TONGS CHARITY FOUNDATION

Tongs Charity Foundation (the Foundation) began in 2007 as a tax exempt organization permitted to receive tax deductible donation of cash, securities and property for the charity activities.  During these years, we have given a number of contributions towards rescue efforts of natural disasters . Six of which were given towards the widespread devastations by earthquakes and landslides in mainland China.  After the severe snowstorms ravaged the southeastern provinces part of China in January 2008, an earthquake of an immense scale shattered Wenchuan, in the province of Sichuan, four months later. China continued to suffer from more castastrophic natural disasters like the earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai in April 2010, disastrous mudslide in Gansu, Zhouqu, massive earthquake in Lushan in April 2013, and severe earthquake in Sichuan that resulted in damaging flooding and mudslides in August 2013.

 

Other than rescue efforts in mainland China, Tongs Charity Foundation has also sent financial aids to other countries, such as the relief effort from flood and landslides in Taiwan after it was wroght by Typhoon Morakot in August 2009, and the worst recorded hisotry of Myanmar created by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008.  A devastating tropical storm, Typhoon Ketsana, swept across Southeast Asia in January 2009.  It brought severe flooding and massive destruction spreaded to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines.

 

In January 2010, aditional monetary aid was given when a deadly earthquake shattered Haiti resulting in a deathtoll of 316,000.  In June 2013, tornados, flooding and wildfires struck in the midwest of the United States, leaving thousands of people homeless.  The same year in November, Philippines was hit hard by super Typhoon Haiyan.  Death rate was estimated to be more than 10,000.  

 

Our contributions to the above-mentioned disasters were made only in the form of financial aids to the American Red Cross through the local Red Cross. The only exception is Taiwan's contributions.  It was donated to the Tzu Chi Foundation.  After the donation of $20,000 for the earthquake in Wenchuan, we never thought there would be a series of natural disasters followed soon after. With the exception of  $3,000 relief effort to the Taiwan's landslide, Lushan earthquake and Tayphoon Haiyan, the rest were given in payments of $2,000.  They were insignificant in bringing relief for thousands of suffering people in the midst of our nature's destructions.  

 

These funds were mostly donated to the Foundation by medical alumni and friends of appeal.  The Foundation hopes one day to be able to use the accumulated interest to do more charity work.  The needs of the world is great, and we are hoping for more donations, so we can provide more aids to people who are not as fortunate as you and me. 

 

                                                 With deep gratitude,

                                                       Eddy Tong, M.D.

                                                    Founder of 

                                                    Tongs Charity Foundation