relief Archives - Good News!

EXTREME DISASTERS CREATE CONTINUOUS NEED FOR RED CROSS AID

Austin Tang — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:52:35 +0000

Listen to “EXTREME DISASTERS CREATE CONTINUOUS NEED FOR RED CROSS AID” on Spreaker.

The first 50 days of 2025 have set a whirlwind pace as American Red Cross volunteers have responded to more big disasters than days so far this year — including record wildfires in southern California and devastating floods in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. This comes on the heels of 2024, which saw the second-highest number of billion-dollar disasters in a single year marked by extreme events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton.¹

In the face of these trends that have upended thousands of lives, Red Cross volunteers are now responding to nearly twice as many major disasters than a decade ago — and relying on generous donations to be able to deliver emergency shelter, food, relief supplies, financial assistance and more.

These major disasters are also taking a hidden toll on communities and exacerbating people’s long-term health problems. That’s why the Red Cross makes sure that people have access to basic health care and emotional support at emergency shelters after disasters. This can include helping to replace lost prescription medications and medical equipment.

What’s more, these massive events are on top of everyday crises like home fires and storms — which are just as devastating to the families suffering from them. All told, generous donations make it possible for Red Cross volunteers to respond every 8 minutes to help families in need across the country.

Anne McKeough, chief development officer, American Red Cross, will discuss these disaster trends and how donations fuel the organization’s response to help ensure no one faces a crisis alone. She’ll also talk about how people can get involved by giving donations to help people affected by disasters big and small.

#RedCross #GivingDay

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Snow

Austin Tang — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 17:57:17 +0000

Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.^[2] It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout its life cycle, starting when, under suitable conditions, the ice crystals form in the atmosphere, increase to millimeter size, precipitate and accumulate on surfaces, then metamorphose in place, and ultimately melt, slide or sublimate away.

Snowstorms organize and develop by feeding on sources of atmospheric moisture and cold air. Snowflakes nucleate around particles in the atmosphere by attracting supercooled water droplets, which freeze in hexagonal-shaped crystals. Snowflakes take on a variety of shapes, basic among these are platelets, needles, columns and rime. As snow accumulates into a snowpack, it may blow into drifts. Over time, accumulated snow metamorphoses, by sintering, sublimation and freeze-thaw. Where the climate is cold enough for year-to-year accumulation, a glacier may form. Otherwise, snow typically melts seasonally, causing runoff into streams and rivers and recharging groundwater.

Major snow-prone areas include the polar regions, the northernmost half of the Northern Hemisphere and mountainous regions worldwide with sufficient moisture and cold temperatures. In the Southern Hemisphere, snow is confined primarily to mountainous areas, apart from Antarctica.^[3]

Snow affects such human activities as transportation: creating the need for keeping roadways, wings, and windows clear; agriculture: providing water to crops and safeguarding livestock; sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowmachine travel; and warfare. Snow affects ecosystems, as well, by providing an insulating layer during winter under which plants and animals are able to survive the cold.^[1]

Precipitation

Snow develops in clouds that themselves are part of a larger weather system. The physics of snow crystal development in clouds results from a complex set of variables that include moisture content and temperatures. The resulting shapes of the falling and fallen crystals can be classified into a number of basic shapes and combinations thereof. Occasionally, some plate-like, dendritic and stellar-shaped snowflakes can form under clear sky with a very cold temperature inversion present.^[4]

Cloud formation

Snow clouds usually occur in the context of larger weather systems, the most important of which is the low-pressure area, which typically incorporate warm and cold fronts as part of their circulation. Two additional and locally productive sources of snow are lake-effect (also sea-effect) storms and elevation effects, especially in mountains.

Low-pressure areas

Mid-latitude cyclones are low-pressure areas which are capable of producing anything from cloudiness and mild snow storms to heavy blizzards.^[5] During a hemisphere’s fall, winter, and spring, the atmosphere over continents can be cold enough through the depth of the troposphere to cause snowfall. In the Northern Hemisphere, the northern side of the low-pressure area produces the most snow.^[6] For the southern mid-latitudes, the side of a cyclone that produces the most snow is the southern side.

