DONATIONS FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS

(See update on Sri Ramakrishna Math's relief efforts for tsunami (which also includes an online facility) and an online facility for donations thru Seva Bharati).

There are several ways you can donate to tsunami victims. You can donate to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund and the Chief Ministers' Relief Fund, but the problem is that like all Government schemes, they leak like a sieve, and what reaches the victim is what is left.

There are other organisations where your money takes a shorter route to the victims. Some are Seva Bharathi, Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt and Land For Tillers Freedom. The addresses are below.

Newspapers like The Hindu, The New Indian Express and The Times of India collect donations, but they also end up with the two funds. But, as the Bhagawad Gita says, do your duty. Don't think about the result.

One advantage with The Hindu and The New Indian Express is that you can donate online.

I have come to know now that Sevabharathi too has an online payment facility.

One more site which accepts donations online is the relief Web site of the International Society for Krishna Conciousness (ISKCON), the link for which has been given below.

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Seva Bharati

Cheques, demand drafts and money orders may be sent to:
'Sevabharthi Tamilnadu-Earthquake Relief A/c'
and may be mailed to:

Sevabharthi.
C/o. Sakthi,
No.1, M.V. Street,
Chetput,
Chennai - 600 031

or

Sevabharati
C/o. Sadhana, Cholarajapuram Salai,
Opp: Housing Unit Y Block,
Uraiyur,
Tiruchi - 620 003.

Cheques and DDs can also be drawn in favour of:

Jana Samkshem Samiti, Vijayawada
SB A/C no. 13455
Indian Overseas bank,
Governorpeta branch,
Vijayawada

Postal Address:

Jana Samkshem Samiti,
Madhava sadan, Kaleshwara rao road,
Vijayawada- 520002
Ph: 0866 2435199
Mob: 9849048859

Donors may also contact Shri. Bakthavatsalam at 044 - 28361049 and 9444160649 (Chennai).

Seva Bharati's online payment facility is at:

http://www.sevabharathi.org/tsunami.htm

All contributions are exempted under Section 80G.

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Sri Ramakrishna Mission

Donations may be sent to

Ramakrishna Mission,
P.O. Belur Math,
Dt. Howrah,
West Bengal - 711 202

Those wishing to donate online can do so at:

http://sriramakrishnamath.org/news/tsunami.shtml?Action=Back

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ISKCON (Bhaktivedanta International Charities)(In US)

Donations may by sent by check made payable to "Bhaktivedanta International Charities" with the words 'Tamil Nadu Relief' in the memo field:

Bhaktivedanta International Charities
P.O.Box 34153Los Angeles, CA 90034
United States of America

You can also donate online through their Relief Website:

http://www.foodrelief.org


(In India)

If you live within India, you can deposit donations at any branch of HDFC Bank throughout India. Use the bank's deposit slip or envelope, and make the cheque/demand draft out to "Bhaktivedanta Ashram Trust". Include the account number on the deposit slip: Account No. 2361450000022. (Demand drafts can be made payable at your local city where you deposit the donation.) You may leave the donation (attached to the deposit slip) in the deposit drop box; there is no need for you to wait in the queue.

If there is no branch of HDFC Bank in your city, you can send the donation to the trust by post. Please send it by Registered Post to the following address (if sending a DD, please make it payable at Cuttack, Orissa):

Bhaktivedanta Ashram,
At - Kuansh,
P.O. - Bhadrak,
District - Bhadrak
Pin - 756 100
Orissa

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The Hindu

A relief fund has specially been set up to receive contributions, which may be sent as cheques or drafts payable to
"The Hindu Relief Fund"
Kasturi Buildings
859 Anna Salai
Chennai 600 002
INDIA

You can also donate online at:

http://pay.hindu.com/thrfpay/thrfpay.jsp

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The New Indian Express

Send cash or cheque to any office of the New Indian Express or Dinamani or Kannada Prabha in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh or Orissa. Cheques should be drawn in favour of 'Coastal Calamity Fund'.

Contributions can also be made online at:

http://www.newindpress.com

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The Times of India

Cheques may be sent to 'Times Foundation' at either Delhi
(Times House, 7, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110002)
or Mumbai
(Times of India, Dr D N Road, Mumbai - 400001).

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SOS Children's Villages of India

You can send demand drafts, cheques in favour of
'SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGES OF INDIA'
and money orders to

SOS Children's Villages of India, A-7, Nizamuddin West, New Delhi - 1100013. Phone: 011 24359450.
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Other Organisations:

Indian Red Cross Society:
Cash/kind
Chennai: 044- 28554548/ 4425/4117/28586997

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Mata Amritanandamayi Math:
Rice, clothes, medicine and money
Chennai: 044-23764063/582, 22425736, 55175186

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Indian Council for Child Welfare, Tamil Nadu
Chennai: 044 26260097, 26282833

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Land For Tillers Freedom
LAFTI, Vinoba Ashram, Kuthur - 611105, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu
Phone: 04366-275443, 275540
email: laftitngsm@yahoo.co.in

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Mahavir International
Contact Mr Raj. Phone: 9444274363
Board nos: 044-26660800, 266615600, 52158880