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Chicago has a long, rich history of immigration and ethnic diversity. But as the generations pass, are cultural roots forgotten? More than 7.7 million people live in the Chicago area, and about 30 percent of them speak a language other than English at home. For the six-county area, the five most common languages after English are Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Tagalog and Chinese. […]

Some of the highest concentrations of people speaking Tagalog, a native Philippine language, turn up not just in Cook County but in DuPage and Will counties, too.

I didn’t realize that so many Illinoisans spoke Tagalog, which is a primary or secondary language in the Philippines. As you’re most certainly aware, Typhoon Haiyan has devastated parts of the Philippines. So that means a lot of Illinoisans have family members and friends who could use some help…

All Furigay family members could do was pray since learning of the devastating typhoon that ripped through their native Philippines on Friday, until learning their loved one was safe.

Rencie Furigay, of Chicago, said she could barely sleep while worrying about her 30-year-old nephew who lives in Tacloban — the city most devastated by the Category 5 storm. On Saturday morning, she got word he was OK.

Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall, hit the central Philippines and Tacloban — a city of 220,000 — the hardest.

Leo Herrera-Lim, Chicago’s consul general of the Philippines, said he is trying to organize fundraisers for the relief effort. He said Illinois hosts the third-largest population of Filipinos in the U.S.— about 140,000 — behind California and Hawaii.

* The New York Times recommended several charities, including…

* Doctors Without Borders

* Red Cross

* Save the Children Typhoon Haiyan Children’s Relief Fund

* Catholic Relief Services

* World Food Programme

* Instead of a question today, let’s try to pitch in with some financial assistance. Tell us below if you’ve contributed, or if you have your own personal stories to share about this devastation.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:07 pm

Comments

Anyone who’s worked with Cook County government - or been to their board meetings - knows the absolute pro that Board Secretary Matt DeLeon has always been, from John Stroger to Todd Stroger to Toni Preckwinkle. His family - and his wife’s family - is from that area and he’s doing a yeoman’s job of raising awareness for the need for relief. Matt’s one of the good guys and doing incredibly good things.
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineTyphoonReliefChicago?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:24 pm
Tell us below if you’ve contributed, or if you have your own personal stories to share about this devastation.

I followed the Doctors Without Borders link. It only took about 90 seconds to make a donation.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:25 pm
as always, i give through my church’s agency, UMCOR. i worked with them during hurricane andrew (i was the liaison between the u.s. military and NGOs on the ground in homestead), and was proud of the work they — and other church emergency relief groups — did on the ground there…

Comment by bored now Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:27 pm
In the United States, I always give to Red Cross and Salvation Army. I covered enough bad things over the years to know those guys are the first to show up and the last to leave.

Internationally, Medecins Sans Frontierres and Amnesty International.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:29 pm
I’ve not yet contributed but there is also a good size Filipino community in Springfield and I have met a lot of wonderful people from the Philippines. Warm thoughts to everyone touched by the typhoon.

Comment by Springfield Wesite Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:33 pm
For those concerned about persons with disabilities in the aftermath of Haiyan, consider contributing to Portlight Strategies www.portlight.org. Portlight has been working to serve disaster victims with disabilities for a long time including supporting those with disabilities in Haiti.

Comment by Quill Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:45 pm
If you live in Chicago, Billy Dec, owner of Sunda (as well as Rockit and others) is hosting a fundraising lunch this Friday from 11:30am to 3pm for the victims of the typhoon. Billy is a great guy, and is of Filipino descent. All proceeds will go to the Phillipine Red Cross. http://www.sundachicago.com/events/typhoon-haiyan-relief-fundraiser/

Comment by anon Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:49 pm
There’s also http://www.directrelief.org/

And a fundraiser at Mary’s Attic Friday http://chicagoist.com/2013/11/12/pencil_this_in_impromptu_fundraiser.php

Comment by Chavez-respecting Obamist Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 2:52 pm
Thanks for all of the input. I will choose from among these. Frequently, Catholic parishes will also use a second collection to contribute to Catholic Relief Services. If you give twice, you’ll feel twice as good and accomplish twice as much.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:00 pm
Domestically, I give to the Red Cross and Salvation Army.

