Division 20 News: INFO: [DIV48] Philippine Relief Appeal

Dear fellow leaders in APA Divisions:

I am writing to inform you of our Society's efforts to help fund an important humanitarian project. Contributions are being sought to help survivors in the Philippine southern islands following serious flooding and loss of life there last month. I request that you share our announcement of this effort with your members. A distinguished member of our Society, Dr. Cristina Montiel, is organizing a relief effort with her fellow psychologists in the Psychology Department of the Ateneo de Manila University. Dr. Montiel is the recipient of our highest award, the Ralph K. White Lifetime Achievement Award, for 2011. The methods used to provide relief and support for post-flood reconstruction are drawn from Dr. Montiel's work in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. APA accounting has put in place a system that allows the Society to receive and process checks for this purpose, which will then be forwarded to Dr. Montiel's university expressly for the project. APA’s legal department has approved this method for collecting contributions.

We in the Society consider this kind of initiative extremely important. Members in APA regularly participate when there is need and our members ask for help. We hope some of your division members will join us by making contributions--no amount is too small.

Yours in peace and in working together to find solutions to the world's problems,

Julie Meranze Levitt, Past-President

The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence: Peace Psychology Division (48), the American Psychological Association

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Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence

01/24/12

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Philippine Relief Fund

Dear members of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence (Division 48) and other friends of Peace Psychology:

In December 2011 the southern islands of the Philippines were hit by massive flooding, resulting in over a thousand deaths and thousands more traumatized survivors, many of them homeless. Many of you will remember seeing the tragic images on news broadcasts throughout the world and online.

We have been contacted by Dr Cristina Montiel, longtime Society member and 2011 recipient of the Ralph White Award, for help with relief assistance. Dr Montiel is on the faculty at Ateneo de Manila University, which has been very active in providing relief efforts.

The University is currently using emergency funding that is draining its resources. The Psychology Department staff is providing victim counseling and trauma debriefing, volunteer training, and reorganization of social services provision.

To assist in this effort, the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence (Division 48) has set up a fund to accept contributions from members and others. Contributions will be collected in a divisional account and periodically bundled and sent to the Philippines. Sending funds in larger amounts in this way avoids some of the higher costs associated with small money transfers.

We are hoping to send out the first donation by January 31. If you are interested in donating, please send your contribution in the form of a check to John Gruszkos, Division 48 treasurer, at the address below. Make the check out to "Division 48 Philippine relief fund".

We are unable at this point to offer receipts valid for tax purposes, but we urge you to consult with your financial advisor on this matter to find out whether your contribution will be tax-deductible.

THANK YOU for considering this request.

Julie Meranze Levitt, Ph.D
Past-President, APA Division 48

John Gruszkos, Ph.D.
Treasurer, APA Division 48