Community Corner
RivCo Nonprofit Seeks Funds to Provide Fuel to Quake-Ravaged Areas
Fuel Relief Fund volunteers arrived in Ecuador on Tuesday.
By City News Service:
RIVERSIDE, CA - A Riverside-based nonprofit that supplies free gasoline to victims of natural disasters is working in Ecuador to distribute gas to power trucks, generators and other equipment in earthquake-damaged areas, but the volunteer effort is in need of funds to keep going, a spokesman said Friday.
"A lack of predictable, uninterrupted fuel and power supply is critical to ensure survival of victims, as well as timely, effective and efficient disaster response, particularly to outlying areas where the earthquake took its heaviest toll," said Ted Honcharik, co-founder of the Fuel Relief Fund. "Thousands of men, women and children are homeless, hundreds are injured, and the need for relief is growing every minute."
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to published reports, the death toll from last Saturday's magnitude-7.8 quake off the Ecuadorian coast is close to 600, with thousands injured. More than 25,000 people have been left homeless, suffering amid widespread food and water shortages. The government estimates quake-related damage between $2 billion and $3 billion.
Fuel Relief Fund volunteers arrived in Ecuador on Tuesday, Honcharik said.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Priorities (are) to assist survivors with free fuel for their generators to power dark nights, to run necessary medical equipment, and for other basic needs, including charging mobile phones to inform family members that they are safe," he said.
The Fuel Relief Fund sent teams to assist with disaster aid immediately following the devastating Haiti and Japan quakes in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Volunteers were also involved in relief missions days after the monster typhoon that struck the Philippines in 2013, and the Nepal earthquake last year.
In some cases, volunteers distribute kerosene for individual portable stoves, and other times provide diesel for international charities to operate trucks in heavily impacted areas.
Donations to the Fuel Relief Fund can be made at http://fuelrelieffund.org/ .
(Image via Shutterstock)
