The devastating earthquake that struck Nepal Saturday has prompted rapid international response to aid the millions of people affected. Thousands of people were killed, with the death toll changing daily, and up to 8 million Nepalese are estimated to be impacted. Shelterbox USA, a disaster support non-profit that is rooted in Rotary volunteerism, immediately dispatched a team to Nepal upon learning of the quake. They will establish a plan for distribution of ShelterBox kits, which allow people to “shelter in place” by providing necessary supplies. Shelterbox kits include a tent, water purification system, solar lamp, blankets, and other basic needs supplies to help people who have been left with nothing after a disaster. Yardi was contributed to Shelterbox in the past, including after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Often, the organization will seek to distribute its relief efforts in rural, hard to reach areas far from the more accessible urban centers, which are plentiful in the mountainous country of Nepal. Shelterbox was prepared in advance for a Nepal response effort, with prepositioned tents ready to go in case of an emergency. Yardi employees and corporate charitable giving program will combine to contribute funds in support of Shelterbox’s Nepalese efforts. The company supports more than 80 non-profit organizations and worthy causes each calendar year. ** Just two months ago, Yardi CSD manager Terry Kelly and his wife Pam took the trip of a lifetime to Nepal, where they assisted with a two-day medical outreach organized by Project for a Village. It was a powerful experience in an remote agricultural area with limited health care resources, Kelly recalled. Kelly said that the epicenter of the earthquake was located close to the foothill valley where the medical team had gone to work with local residents. The 7.8-magnitude quake,...
100 Resilient Cities
Achieve Global Recognition
Is your city resilient? The Rockefeller Foundation is in its second year of a global initiative to identify the world’s toughest cities – urban centers that have gone up against challenges of all sizes and refused to back down. In most cases, the impetus for resilience is ongoing. Athens, Greece, continues to recover from perilously high unemployment and resulting stress on its welfare system. Dakar, Senegal is growing so fast that public services and infrastructure cannot keep up. In the U.S., initially selected cities include Berkeley, Calif., Boulder, Colo., El Paso, Texas, Jacksonville, Fl., Los Angeles, Calif., and New Orleans, La., among others. A few might appear surprising choices. Boulder might seem like an affluent college town next door to the Rocky Mountains. But the city has faced natural challenges: drought, flooding, and wildfires. Berkeley resonates with most as a center for liberal education and free speech. But similarly, earthquake, heat wave and wildfires have been disruptive and caused problems. New Orleans, of course, continues to recover from Hurricane Katrina. El Paso battles both natural and social challenges. 32 cities were chosen in the first round of awards in December 2013. A second round of 35, chosen from 330 applicants, was announced last month. From the U.S., Dallas, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Tulsa and San Juan, Puerto Rico were added to the roster for 2014. A final round will be selected in 2015. Cities selected receive: Funding to hire a Chief Resilience Officer; Assistance in developing a resilience strategy; Access to a platform of innovative private and public sector tools to help design and implement that strategy; Membership in the 100 Resilient Cities Network. “We can’t predict the next disruption or catastrophe. But we can control how we prepare for and respond to these challenges. We help make our cities better at adapting to the shocks and stresses of our world and transforming them into opportunities for growth,” explains the non-profit’s website. See profiles of all 67 of the chosen cities online, or learn how to nominate your city in 2015, at...
