We Filipinos Inc. (a non profit 501c3 organization) in cooperation with Knights of Columbus Council No 11069 of Holy Spirit Parish of Jacksonville, Fl is launching the Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) Disaster Relief Fund Drive to support and help the community-led recovery efforts greatly affected by the Super Typhoon Odette (Rai) in the Philippine Southern Leyte region and neighboring areas.

 

At least 375 people were killed when the Category 5 storm, known locally as Typhoon Odette, hit last Thursday Dec 16 - 17 2021. Another 500 people were injured and at least 56 people are still reported missing. As the strongest tropical storm to impact the Philippines during the year, generating widespread flooding, landslides, and destructive winds, the typhoon affected more than 2.4 million people damaging and destroyed tens of thousands of houses and caused extensive power and telecommunication outages.

Survivors’ needs vary greatly throughout the life cycle of recovery. Some will require financial support, medical care, and psychological assistance years down the road. Cash is the best way to help people in need during a natural disaster like Super Typhoon Rai.

 

We will be selecting a few communities as Direct Beneficiaries of this Fund Drive so that it will have a measurable and quantifiable impact.  Similar to ADOPT A FISHING VILLAGE Program we have done at Super Typhoon HAIYAN we will be helping REBUILD LIVELIHOOD of a designated community greatly affected by the Super Typhoon Odette (Rai). We plan to donate motorized fishing boats and assist micro-business recovery to food vendors, livestock raising, vegetable and other micro-business.

 

To ensure transparency and have a verifiable report on the actual Beneficiaries, we are working directly with a locally based faith-based organization namely the Knights of Columbus local Council in San Francisco, Southern Leyte to send us report with photo update. We are also sending of our representative to the actual village recipient.