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Internet helps D&P raise more than $1 million for Pakistan flood relief
September 21, 2010
TORONTO - With the deadline for federal matching funds extended to Oct. 3, the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace has raised more than $1 million for flood victims in Pakistan.Toronto parishes have so far turned in an additional $237,061.11 to ShareLife, the archdiocese's charitable fundraising arm. ShareLife funds will eventually be turned over to Development and Peace, the development arm of the Canadian Catholic bishops that is one of a select group of agencies eligible for federal matching funds.
As of Sept. 20, the Development and Peace total was $1.17 million.
For the first time, more than half the funds committed to Development and Peace came in via the Internet. Donors can contribute directly to Development and Peace appeals at www.devp.org.
Social media such as Facebook and Twitter have helped lead donors to the web site, said Development and Peace executive director Michael Casey.
"It's certainly an indication of a new trend in the immediacy of the new media," Casey said. "Social media has become much more pronounced."
European members of the Caritas Internationalis network of humanitarian agencies have taken their commitment to social media to a new level by joining other major charities in launching a Facebook app for Pakistan flood relief.
The Share If You Care Facebook application contributes 0.15 Euros (20 cents) each time each time a person posts or shares anything via Facebook. The application was launched by Pakistan 12-12, an alliance of Belgian relief organizations including Caritas International, Oxfam and Unicef in Belgium. The app can be downloaded at apps.facebook.com/shareifyoucare.
Initial response was muted "because of the slow onset — it wasn't a dramatic event like an earthquake or something like this," said Casey. "The humanitarian crisis crept up on people."
In Toronto leaders of more than a dozen faiths gathered at St. Michael's Cathedral to pray for Pakistanis caught in the flood.
"This is a Muslim country that is suffering. And in a Christian setting, in a cathedral, we are praying. This is something special," said Toronto Area Interfaith Council president Zulfikarali Kassamali. "The idea is to pray together. There are people who are deeply suffering in Pakistan."
About 20 million people have been affected by the floods, with up to 12 million in need of urgent assistance, according to the United Nations. Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority reported to the UN on Sept. 19 that it has only 20 per cent of the food and 20 per cent of the water it needs to help flood refugees.
The Canadian government has pledged $40.5 million so far.
Raising money among Catholics for a 96-per-cent Muslim nation has not been a problem, said Casey.
"It underscores the real message of humanitarian assistance — it's humanitarian," he said. "It transcends nationalities or religious beliefs or any of those other things. It reinforces the humanitarian, compassionate aspect of our work."