How You Can Help L’Aquila & the Little Mountain Villages
For an update & 4 ways on April 6 2010 how you can help please click here
Sadly, since the L’Aquila earthquake struck in the early hours of Monday the death toll has now risen to 294. The number of homeless people in tent city who haven’t been given a hotel room or have been unable to find family & friends to stay with stands at 17,000, there are another 1000 who are in the make-shift field hospitals. If you are looking to help the people of L’Aquila and the little hill villages where a lot of the elderly live these are the quickest ways to help those most affected by L’Aquila’s earthquake.
Online Donations – Quick & Secure
Red Cross - The Italian Red Cross (CRI) have already requested help for those affected by the L’Aquila earthquake. If you would like to help and make an online donation to assist the victims of L’Aquila’s earthquake please click on the links below – to the UK Red Cross & US/Canada Red Cross, both forms are in English.
UK - http://www.redcross.org.uk/donatesection.asp?id=93852&entrypoint=37220_mainItaly
Northern America – https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=514161456&df_id=1094&1094.donation=form1&s_subsrc=RCO_link
NIAF - The National Italian American Foundation have created a Abruzzo Relief Fund & their online donation form is in English. Again here you can make a fast & easy online donation to assist in helping L’Aquila now and rebuild their lives, it’s tax free for those in the US.
https://www.niaf.org/relief/Relief_info.asp
The Slow Food Movement – The Slow Food Movement have set up a dedicated appeal to ensure that no one goes hungry in the surrounding mountain areas of L’Aquila. Many of those affected in the little hill villages are ‘farmers’, not of great arable plains but what would be termed outside Abruzzo as subsistence farmers. They are going to desperately need our help in order to not go hungry over the coming months. Their form is in Italian so for non Italian speakers we suggest you donate using Global Giving, the form is in English but it goes directly to the Slow Food Movement.
Global Giving for Abruzzo – http://www.globalgiving.co.uk/pr/2700/proj2695a.html
Volunteering
Co-ordinating Website – The Abruzzo Co-ordination Emergency Website (Co-ordinamento SV Abruzzo) - http://www.abruzzocsv.org/sito/index.html. It is in Italian, but can easily be translated via Google, if you click on the link it will automatically do that for you. I think it is being pounded so please be patient it does seem to sometimes go down. But it lists all the areas to help with, gives the latest news.
Civil Defence Volunteers – These are providing food, hospitality and co-ordinating support. Telephone: the Pescara number – +0039 085 2057631 if you can help. If you don’t speak Italian best wait for 48 hours, alternatively you can email them using this form
Offering Accommodation
There are approximately 17,000 homeless & although its Spring, we are talking high altitude & mountains – its COLD at night – if you have a second home nearby to L’Aquila, anywhere in which all these people can sleep, please contact the Civil Defence number above or the UDU (it’s the university network) -organizzaizone@udu.it. or telephone +0039 06.43411763.
Give Blood
There are a huge number of casualties who require transfusions, if you are in Italy please do go along to your nearest hospital or blood bank to donate blood – it costs nothing. Here is a link to where you can go to do this if you are not sure.
After living in Abruzzo for the last 4 years I would say that my Abruzzi neighbours and friends are some of the most compassionate & generous people I know, if you can and I know it’s tough for everyone at the moment please give generously to assist them in rebuilding their lives.
Image courtesy of Raffaella Del Biondo
Sammy Dunham is a web marketing consultant, designing websites & writing copy to optimise web presence for her clients at 
Ah bluetit in Italian, cinciallegra:it's this wk's flick friday by Giovanni, don't forget feed them in Abruzzo whiteout 
12 Responses to “Donate & Help L’Aquila Earthquake Victims”
Barbara Porreca-Knec said on April 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Hello,
I am from America. Both my mother's parents were from L'Aquila. Their names were Porreca and Piccone. I am worried if there are any victims among my family.
I will be donating to my local TD Bank who has set up a fund in my area.
Best regards,
Barbara Porreca-Knecht
Hi Barbara
None of those names are on the official list thankfully.
Linda Fagan-Hos said on April 10th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
We would like to offer shelter to 2 people. We have a house near Amandola, Le Marche.
We can offer a comfortable room, own bathroom and food to some couple in need not to mention comfort and moral support.
kisley said on April 10th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
FOR BARBARA
Hi Barbara I am Kisley, nobody who is dead was found with the name you mentioned in your post.