Fronts

A cold front, the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, can produce frontal snowsqualls—an intense frontal convective line (similar to a rainband), when temperature is near freezing at the surface. The strong convection that develops has enough moisture to produce whiteout conditions at places which the line passes over as the wind causes intense blowing snow.^[7] This type of snowsquall generally lasts less than 30 minutes at any point along its path, but the motion of the line can cover large distances. Frontal squalls may form a short distance ahead of the surface cold front or behind the cold front where there may be a deepening low-pressure system or a series of trough lines which act similar to a traditional cold frontal passage. In situations where squalls develop post-frontally, it is not unusual to have two or three linear squall bands pass in rapid succession separated only by 25 miles (40 kilometers), with each passing the same point roughly 30 minutes apart. In cases where there is a large amount of vertical growth and mixing, the squall may develop embedded cumulonimbus clouds resulting in lightning and thunder which is dubbed thundersnow.

A warm front can produce snow for a period as warm, moist air overrides below-freezing air and creates precipitation at the boundary. Often, snow transitions to rain in the warm sector behind the front.^[7]

Lake and ocean effects

Main article: Lake-effect snow

Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water, warming the lower layer of air which picks up water vapor from the lake, rises up through the colder air above, freezes, and is deposited on the leeward (downwind) shores.^[8]^[9]

The same effect occurring over bodies of salt water is termed ocean-effect or bay-effect snow. The effect is enhanced when the moving air mass is uplifted by the orographic influence of higher elevations on the downwind shores. This uplifting can produce narrow but very intense bands of precipitation which may deposit at a rate of many inches of snow each hour, often resulting in a large amount of total snowfall.^[10]

The areas affected by lake-effect snow are called snowbelts. These include areas east of the Great Lakes, the west coasts of northern Japan, the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, and areas near the Great Salt Lake, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Baltic Sea, and parts of the northern Atlantic Ocean.^[11]

Mountain effects

Orographic or relief snowfall is created when moist air is forced up the windward side of mountain ranges by a large-scale wind flow. The lifting of moist air up the side of a mountain range results in adiabatic cooling, and ultimately condensation and precipitation. Moisture is gradually removed from the air by this process, leaving drier and warmer air on the descending, or leeward, side.^[12] The resulting enhanced snowfall,^[13] along with the decrease in temperature with elevation,^[14] combine to increase snow depth and seasonal persistence of snowpack in snow-prone areas.^[1]^[15]

Mountain waves have also been found to help enhance precipitation amounts downwind of mountain ranges by enhancing the lift needed for condensation and precipitation.^[16]

for more info, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow

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Natl. Pet Month- Coping with Loss of Precious Pet

Austin Tang — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:29:51 +0000

Listen to “Natl. Pet Month- Coping with Loss of Precious Pet” on Spreaker.

Here’s the link for easy reference: https://worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/pet-ownership-statistics/

Linking back will not only supports our organizational cause but also aids the trust of your readers. Please let us know once the link is in place.

Thank you for understanding and for your cooperation.

Warm regards,

Davin Trent,

Outreach Manager
World Animal Foundation

www.animaltalksinc.com For anyone who has ever dealt with the loss of a pet, the grief can be overwhelming. The animal-human bond is immense during their lifetime but for many, trying to find resources for relief after the fact can be daunting.

According to data from the World Animal Foundation, 70% of households in the U.S. (90.5 million) owned a pet in 2022, as compared to 56% in 1988. These pet owners might share 15 to 20 years with their animal – be it a dog, cat, bird, rabbit or otherwise – and may even be around them 24 hours a day.

The absence caused by their death is what led Reverend Kaleel Sakakeeny, an animal chaplain, to create the nonprofit organization Animal Talks, which offers grief counseling to those in mourning.

With more humans than ever owning a pet, a story on how to cope with loss of one may be of interest to your audience. Reverend Sakakeeny can discuss more including:

· The different stages of grieving that pet owners may experience
· How an animal’s death can compare to that of a human’s in our lives
· What can happen if we do not grieve the death of a pet properly
· How to decide if one-on-one grief counseling is right for you

#nationalpetmonth #reverendkaleelsakakeeny #animaltalks #humananimal #pets #lossoflife

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2024 HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME DISASTERS TO UPEND LIVES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE U.S.

Austin Tang — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 15:29:19 +0000

Listen to “2024 HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME DISASTERS TO UPEND LIVES AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE U.S.” on Spreaker.

