Pleasant Valley man helping bring aid to tsunami victims
Pleasant Valley resident David Kelley is helping lead tsunami-relief efforts for Global Action, a national Christian aid organization
with offices in Colorado Springs.
A key element of the assistance is a program called Buckets of Love. It had been planned to start Jan. 1, providing basic supplies to people living in slums around the world. But when the tsunami struck India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other parts of Indonesia Dec. 26 - killing more than 150,000 - Global Action temporarily focused the program on that part of the world, Kelley said. “Global Action is encouraging individuals, churches, and organizations to help by sending a bucket of love to the victims of the tsunami,” he said. “This is a very tangible way that people can help the victims.” The group welcomes donations through participating churches and McDonald's fast-food restaurants. The buckets are 12-quart containers, the size of a typical kitchen pail, including such items as sewing kits, scissors, toothbrushes and bandaids. “They seem like everyday items to us, but to people in slums they are worth more than they make in a month,” Kelley said. “And these tusnami victims were probably not that well off to start with.” The response from the public has been excellent, according to Kelley. “This is obviously sad and terrible, but one of the things that's great has been to see people coming out of the woodwork to help,” he said. “It has really been encouraging.” Kelley has been employed with non-profit groups over the past 20 years, the last year and a half with Global Action. “I have never seen an organization that can leverage things as well as this one,” he said. The agency has 109 projects in 54 countries, offering youth programs, pastor training and orphan camps in addition to basic assistance. For more information, call Kelley's office at 528-8728. Westside Pioneer article |