
  • Alabang Town Center - Concierge Desk
  • Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - all branches
  • Fully Booked - Bonifacio High Street
  • Greyone Social - Greenbelt 5 and PowerPlant Mall
  • Moonshine Boutique - PowerPlant Mall
  • Team Manila - Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Street Bel-Air and Rockwell
  • McDonald's - all branches
  • Jollibee - all branches
  • Luca - Rockwell, PowerPlant Mall, Shangri-La, Eastwood, GA Towers (UPDATE: Divine Lee has brought goods donated at Luca stores directly to the folks in Payatas!)
  • Papemelroti - 91 Roces Ave., Ali Mall Cubao, SM City North EDSA, SM Fairview, SM Megamall, Glorietta 3 in Makati, SM Centerpoint SM Southmall
  • SMART Wireless Centers - SM Fairview, SM North EDSA, Gateway Mall Cubao, AliMall Cubao, SM Megamall, SM Muntinlupa, SM Bicutan, SM Sucat, Festival Mall Alabang, Alabang Town Center and SM Southmall
  • Globe stores - Alabang Town Center, Festival Supermall, SM SouthMall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Bicutan, SM Fairview, Trinoma, SM North, Greenbelt 4, Park Square (Makati)
  • Red Kimono Restaurants- all branches
  • Second Wind Running Store - Teachers Village, Quezon City
  • Embassy Superclub - The Fort
  • Manor Superclub - Eastwood Citywalk 1
  • Recreation Outdoor Xchange - Bonifacio High Street
  • Vivere Suites - Alabang
  • Repost from the FB fangroup for Pinoy indie-pop group The Camerawalls: LILYSTARS RECORDS and JORGE'S PORTRAIT STUDIO are accepting donations in kind (clothes, food, water) in support for Jam 88.3 's Project Ondoy - relief operations for the victims of the devastating typhoon. Contact: 09054441229/09164004343, ......7233586/4114512. Drop center at 35 P. Tuazon St. Cubao Q.C. (Jorge's Portrait Studio across LVN).
  • And speaking of The Camerawalls: The band, and their labelmates, will be playing at Route 196 on Katipunan Extension, Quezon City as part of Driven for Life, a benefit concert on September 30, 2006. The entrance fee (PhP100) will go directly towards relief efforts; donations will also be taken at the gig itself.
Donations via Mobile Phone
  • Philippine National Red Cross, via SMS: Text RED [numerical] AMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart).
  • TXTPower.org - accepts donations for the Philippine National Red Cross through SmartMoney, Globe Telecom GCash, and PayPal (under magbayanihan@yahoo.com.ph)
Hot Meals for the Needy
  • Enderun Colleges: Students at Enderun Colleges have been making hot meals for those in need from donations of canned goods, rice, and other edibles. Drop off food and clothing donations at 1100 Campus Avenue, McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio @ Taguig City.***UPDATE: Enderun also needs extra can openers to go with your food donations! Call (632) 856-5000 for more information!***


INTERNATIONAL
For all international readers of this blog, please check with your nearest Philippine Embassies and Consulates for information on local Filipino organizations and other ways to help!

***UPDATE: Go here for more information on how to donate overseas!***

Online Donations (Credit Card and PayPal)
Restaurants, Retailers, and Other Businesses (US and Canada only)
  • Honolulu, HI: No stores - yet - but the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu will take checks and cash donations. Call (808) 680-0451 for details.
  • California: Alas Cargo will send all relief goods for free, and will also carry goods donated at all Island Pacific Supermarkets
  • Fullerton, CA: The Gift Bag Project is collecting donations for typhoon victims in the Philippines at Starbucks on Gilbert & Malvern.
  • Bay Area, CA: Gerry's Grill (click here for drop-off information in Union City; donations will also be taken at the Daly City branch), Intramuros (South San Francisco - benefit concert information here), Erly's Shear Beauty (South SF)
  • Southern California: Forex Cargo (Los Angeles and West Covina) and LBC (West Covina and San Diego) accepting clothing donations for shipping to the Philippines
  • Jersey City, NJ: Donations currently taken at Sinugba Cafe (561 Westside Ave.) and Casa Victoria (691 Newark Ave.)
  • Vancouver, CA: Goldilocks Bakery (Main Street Branch)
Note: This blog entry serves as a Public Service Announcement to create awareness for the ongoing situation in the Philippines. Neither Domesticity nor any member of the Meimei household is directly affiliated with the organizations mentioned above, and will claim no responsibility whatsoever for any incidents resulting from transactions conducted with said organizations. Any and all fradulent information posted in this entry, however, will result in its immediate removal.
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