Orphanages hit by Typhoon Ondoy: How you can help!

On September 26, 2009 Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) dumped approximately 19″ of rainfall or an equivalent of one season’s worth in within hours; battering many villages of Metro Manila with 15 feet of water. Hundreds of Filipinos lost their lives while hundreds of thousands were displaced, losing their livelihood. Word quickly spread of orphanages that were affected by the typhoon on adoptive parent list serves and other networks.

The following orphanages were gravely affected although relieved to report all the children, staff and volunteers have been rescued.

Heart of Mary Villa in Malabon

Rehoboth Children’s Home in Sampaloc

House of Refuge in Marikina (The children, mostly older are currently being hosted by a basketball celebrity until they find more permanent facility)

Since the first reports of Ondoy, Filipinos world wide have been staging relief efforts by hosting fundraisers, collecting material goods to be shipped by balikbayan and sending money.

A couple American based adoption agencies have set up donations through their website. Again contact your agency to determine what relief efforts you can support.

Wide Horizons for Children (MA) is collecting donations for Heart of Mary Villa here or you can send checks to:

WHFC, Attn: Philippine Emergency Relief, 38 Edge Hill Rd, Waltham, MA 02451

Filipino Adoptees Network has partnered with Sagip Tulong sa Pilipinas ( loosely translated as saving the lives of the Filipino people) relief effort and has agreed to send one box to HMV and two to Rehoboth Children’s Home. Your donation is tax deductible over $50. Please send an email to sagip.tulong@gmail.com for more information.

With that being said, the STP Campaign, part of Damayan started the “sponsor a balikbayan box. Fee for shipping has increased to $60 plus. You can sponsor an entire box or for half the cost – $30. Your donation is tax deductible after $50. If you you would like to sponsor a balikbayan box – you can send the check to:

c/o Metro Baptist Church, 406 West 40th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York, 10018, United States Again. Please write in the memo: HMV Orphanage.

To date FAN supporters have raised $305 to help with the shipment of the three boxes and has collected an equivalent of $500 in material donations (clothing, formula, pampers, toys) thanks to the assistance of Little Master’s Art in New York City.

Thank you again to Damayan Migrant Workers, STP, Little Master’s Art and especially the adoptive parents who sponsored the shipment of balikbayan boxes!

For more information please contact: info@filipino-adoptees-network.org