THIS IS PART OF A GROWING TREND AFFECTING FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MORE FREQUENT AND INTENSE DISASTERS EVERY YEAR. THIS SPRING, FORECASTERS PREDICT ABOVE-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERN STATES FROM COAST TO COAST, WHILE FAMILIES OUT WEST COULD FACE DRIER CONDITIONS AND THOSE IN THE EAST MAY SEE HIGHER RAINFALL.

HERE NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE DISASTER OUTLOOK FOR THIS SPRING AND HOW THE RED CROSS IS PREPARING TO HELP, IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN RED CROSS DISASTER PROGRAMS, JENNIFER PIPA.

Website for more information: WWW.RedCross.org

BIO:

Bio:
Jennifer Pipa is Vice President of Disaster Programs for the American Red Cross. Prior to this role, Pipa served as CEO of Georgia’s Red Cross – serving more than 10 million people across all five lives of Red Cross service in 159 counties. Pipa previously served as the Regional Executive for the Red Cross of Central Florida.

#americanredcross #redcross #jenniferpipa #unitedstates #disasterrelief

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MONEYWATCH New York City looks to clear $2 billion in unpaid medical bills for 500,000

Austin Tang — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:21:24 +0000

By Kate Gibson

New York City will purchase millions of dollars of medical debt and then erase it in effort to help as many as 500,000 residents, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday.

The program involves partnering with a nonprofit organization, RIP Medical Debt, that buys unpaid medical debt from hospitals at a steep discount and then clears it. The city will invest $18 million to relieve more than $2 billion in medical debt for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, Adams said.

Affected New Yorkers will be notified that their medical debt has been relieved, as there is no application process for the one-time debt relief program, which will launch early this year and run for three years.

“No one chooses to go into medical debt — if you’re sick or injured, you need to seek care. But no New Yorker should have to choose between paying rent or for other essentials and paying off their medical debt,” Adams said in a statement.

The program is aimed at New Yorkers whose unpaid medical bills are at least 5% of their annual household income or those in households with an income under four times the federal poverty line, which is $31,200 for a family of four.

Medical debt is the single-largest cause of bankruptcy in the United States, and disproportionately affects low-income Americans and those without health insurance or who are underinsured.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul in December signed legislation that bars health care professionals and ambulances from reporting medical debt to credit agencies.

A New York charity started in 2014, RIP Medical has abolished more than $10.4 billion in medical debt for more than 7 million people since its inception, according to its website.

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Marchello Padilla Sings Tonight 8/26/20 9PM EST on Facebook his way into your heart at auditions

Austin Tang — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:05:38 +0000

https://www.facebook.com/marcello.padilla/videos/10157547974808549

www.marcellopadilla.com

https://www.facebook.com/paul.sladkus/videos/10164405766140392/

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 AT 5 PM – 9 PM PDT
Singing in Solitude: Hot as Hell!
Details
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 5 PM – 9 PM PDT
Public · Hosted by SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund, Tiffany Ho and 2 others
Online Event
Come join us for our next benefit concert this Wednesday August 26th, HOT AS HELL! Donations made throughout the concert will go to the SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund and 10% will be given to Border Angels!
BORDER ANGELS is a non-profit organization that advocates “for human rights, humane immigration reform, and social justice.” To learn more, visit their site at https://www.borderangels.org/
STARRING:
~Audrey Pennington~ 5 p.m.
Pulled – The Addams Family
Perfect – Edges
Screw Loose – Cry-Baby
Taylor the Latte Boy

~Marcello Padilla~ 6 p.m.
I Am Aldolpho – The Drowsy Chaperone
Disaster – Drew Gasparini
It All Fades Away – Bridges of Madison County
If I Loved You – Carousel
Too Good at Goodbyes – Sam Smith
The Impossible Dream – Man of La Mancha
U Move, I Move – John Legend

~Lettrice Lawrence~ 7 p.m.
Under The Boardwalk
The Glory of Love
Wind Beneath My Wings
Lonely by: Lettrice Lawrence

~Rachel Stoughton~ 8 p.m.
“Ouvre ton coeur” – Bizet
“Extase” – Duparc
“Il est doux, il est bon” – Massenet
“I want Magic” – Previn
“St. Ita’s Vision” – Barber
“Simple Song” – Bernstein
—
The Singing in Solitude benefit concert series is presented by SoCal Vocalist Relief Fund. Click the link to learn more about our fundraiser and to donate: https://www.facebook.com/donate/366064624381305/

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As Iran Hits 25M COVID Cases, A U.S. Nonprofit Fights Sanctions to Help With Food & Medicine

Austin Tang — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 23:00:16 +0000

http://goodnewsplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/bobak_1.mp3
There’s a much shorter highlight reel here as well:
http://goodnewsplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Hunger-Relief-HIGHLIGHTS-Moms-Against-Poverty-Fundraiser-w-Maz-Jobrani-Andy-Brian-Cox-and-m.mp3
Bobak Bakhtiari, Board Member.

