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giegs
climber
Tardistan
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 29, 2015 - 03:18pm PT
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I don't post here much, but I know a few folks here and imagine there might be some interest in helping out from the community. Spread the word and feel free to get in touch with me directly if you'd like to help out.
American Conservation Experience (ACE) is appealing for help for the victims of the Nepalese Earthquake. In collaboration with an environmental NGO in Kathmandu called Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA), we are reaching out to our followers and partners in the conservation industry to address a very specific need for tents. ECCA approached ACE in a direct appeal and their efforts are targeted and local. http://www.usaconservation.org/nepal-tent-drive/
Hundreds of thousands of Nepalese, including untold numbers of children, are homeless. A medical team will be departing San Francisco between May 6th and 10th and has special allowance from the airline to transport 200 tents. Subsequent flights are being arranged, and the need for shelter will persist for many months and through the winter, so there is really no limit to the number of tents that are desperately needed and that can be distributed.
Any tent in good repair is needed, For more details about this campaign and how and where to donate please visit http://www.usaconservation.org/nepal-tent-drive/ and please distribute this message.
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rockermike
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Apr 29, 2015 - 05:43pm PT
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Bump for tents.
I've got close to ten tents back home in storage. But I'm out of the country and no way to get at them. Sounds like a practical way to help.
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Happiegrrrl2
Trad climber
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Apr 29, 2015 - 07:05pm PT
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Bump for tent donations!
I remember when there was a call for tents after the Haiti earthquake, and many of us sent them. I was very fortunate indeed that the people who transported the tents were able to even have a picture of the family who had received the one I sent. To this day my heart is touched, remembering the face of that woman. They told me that a family of 5 were calling that tent home.
And -- if you can - consider sending a new, in-package, tent if possible. Yes, it is a bit of a cost, but to have something new of your own, when you've lost so much, could be something that helps a person shoulder on.
A good place to get tents is http://www.Campmor.com. They have so many different brands/sizes/price points, and can ship it directly to the people organizing the drive.
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crankster
Trad climber
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Apr 29, 2015 - 07:06pm PT
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Thanks...great idea!
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giegs
climber
Flagstaff, Arizona
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2015 - 09:22am PT
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Awesome, thanks for the support!
It's great if anyone is willing to buy new tents to send over. That's way more than we're asking for. Mostly we're hoping that we have enough connections in the outdoor community to people who have gear they don't need/use anymore or are looking for an excuse to get themselves a new tent. Regardless, anything is greatly appreciated.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel or a tr
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Apr 30, 2015 - 09:25am PT
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Please if you can make what ever donation you can. Time is critical and these wonderful people are in a tragic fight for survival.
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saa
Social climber
sadly, far away from yos and josh
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Apr 30, 2015 - 09:46am PT
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Dear all,
Are there any major tent and sleeping bag makers who ask for donations for direct shipping of their gear? This would cut multi steps, and increase time efficiency.
Or is it most cost and time efficient to send money to Red Cross, Unicef, etc.?
Anyone has data on the fastest, most help on the buck, best deployment, etc?
Thanks, and bump, for sure.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel or a tr
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Apr 30, 2015 - 10:12am PT
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If you're thinking about making a donation to help Nepal in the wake of the devastating earthquake, now is the time to act.
Immediate aid is essential, says Center for Global Development fellow Vijaya Ramachandran, who has drawn her conclusions from looking at the earthquake in Haiti and other disasters. "The aid that comes in within the first weeks and even months is of a life-saving nature. That's the period when the local capacity is almost zero. So outside help is really important."
And while aid from the U.S. and around the world is coming in, that does not negate the need for additional help. Nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations can allocate their funds more flexibly, to react to immediate or unforeseen needs on the ground, says Julien Schopp, director of humanitarian practice at InterAction, a coalition of aid groups.
But the sheer number of organizations appealing for funds can be overwhelming. Here's a guide for the bewildered do-gooder.
