OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City held a benefit breakfast on Saturday morning to raise money and collect basic supplies for Filipino residents hit by Typhoon Haiyan.
The typhoon, which slammed into the Philippines a little over one week ago, has left an estimated 600 thousand people displaced. An exact death toll is still unclear, because thousands of people still remain unaccounted for.
“Their families are still there they lost their houses, they’re helpless right now to find them, we have one member here that eight of her family members are still missing,” said Bing Sakach of the FA-GKC.
Many Filipino Americans living in the Kansas City metro area have been lucky enough to hear from loved ones, but others are still anxiously waiting.
Hermine Knopf, of Shawnee, Kan. struggled for four days after Typhoon Haiyan hit, then finally learned her three brothers, two sisters, and parents, who lived an hour and a half from the hardest hit city, Tacloban, were okay.
“I did not sleep for maybe a good four days, because you know when I’m here and I’m basically helpless; things that you’re trying to do and you just can’t do anything,” said Knopf. “Even though it’s a little farther from the biggest hit, we are still greatly affected by it.”
Although the survivors did not lose their lives, many lost their homes and all belongs. That is why Knopf and dozens of others, both friends and complete strangers, attended Saturday morning’s event.
“We’re just trying to do as much as we can, you know to help out those families in the Philippines that we have,” said Sakach.
All money and items collected at the event, such as first aid kits, medicines, clothing, blankets, will be sent to families of metro residents next week so they are able use them immediately.
HOW YOU CAN DONATE:
Typhoon Haiyan Relief Effort
Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City
To donate visit: http://www.filipino-association.org/typhoon/
or mail it to: FA-GKC, 9810 W 79th St. OP, KS 66206
Donations are tax deductible.
