[Mumbai, India] – As Northern India reels in the aftermath of devastating floods and landslides in the Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh regions, United Way of India and corporate partners from around the world have joined to create the United Way Disaster Response Fund-India – a fund designed to help bring relief and foster rehabilitation in the area.
In the weeks following the tragic flooding, with the help from United Way and corporate partners like the BP Foundation, J.P. Morgan (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC), 16 medical camps and 240 health and psycho-social support camps have been established in 40 villages across the affected region. Family health kits have also been distributed containing water purification tablets and other protection materials to help prevent water and vector borne illnesses. Additionally, emergency shelter kits, hygiene kits, mother care kits, child care kits, family health kits, and cooking utensils have been distributed.
“Since the floods, United Way and numerous agencies have worked to provide immediate relief by way of food, clothing, emergency medicines and materials for temporary shelters,” says Jayanti Shukla, CEO for United Way of India. “There is more to do, which is why we designed the Fund to focus on providing critical health care and sanitation services, post traumatic pysho-social support, temporary shelter assistance, and citizen support helpline services. In the long-term, it’s about building sustainable recovery for the affected communities.”
While rehabilitation of the region will be a long process, the United Way Disaster Response Fund-India is designed to facilitate needed support for the local community and government. Companies are encouraged to get involved by providing corporate grants and organizing special employee giving campaigns.
For more information on the Fund or to make a donation, please visit http://unitedwaymumbai.org/media.php?action=read&media_id=33.
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About United Way of India
As the national organization, United Way of India maximizes its national footprint to advance the common good, by focusing on education, financial stability, health and disaster preparedness. Local United Ways have the flexibility to customize their approaches to specific community needs while leveraging the talents and expertise of the worldwide network. For more information, visit http://www.unitedwayofindia.org