FOR LINDA
Hey Linda, how is it going, if you want I can post your adv on my facebook profile but you need to give me your email so people can get in touch with you.
TNX FOR HELPING, LOTS OF LOVE, k.
Marijana said on April 10th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
hello,
Im so sorry for whats happening now in italy.
I saw on the net child named Mirko,which lost both his parents, and I would like to se if there is anything that I can do for him. I dont have accommodation near L'Aquila, since I am in Montenegro, Kotor, but I would like to invite him to stay here as long as he need.
That is Mirko
http://img24.imageshack.us/my.php?image=getslikao...
Thank you,
Marijana
It's a tragedy about Mirko I have read about him losing his mother, I just hope soon a family member arrives to look after him
Janet Riben said on April 10th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Hi to you all that are doing such a wonderful job keeping us posted and giving us ideas of how to help. We bought a house in Tussillo/Villa san Angelo and this village has suffered terribly with 3 of 4 houses destroyed we are told. We are very distressed about the situation and are trying to keep up with the news and find a way to help. We are donating money to Italian Red Cross but are also hoping to organize a benefit in Stockholm. Trying to round up a team of people ready to help with this effort. Already have some enthusiastic people but have to wait until after Easter weekend to really get into action – so many are away. Also hoping to give hands on help with specific duties once the towns are open again. But then of course there is no place to stay. How does one solve that problem? Sleep in car? At my age that's not easy! Towns are now blocked off to all but authorized people.
I think it is fantastic that you offer this info-center. Thanks so much. Janet
kisley said on April 11th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Hiya Janet
How are you doing? I am from Teramo, a little town just 45 minutes driving away from L'Aquila. At moment I am living in Montreal, so far away from my land, my family and friends. I am so sad, I can not do anything for my people, that so sad for me. I have been in touch with my family since monday. From what I have been told at moment there is not need of physical prompt and help, which will be required in the future I think. Please let me know what your organisation is thinking to do and I'll try to do my best to make you get in touch with someone who can give you more info.
IT IS SO AMAZING TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD, I NEARLY CRY EVERYTIME I READ SOME OF YOUR POSTS. THIS SHOWS US WE ARE NOT ALONE. PROUD OF COMING FROM ABRUZZO – KISLEY -
Maria Longo said on April 11th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I would like to know a secure address that I can send my donation (100%) to all the victims. I have set up a donation box inside an Italian Bakery, so hopefully we will be able to donate much needed fund for the victims in L'Aquila. May God Bless all of you and I hope to hear from someone soon. Thank you for your time.
"Hi Maria
Please let everybody know the name of your bakery and town please, then if anyone doesn't want to make an online donation from your town they can pop by and see you, sometimes people don't feel secure doing online donations or are not in a financial situation themselves with debit or credit cards. At the moment we advise The Red Cross or Slow Food Movement. I would say wait a week and let's hear the real long-term plans of both and which serves the greatest number of people. We will add in our two-pennies worth for what its worth"
Joshua Lawrence said on April 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Thank you for all this information and your help setting up the Facebook page with information for people there to donate.
All the best.
Joshua
Laura Jones said on May 21st, 2009 at 12:05 am
I have been unable to contact a friend who I think may have had relatives in the earthquake zone. I have been unable to find a list of victims names. Can you help? The family surname is Cinti.
Nicole said on July 10th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
hello from America, my family came from Pescocostanzo (Marino and DePetris). we donated through the red cross but know that we still keep the entire area in our thoughts and prayers and in hopes that you will continue to get the help you need.
jean latter said on August 15th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I'm a semi retired American lady who lived in Italy some years ago. I have taught English as a Second Language and was the director of a school of religious education. I would like to volunteer my time to teach and care for the Abruzzesi children. If anyone knows of an organization that can use my help starting early next year, please let me know. Thank you. Jean Latter
The Holy Trinity - Discussions on My Three Guilty Pleasures: Tobacco, Wine and Food » Blog Archive » First Anniversary of the L’Aquila Earthquake said on April 6th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
[...] American Foundation (NIAF) or any other venues listed on my friend Sammy Dunham’s website, Life in Abruzzo. Also on her site is a heart-breaking letter from the extremely articulate Sofia Lawrence, who at 12 [...]
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