The Rotary Club of Hinesville made a $2,000 donation to Shelter Box USA during their meeting held March 19 at the LaQuinta Inn and Suites in Flemington.
Rotary President Jack Standard presented the check to Shelter Box spokesperson Frank Spears who said he was brought to tears over the generous gift.
Shelter Box USA is a non-profit organization that provides disaster relief kits which include immediate emergency sheltering, food and essentially tools and supplies, to areas affected by disasters. Shelter Box was founded by a Rotarian in Cornwall, England in 2000 but is independent of Rotary International. However, the organization is an official Project Partner of Rotary International.
Each Shelter Box kit includes tented shelter providing immediate housing and comfort to those who’ve lost everything due to a natural or man-made disaster. The kit also includes blankets, groundsheets, solar lights, cooking utensils, water purification equipment, mosquito nets and activity packs for children. There is also a tool kit provided that can be used to make essential repairs or to rebuild their immediate current surroundings.
Spears said the donation from Rotary will be able to fund two complete Shelter Box kits.
Spears said there are currently Shelter Box kits deployed around the world. More recently Shelter Box USA sent a Shelter Response Team to southern Malawi following widespread flooding made worse by Cyclone Idai, last week. The same Cyclone devastated areas of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, Africa.
The organization has responded to earthquake, tornado, hurricane and Tsunamis victims across the globe.
Shelter Box also provides direct support to families who are the victims of the ongoing conflict in Syria. The civil war has caused the displacement of nearly 700,000 people so far.
The Rotary club’s donation was made possible due to their annual Fishing Tournament fundraising campaign. The annual campaign allows the club to fund various local scholarships and community organizations.
Shelter Box USA was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize last year and again this year for 2019.
“This is transforming lives,” Spears said.