The following is SEIU President Mary Kay Henry's statement regarding Typhoon Haiyan -- some news outlets have reported it is the most devastating typhoon in history -- which swept the Philippine Islands this past weekend.
"Weather-related disasters are always devastating but particularly heartbreaking and tragic when countless people lose their lives or loved ones. In our ranks are many courageous sisters and brothers from the Philippines. Some have families who live on the islands. I want to personally extend my prayers and to let them know that the SEIU stands with you. We also extend our deepest sympathies to all others affected by this calamitous event.
"The Nurse Alliance of SEIU was in motion at the first hint of this disaster to lend support, and the SEIU Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Caucus leadership are discussing a coordinated repose as are SEIU International Executive Board Members on behalf of our Filipino leaders and members across our union. We will share more information about these efforts as it becomes available.
"We encourage all who are able to reach out to the Red Cross or other entity and donate to help the people of the Philippines get through this horrible tragedy."
The unions below have responded to this disaster by setting up relief funds and pledging contributions.
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East established a relief fund, and they are matching contributions dollar-for-dollar. For more information and to make a donation, please visit http://www.1199seiu.org/phillipinesrelieffund.
SEIU United Healthcare Workers West has also established a relief fund, please go here for details and to make a donation: http://www.seiu-uhw.org/archives/16310.
SEIU United Healthcare Workers West: $100,000
SEIU California State Council: $100,000
SEIU: $100,000
SEIU Local 121RN: $10,000
SEIU Local 1991: $10,000
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW: $10,000
SEIU Local 284: $10,000
SEIU Nurse Alliance of California: $5,000
SEIU Local 503: $1,503
SEIU Local 521: $1,000
SEIU and its local unions are evaluating organizations for their capacity to carry out on-the-ground relief efforts. Please check this page for updates as we list organizations that we encourage you to consider for financial contributions and/or medical volunteer efforts. SEIU stands with the people of the Philippines, as well as our Filipino-American sisters and brothers.
Please click here for a map showing where SEIU aid had already gone.
SEIU-UHW has identified the following organizations doing on the ground rescue and relief work with survivors of typhoon Haiyan.
Active Citizenship Foundation, Inc. ACF’s main focus is to assist marginalized communities and sectors in the Philippines, especially the poorest of the poor, through promoting popular participation, ensuring peaceful and democratic politics, empowering local communities, youth outreach, mobilizing women, responding to urgent community needs, and building a green future.
Feed The Hungry Feed The Hungry’s mission is to uplift the spirit and well-being of the poorest of the poor, the abused and the desolate through feeding, community and economic development, gift giving, educational scholarships and classroom building, and calamity relief and emergency medical assistance programs.
Angel Brigade The Angel Brigade is the country's fastest growing family of volunteers whose members have signified their desire to be called upon to assist victims of calamities and disasters - in however way their suitable skills and free time may allow. You need not physically work at an Angel Brigade Center to join this group although that is the primary means to earn your angel wings. Several members help by re-posting and/or re-tweeting calls for assistance, by donating time for coordination work, by lending vehicles & deployment trucks, or by donating goods and services when needed (medical missions, seasonal projects for street children, orphans, victims of fire, and more).
Gawad Kalinga Gawad Kalinga’s vision is to build a nation empowered by people with faith and patriotism; a nation made up of caring and sharing communities, dedicated to eradicate poverty and restore human dignity. They are on a mission to end poverty for 5 million families by 2024. Land for the Landless. Homes for the homeless. Food for the hungry. Their current mission right now is to restore the Gawad Kalinga communities that was devastated during the Typhoon Haiyan.
Waray Bayaay “Waray Bayaay” means nobody is left behind, and it's a non-partisan relief effort that aims to reach as many towns as possible for relief goods distribution independent of the government’s efforts. Waray Bayaay also aims to supply hospitals and makeshift clinics with much-needed medicines and generator sets, to rehabilitate the towns little by little by providing them with building materials for shelter, to provide bikes for transportation, and to provide livestock and other agricultural needs so they can start rebuilding their own towns for themselves.
Visayas Response Team The Visayas Response Team aims to provide for a coordinated and relevant response, rescue, relief and rehabilitation program to communities where immediate assistance is needed before, during and after the effects of a major natural disaster or calamity.
BuligTacloban Bulig Tacloban, which means “Help Tacloban,” does door-to-door delivery of relief items to the interior areas of the affected towns. They are a non-profit, non-political alliance of Taclobanons who have come together to help rescue and rebuild the communities.
TindogTacloban 1108 Tindog Tacloban means “Stand Tacloban”, and has become the slogan of hope for the people who were affected by Supertyphoon Haiyan. This group is a Cebu-based drive bringing Taclobanons and Sugbuanons (Cebuanos) together to bring relief to Tacloban City and the rest of Eastern Visayas. They also provide stress de-briefing services to adolescent and teenage survivors who have evacuated in Cebu City.
WeGovern Institute The Working for Empowerment and Good Governance Institute, Inc. (WeGovern Institute) is a resource and advocacy institute for good governance to empower the grassroots, harness their capacities, and mobilize their strengths and resources for development of their communities, barangays and municipalities. At times of crisis women and children are disproportionately affected. Our local partners in the Philippines know the quickest and most effective ways to assist and protect women. They also ensure that women play a central role in the relief response. Women’s organizations need your support now to meet critical needs for food and medicine and rebuild their communities.
If you are still waiting to hear from missing family or loved ones who were in the path of Typhoon Haiyan, you can use this missing persons database to find information on their safety: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/334739/news/nation/database-yolanda-missing-persons-inquiries
SEIU Local 121RN has started a Disaster Relief program. While we do not at this time have a strategy in place to provide medical relief to victims in the Philippines, we are collecting applications from RNs who are interested in future deployments to the Philippines. If you do not have a current passport, you should apply for one right away in order to receive it before possible deployment.
If you are not interested in a deployment to the Philippines, but you may be willing to go elsewhere in the future if a disaster strikes, please return the forms and write "future deployments" at the top of your form. The better prepared we are, the more quickly we may respond when needed.
Click here to view and print Volunteer Information & Application Form
Click here to view and print Liability Release Form
Return completed forms to your worksite Union Representative or email scans to: slanec@seiu121rn.org