Islamic Society raises $80,000.
By: Elaine Worden
In the midst of roads swamped with seawater and floating debris, millions of people in Southeast Asia and eastern Africa are trying to pick up the pieces of whatever remains of their lives as the threat of hunger and disease steadily increases.
With a death toll nearing 150,000, survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami are in desperate need of supplies. Halfway across the world, South Brunswick mosques, temples, churches, state leaders and schools are coming together to do what they can to help.
Magdy M. Hagag, president of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey on Route 1, said more than 1,000 people from the Muslim community came together last weekend and donated $80,000, after the first announcement of ISCJ relief efforts was made at the Monmouth Junction mosque Friday.
"It actually exceeded my expectation," said Mr. Hagag. He said he thought they would have received an amount somewhere between $15,000 to $20,000.
Not only did the local mosque collect a hefty amount of money, mosques throughout the Central Jersey area raised well over the expected collection amount.
"In fact the Muslim community as a whole has collected a quarter million dollars," said Mr. Hagag.
The ISCJ plans to have an executive board meeting today (Thursday) to discuss which charity organization should receive the money.
The board plans to evaluate three to four charity organizations to make the best decision possible, Mr. Hagag explained.
Mr. Hagag expects relief fund efforts to be spread out over a long period of time.
"This is an ongoing effort that will have to last as long as people need the collection," he said.
Temple Durga Mandir on Route 27, which serves the area Hindu community, also collected donations of both clothing and money over the weekend.
"It went very well. We had an overwhelming response," said Madhu Bhalla, founder member of the temple.
So far, Durga Mandir has raised $2,100. The temple also requested donations of tropical style clothes shorts and T-shirts, and received an outpouring from area residents.
"We had at least 80 to 90 cartons full of clothing," she said.
The temple separated the donations into two loads. The first bunch was sent to Vihara Buddhist Temple in Franklin Park. The second was sent to a port in Newark to be shipped to India, through the Share and Care Foundation of Paramus.
So many people wanted to bring even more clothing donations that Durga Mandir has moved the clothing drive to Vihara Buddhist Temple, which will be accepting any further clothing donations.
However, Durga Mandir is still collecting money for tsunami relief. The donations will be sent to the Indian Council, said Ms. Bhalla.
"It is a situation where you have no control over it, and people are feeling so helpless," said Ms. Bhalla. "We really want to help any way we can."
No one in Ms. Bhalla’s temple lost family members and many are calling relatives living in the affected areas and finding out what they need and what can be done to help.
"People are reaching out and doing whatever they can," she said.
Elsewhere, an additional $15,000 was raised by the Princeton Alliance Church in Plainsboro (formerly of Route 1 in South Brunswick), said church member Helen Baker Cushman.
The money was collected over the course of three services, one Saturday evening and two on Sunday. The money will be sent to the Christian Missionary Alliance headquarters, which has missionaries and churches in 57 countries, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and India.
"People are very concerned," said Ms. Cushman.
Area schools also are working to help raise money, and are brainstorming to come up with ideas to raise money.
The Monmouth Junction School is having a collection for UNICEF. They are having a fifth-grade bake sale during the week of Jan. 17, and the proceeds will go toward relief funds.
Constable School will be donating $1 toward relief funds for every student enrolled. They are also donating $2 a day for each staff member that dresses down.
Area pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pfizer, Novartis and Roche also are helping out, donating money and antibiotics to the affected areas.
These pharmaceutical products will hopefully help curb outbreaks of population-ravaging diseases, such as malaria, according to Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, whose district includes South Brunswick.
Ms. Greenstein and Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Democrat of Franklin, applauded the fund-raising efforts.
"It’s a tragedy of unimaginable proportions," said Ms. Greenstein.
Ms. Greenstein said she has been trying to get New Jersey’s pharmaceutical companies together with Central Jersey’s Southeast Asian population to help gather aid to help those devastated by the tsunami.
"In conjunction with Assemblyman Chivukula, he and I sent a letter out commending the companies on their early actions," said Ms. Greenstein.
Ms. Greenstein also said she would be working to make sure donations get to the right places. The donations would be going through various national and international organizations.
"Our government needs to pay attention over there to make sure that’s happening," she said.
To make a donation to the Durga Mandir Temple, checks should be made out to Durga Mandir and marked PM Relief Fund. Checks may be dropped off at the temple’s donation boxes at 4240 Route 27. Checks may also be sent by mail to: Durga Mandir, P.O. Box 5236, Kendall Park, N.J. 08824.
The Islamic Society of Central Jersey is accepting checks made out to The Islamic Society of Central Jersey. These checks can either be dropped off at the mosque, 4145 Route 1 (at Promenade Boulevard) in Monmouth Junction, or mailed to P.O. Box 628, Monmouth Junction, N.J. 08852.
Families in search of loved ones in the affected areas can call the Red Cross. People with inquiries regarding missing U.S. citizens can call 1-800-407-4747. Inquiries regarding citizens of any other countries can visit www.njredcross.org for more information. To make a donation through the Red Cross, dial 1-800-HELP NOW, or visit wwww.redcross.org.