My daughter is in Nepal. Here is a very direct way to help: [View all]

[OneGrassRoot]

Last edited Mon Apr 27, 2015, 05:40 PM - Edit history (7)

EDIT TO ADD: My daughter and her group are not out of harm's way. Good vibes are most appreciated.

I used to be a staple on DU. There are plenty of people here who can vouch for the fact that I'm not a scammer. (The first response to my post is what prompts this paragraph.) This is me -- https://about.me/denapatrick -- or you can see my DU journal. People really should do a little due diligence (looking at post count, the journal, etc.) before questioning someone's legitimacy, though I do understand there have been scammers here and this community feels inundated with requests for help. Still...

My daughter (Taylor) is NOT the person who set up this fundraiser, nor is she a volunteer there. It is the trek guide (Deana) leading her group in Nepal who is in charge of this fundraiser and the work to be done with the funds.

* * *

My 22-year-old daughter, Taylor, is on a three-week base camp trek with her dad (my ex); his dreamed of trip of a lifetime.

They left Kathmandu two days before the quake hit and were in a village called Namche when it hit. They're still there.

The company that organized the trek -- Mountain Madness -- has been absolutely fabulous about staying in touch with me and other family members. Even before losing contact, I knew Deana -- the trek guide -- must be amazing when my ex praised her, saying that the entire groups knows they are in good hands with her guiding them.

Knowing this, I want to share a direct way you can help the people in a few of the remote villages. Deana is boots on the ground, and the sherpas and porters they work with over there are amazing souls. They want to help them now.

Below is the link to the gofundme campaign set up to do this. (A friend of Deana's set it up on her behalf since Deana obviously doesn't have reliable connection right now.)

If you are looking for a very direct way to help some of the people of Nepal, please consider reading this and helping if you can.

"In the villages where our Sherpa and Rai staff come from, and throughout the region, homes are completely destroyed or so damaged that it would be dangerous to stay inside. Their families are displaced and have no shelter. We want to help them rebuild. The cost to rebuild and repair homes is roughly $5000-$10000 each. We will help as many people as we can."

Deana was in Namche Bazaar in the Everest region when the quake struck, having just left Kathmandu a few days earlier to guide an Everest Base Camp trek for 20 Americans and Canadians. Deana, the trekking group, and 26 Nepali staff are still in remote Nepal. In addition to being an award-winning trekking guide for Mountain Madness, Deana has worked in Nepal for 17 years, first as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and now as a guide and as co-founder of a nonprofit supporting local leaders and sustainable community development. She is deeply connected to the local communities and is in a unique position to hand the donations directly to the people who most need them to rebuild their homes.

NOTE: While Changing Lives Nepal is a donor fund and will continue its work with communities, this fundraising account is being established, which is NOT tax-deductible, in order to directly assist village families. We want the funds to flow as quickly and directly as possible to the hands of those who need them. We continue to be all-volunteer in the U.S. and we do not take any part of your donations for salaries or administration. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation to long-term community efforts please go to www.changinglivesnepal.org/donate.

http://www.gofundme.com/rebuildingnepal?fb_action_ids=10203700812830201&fb_action_types=og.shares&fb_ref=fb_cr_n