Check out the charity. To begin with, look at the organization website and see if has a specific page for its Nepal efforts, says Schopp. If it does not, he says, "then the organization is not mandated to spend money there." Pursue further due diligence about an organization's track record at such websites as Charity Navigator and Guidestar. The Better Business Bureau has released a list of charities that are providing aid to Nepal and also meet the BBB's accountability standards.
Look at the organization's presence in Nepal. Make sure the organization has worked in Nepal and has people on the ground there, has relationships with the government and community — and has experience responding to natural disasters. "This isn't rookie camp," says Gary Shaye, senior director of humanitarian operations for Save the Children. "It's not a place to break people in." For an agency to set up shop in Nepal in the wake of the quake would almost certainly mean high overhead costs and a lack of familiarity with the country. So efforts by newbies, no matter how well-intentioned, could be less effective than promised in their pitch.
Follow the money. It goes without saying but it's still worth saying: Beware of appeals that ask you to send money directly to a personal bank account, which can happen not only in email solicitations but in social media campaigns. Don't by shy about asking questions. "Somebody writing a check should feel it is absolutely their right to know where this money is going and how it is going to be spent," says Ramachandran. If the website does not provide sufficient information, email or call. "Think of this as a considered purchase," says Shaye of Save the Children. And always ask for a receipt.
You can target funds for a particular purpose. Consider if you want your donation to go to a specific purpose in the immediate crisis — or in the rebuilding to come. The dropdown menu at InterAction's Nepal webpage will direct you to organizations in a number of areas: medical assistance, food aid, supplies for shelter, to name a few.
Don't pack up gently used clothes or other donations. "That's the worst thing to do," says Schopp. What you want to send may not be needed. Transportation to Nepal is iffy and cargo space limited. And if relief agencies buy local goods rather than relying on handouts, that will help the economy gain strength.
Related NPR Stories
A 10-Year-Old's View Of The Nepal Earthquake April 28, 2015
Remote Villages In Nepal Wait For Aid April 28, 2015
How American Tech Giants Are Stepping In To Help Nepal April 28, 2015
Be patient. The situation in Nepal is chaotic. Aid efforts haven't yet reached remote areas. "It's easy to put a journalist in front of rubble saying no one's doing anything," says Schopp. But that doesn't mean donations aren't being put to use. In Nepal, as with natural disasters in the past, getting aid and supplies to the right places doesn't happen overnight: "It takes a few days to really kick into gear."
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philo
Trad climber
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel or a tr
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Apr 30, 2015 - 02:19pm PT
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Bump
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Apr 30, 2015 - 04:04pm PT
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Any tent in good repair is needed,
giegs, what if they're a bit weak, or have a busted zipper and such? I've got a couple I could donate but can't advertise them has high alpine 4 season or anything.
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giegs
climber
Flagstaff, Arizona
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2015 - 05:05pm PT
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I trust your judgement on whether or not it would be worthwhile/appreciated, nature. We want to avoid collecting a bunch of junk but used gear is going to have some quirks. If it functions as a tent and keeps the weather out I'm all for it. I'd stay away from anything that's outright broken though.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel or a tr
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Apr 30, 2015 - 06:41pm PT
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This is more important than what song you are listening to.
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philo
Trad climber
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel or a tr
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Apr 30, 2015 - 07:58pm PT
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bump
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seankenny
Trad climber
London, England
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Rather than buy a new tent and send it over, it's better to give money directly to an aid agency working in Nepal. Your money goes further if it's buying a tent in-country, where the influx of money will help stimulate the economy. Money won't get wasted in shipping costs and it will be a tent chosen by someone who has worked in disaster response and knows what works and what doesn't (well, at least in theory). Your tent, if sent over, might just get stuck in transit somewhere and not make it out to where it's needed in time. And because it's not standardised, the aid organisation has to unpack it, assess what it will do and give it to the right people - a two person tent isn't much use for a family of five, for instance.
All the suggestions above for finding a reputable place are good.
Full disclosure: I work as a consultant in the humanitarian aid sector.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Hooray. I've got like ten tents more than I need. Now I know what to do with them.
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