Tsunami Disaster - 'New Generation' of Givers
27 January 2005 at 12:01 pm
The Boxing Day Earthquake and Tsunami disaster in South Asia has created a ‘new generation’ of Australian givers both private and corporate according to the head of World Vision, the Rev. Tim Costello.
Costello says he returned from the devastation in Sri Lanka to a another flood back home…the flood of human kindness as Australians have broken all records in donating to the international aid agency appeals.
Individuals and corporations have donated over $130 million dollars to World Vision alone!
Tim Costello says he’s overwhelmed and immensely proud of the generosity of Australians saying the disaster has produced an astonishing unity among Australians as well as a ‘moral moment’ in our history.
Costello says the national telethon saw average Australians donating in record amounts with some people obviously donating more than once since the disaster happened on Boxing Day.
He says as well young Australians have raided their piggy banks and found the great satisfaction that comes with giving.
He says in some instances this new generation of young givers has shown the way for their parents to donate.
He says this is a significant moment in our philanthropic history.
Costello says the corporate world has also rallied in a way never seen before in Australia.
He says corporates of all sizes have set aside the ‘shareholder’ thinking of the past to realise that they are part of a community and have donated substantial funds.
During many media interviews in recent weeks Costello has been constantly asked to detail how much of every donated dollar goes directly to the cause… a thorny question that he has tackled head on.
Costello says for World Vision 93 cents in every dollar goes directly to the cause and he expects that to rise to 94 cents as the donations come in.
He explains that every organisation needs to spend some money on administration.
However it is a concept that donors still find hard to understand.
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