I’m following up my email last week, after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani declared over 25 million Iranians have contracted COVID, to bring your attention to a U.S. based organization aiding relief efforts both here and in Iran. I’m hoping you’ll take interest in this story as a standalone focus, orin tapping into the organization’s leadership for commentary on this or other related affairs.

Moms Against Poverty (MAP) is a global non-profit organization, founded in 2008 in San Francisco as a volunteer-based nonprofit organization to nurture and educate underprivileged children. In 2020, MAP is working diligently to aid children and the poor impacted by COVID-19. They are active in helping U.S. families,having provided over 50,000 meals in 2020 alone for families from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. but are also currently one of the only U.S. based charities able to provide aid to Iran.

In regards to Iranian humanitarian efforts, the decades-long political stalemate, and severe sanctions / banking restrictions imposed by the U.S., inhibit availability of medical equipment to stem the coronavirus’ effects. Support is desperately needed for the most vulnerable of the populace.

This year alone, MAP has supported over 200,000 children and their families in Iran by providing 27 ventilators, 7 ECGs, 6 radiography machines, 3 oxygen machines, 150 oxygen tanks and tens of thousands of various forms of critical PPEs, including isolation clothing, surgical gowns, masks,and face shields. Beyond hospital support, MAP also donated PPEs, disinfectants and surface cleaners to public orphanages and homeless shelters in Iran.

While this is an accomplishment that tackles the first phase of the pandemic, to alleviate the ever-increasing economic impact of COVID-19, MAP has transitioned their effort to hunger relief in Iran. They recently distributed food packets including groceries such as meat, rice and more to 2000 families. Additionally,MAP has launched a bread project where families in Iran receive bread for a month. MAP also have had a disaster relief NGO arm, operating in Iran since 2010. Recently their funds ceiling quota was tripled by OFAC, allowing them to do even more work. More information on the organization’s efforts is in their mid-year report, here.

While there is brinksmanship ongoing between the U.S. and Iran, the suffering of innocents due to COVID is something that should be addressed and helped at all costs.

#iran #covid #nonprofit #fights #sanctions #help #food #medicine #bobak #cyrus #bakhtiari #rouhani #hassan #president #aiding #relief #moms #against #poverty #map #coronavirus #effects #support #families #ppe #ventilators #oxygen #shelters #hospital #humanitarian

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Support UNICEF USA’s Hurricane Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico

admin — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 14:44:52 +0000

Puerto Rico is in a state of crisis. In the wake of Hurricane Maria, mass flooding and destruction have put children throughout the island at risk.

The governor has warned that this is “the worst hurricane in a century,” and that rebuilding will be a tremendously difficult undertaking.

UNICEF USA is mobilizing to get immediate, critical support — Emergency Relief Kits — to the children of Puerto Rico.

A donation of just $28 will provide a kit containing basic, essential supplies such as water purification tablets, a water bucket with lid, water containers, soap, toothpaste, detergent and sanitary pads. The supplies will help children and their families keep clean and healthy, protecting them from diseases that can occur after the loss of equipment and infrastructure and the disruption of a safe water supply.

UNICEF is a global leader in emergency response, last year reaching children in 344 humanitarian emergencies across 108 countries. We stand ready to provide aid before, during and after a crisis.

