A Message from IRA President Maureen McLaughlin and IRA Executive Director Marcie Craig Post:
Our hearts and prayers are with the people of the Philippines as they struggle to recover from the typhoon that struck and devastated the archipelago nation this past weekend. Events like this remind us of our common frailty as human beings in the face of natural disasters. They also call upon us to do what we can to assist the survivors in the hard times ahead as the national rebuilding process begins.
Photo Credit: Mike Gonzalez
The news images circulated to date have been gruesome. Here in the U.S., we who have known the suffering caused by Katrina and Sandy cannot even fathom what a more intense cyclonic storm would be like. As Haiyan bore down on the Philippines, our thoughts were of our many IRA colleagues there, including past IRA board member Sally Labanda and the members of the
Reading Association of the Philippines with whom we have shared so many wonderful collaborations over the years. We anxiously await news of their fate, and we pray that they are safe and well.
Thoughts of the children, many of whom have now suffered catastrophic personal loss, give us the most concern. We earnestly hope that all persons of good will who are there on the scene will rally to the aid, protection, and care of the orphaned and displaced children in this hour of dire need. Here are links to organizations deploying aid to the region:
(As always, check the credentials of charitable organizations on www.charitynavigator.org before giving.)
Much will have to be done. In the hardest hit areas it will be quite some time before life returns to anything resembling normal. And, of course, schooling will suffer disruptions until the major safety and health challenges have been met. During this transition, we at IRA pledge to work diligently on determining how we can marshal our limited resources and generous volunteers to help the country’s teachers and school officials restore the education process when the opportunity arises.
In the meantime, we appeal to our members to consider making a personal donation to any of the accredited international aid agencies who are assisting the Philippine recovery effort. Please help them do everything they can to save lives and relieve the suffering.
As an association of literacy professionals, let us never waver in our important work of strengthening the knowledge, comprehension, ingenuity, self-reliance, and courage of young people everywhere, that they may have what it takes to endure and survive life’s harshest challenges, and bring consolation, support, and encouragement to those around them whose burdens are severe.