Hello friends, family, community members, and those with the ability to give,

We are asking for your help to support our relatives who have been severely impacted by Typhoon Odette, including those living in villages by the coast and in the path of the typhoon.

On Friday, December 17th, Typhoon Odette made landfall in the Philippines, leaving destruction across its central and southern group of islands. It packed winds of up to 160 miles per hour, toppling electric lines, ripping homes apart, and taking an estimated 300+ lives.(1)(2)

The Philippines has declared a “state of calamity” in affected areas, including areas where our family members live.(3) We are beyond grateful that none of our family members were among those who lost their lives, but children are hurt, homes have been destroyed, and supplies are scarce. We have been in touch with 7 families—28 members in total, 14 of whom are children and 2 elderly—that need immediate assistance to meet basic needs.

We will be sending 100% of your donation directly to them to help cover basic necessities, including:

Our current concerns for them are:

News outlets are beginning to report scarcity-related deaths, including deaths from dehydration.(4) We are addressing the most urgent needs of those we know, including urgent medical care, and we are not asking for more than we have given already, but in truth any donation amount is greatly appreciated and will help tremendously.

An estimated 13 million people have been impacted by Typhoon Odette, including millions in some of the most vulnerable communities in the Philippines.(5) If you prefer instead to donate to an organization, below are additional ways to support those in the Philippines who need help—any assistance is welcome:

Thank you, happy holidays, and stay safe.

The Cunningham Family

Below is the path of Typhoon Odette across the central and southern group of Philippine islands:

Below is damage to family member homes due to the typhoon:

Sources:

(1) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/18/desperate-need-for-water-food-in-typhoon-hit-philippines

(2) https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/21/asia/typhoon-rai-philippines-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html

(3) https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/12/21/state-of-calamity-odette.html

(4) https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/philippines-typhoon-rai-dehydration-deaths-b1980645.html

(5) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59663829