I have close family involved with “Doctors without Borders” including time as their own donation. Those doctors are as critical as any relief, but my only real suggestion would be to donate. Americans are known for our generosity, and I am always glad to live that opinion, like millions of us do.

Find one, and contribute.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:02 pm
You’re a good man Rich!

Your post was the peer pressure I needed to send in a check.

Comment by Quizzical Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:14 pm
Without doing much research I gave to Catholic Relief Services, so am happy to see it listed above.

Comment by ZC Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:18 pm
My church took up a collection on Sunday for typhoon aid through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/pda/

Comment by Yossarian Lives Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:24 pm
I wrote the Mayor of Springfield and asked if we could adopt a community to help with. Haven’t heard back.

I always give to the Salvation Army and Doctors without Borders. Will give to this great cause as well!

Thanks Rich for posting this opportunity.

Comment by Sunshine Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:31 pm
I’m a fan of Oxfam and their good work in general, but particularly when it comes to emergency-disaster efforts.

Their Haiyan page is at http://www.oxfam.org/en/emergencies/philippines-typhoon-haiyan

PS Thanks, Rich, for the reminder to not only PLAN to give, but to follow-through and give!

Comment by Linus Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:33 pm
I make a monthly contribution for their ongoing work and a little extra when tragedy strikes.

Concern Worldwide
www.concernusa.org

Comment by A Chicago Mick Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:46 pm
My wife is from the Philippines. Her family is from the northern part which wasn’t impacted much; but we are donating and one of her siblings is planning to take off from work to volunteer with the Red Cross.

FWIW: I spent quite a bit of time there in 2011. Everyone treated me exceptionally well and I’ve gotten to know a lot of people from the Philippines who live in the USA.

Comment by Logic not emotion Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 3:53 pm
Catholic Relief Services. Thanks for posting the link.

Comment by Because I said so... Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 4:08 pm
I donated airmiles to a co-worker so he and his wife could fly home when they can to help out and check on their family. At work we have a fund being sent to our office in Manila to help our co workers and families. I have contributed.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 4:10 pm
I gave to Red Cross for Superstorm Sandy, and I give for other natural disasters. I plan on giving for the disaster in the Phillipines.

One of my long-time colleagues is from the Phillipines. I asked him today if everything is okay with his family, and he said he has yet to hear anything. A family friend has Filipino ancestry and is awaiting word on some missing relatives. Very scary.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 4:16 pm
Thanks for this thread, Rich, and great to see so many people contributing.

I was in Coron, Palawan, Philippines with my wife in 2008, and the Filipino people were super friendly. Coron is one of the areas hit and we’re wondering how the folks we met there are doing.

We sent donations to the Red Cross Philippines chapter - slightly different link than what was posted above. http://www.redcross.org.ph/donate.php and to Catholic Relief Services, a group that already had an active “boots on the ground” presence in the Philippines, and as a primarily Catholic country, the folks living there trust Catholic Relief Services.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 4:19 pm
==I wrote the Mayor of Springfield and asked if we could adopt a community to help with.==
This is a wonderful idea. The typhoon hit a lot of cities big and small in the Philippines.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 4:20 pm
– More than 7.7 million people live in the Chicago area, and about 30 percent of them speak a language other than English at home.–

That doesn’t surprise this first-generation American.

Land of opportunity, dig it?

In the WSJ yesterday, there was an article that pointed out that U of I is the among the top four destinations in the country for the record-number of foreign students.

The smart kids around the world get it. Why don’t our homegrown Usual Suspect Eternal Victims?

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304868404579190062164404756

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 5:57 pm
I just donated to Philippine typhoon relief, thanks to one of the links in this thread.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Nov 12, 13 @ 6:17 pm
Doctors without borders.

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Nov 13, 13 @ 8:41 am