90% of every dollar spent goes directly to helping children.

www.unicefusa.org/Hurricane/Donations

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12-12-12 The Movie – Good News experienced the movie and the event.

admin — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 17:27:13 +0000

“121212 was a perfect event and the movie captures the essence of the intention of the event, people helping people when there is a need, in this case the Sandy Crisis. Thank you 121212, Paul Sladkus, Founder, www.goodnewsplanet.com .” Go to www.robinhood.org to donate for those who are still suffering from Sandy. www.121212concert.org

Release Date: Friday, November 15, 2013 in New York and Los Angeles

Synopsis: On December 12, 2012, some of entertainment’s most iconic names came together at Madison Square Garden for a historic concert to benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy. 12-12-12 captures the unprecedented gathering of talent who turned up on stage and behind the scenes to raise over $50 million in one night for the Robin Hood Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund to support organizations helping victims in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The evening’s Emmy Award-nominated telecast included performances by some of the music industry’s legendary acts: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Roger Waters, Eddie Vedder, Chris Martin, Michael Stipe, Adam Sandler, Eric Clapton, Jon Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Kanye West and included involvement from entertainment and media elite such as Billy Crystal, Susan Sarandon, Paul Shaffer, Brian Williams, Kristen Stewart, Jon Stewart, Chelsea Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Sean Combs, Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi, Chris Rock, Seth Meyers, Jake Gyllenhaal, Blake Lively, Katie Holmes, Jason Sudekis, Jamie Foxx, Quentin Tarantino, and Christoph Waltz on this historic night.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/121212concert
Twitter: @121212Concert

About the Robin Hood Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund

Founded in 1988, Robin Hood is New York’s largest poverty-fighting organization, and has focused on finding, funding and creating programs and schools that generate meaningful results for families in New York’s poorest neighborhoods. The Robin Hood Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund has granted over $71 million to organizations throughout New York’s tri-state region that help individuals and families recover from the devastating effects of the storm. In addition, Robin Hood’s board of directors pays all administrative, fundraising and evaluation costs, so 100% of your donation goes directly to organizations helping victims of Hurricane Sandy rebuild their lives.

Distributor: The Weinstein Company

Directed by: Amir Bar-Lev and Charlie Lightening

Produced by: Meghan O’Hara

Executive Produced by: Paul McCartney and Scott Rodger

Sound: Tom Efinger

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Team J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) in The Long Run for Haiti campaign

admin — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 19:12:34 +0000

WHAT: J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO) is proud to sponsor five elite Haitian athletes in support of the The Long Run for Haiti campaign on CrowdRise. These Haitian marathon runners join Team J/P HRO to run the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3, 2013. www.crowdrise.com/TheLongRunForHaiti

WHO: Five Haitian marathon runners on Team J/P HRO, including: Astrel Clovis (43), Pétrus Césarion (31), Jean Macksony (27), Bertine Lainé (31) and Carline Lamour (21).

Each of these gifted athletes have compelling and inspiring stories and will be making their very first visits to the United States of America. The Marathon affords these runners the opportunity to compete on an international stage.

*EACH RUNNER WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PRINT AND / OR BROADCAST INTERVIEWS*

TENTATIVE AVAILABILITIES:

Wednesday, October 30^th 1:00 – 4:00pm

Thursday, October 31^st 9:00 – 10:45am / 3:00 – 4:00pm

Friday, November 1^st 9:00 – 11:00am / 3:00 – 4:00pm

Saturday, November 2^nd 9:00am – 2:00pm

AVAILABLE MATERIALS:

Video Introductions to the Runners can be found at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/JPHROHaitianRelief

For runner bios and photos solo and with CEO Sean Penn:

HOST: ftp.rubenstein.com

USERNAME: JPHRO (case sensitive)

PASSWORD: press (case sensitive)

PRESS CONTACTS:

Chris Kanarick 212.334.0333 CKanarick@id-pr.com

Tahra Grant 212.843.9213 tgrant@rubenstein.com

Megan Duzi 212.843.9354 mduzi@rubenstein.com

ABOUT J/P HAITIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATION

J/P Haitian Relief Organization is dedicated to saving lives and bringing sustainable programs to the Haitian people quickly and effectively. Following the tragic earthquake of 2010, J/P HRO began working immediately to make a meaningful and lasting impact in Haiti. The goal of J/P HRO is to support the residents of the camps we manage and surrounding areas transition from life left homeless by the earthquake to durable, sustainable, and prosperous communities. J/P HRO has implemented its mission through four integrated programs: Medical, Camp & Relocations Management, Engineering & Construction, and Community Development. We work with the support of and in collaboration with local and national government leaders, community based organizations, other international NGOs, UN agencies, donors and—most importantly—the community members themselves. More information can be found at www.jphro.org. You can follow J/P HRO on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/JPHRO and on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/JPHRO, add J/P HRO to your Google+ circles at http://bit.ly/jphroplus, and find J/P HRO on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JPHRO.

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