By Melissa Martins Casagrande, ShelterBox International Partnerships Manager
It has been another busy twelve months for us at ShelterBox. Thanks to generous donations and assistance of supporters worldwide, we have been able to send aid to help displaced families in nearly 20 different countries, responding to 30 disasters such as typhoons, cyclones, hurricanes, fires, flooding, earthquakes and conflict. Together we have helped bring shelter and other vital aid to nearly 13,000 families this year.
One of our biggest challenges in 2013 was ShelterBox’s response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Rotarians have supported ShelterBox Response Teams with logistics, transportation, translation, identification of local implementing partners and ensuring the impartial distribution of aid.
Another highlight of our ShelterBox-Rotary partnership was the joint work of ShelterBox and Rotarians in China bringing aid into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) to help vulnerable communities displaced by Typhoon Bolaven.
Rotarians also worked with ShelterBox to assess needs and distribute aid in the aftermath of various disasters — from fires in Australia to floods in Uganda to the devastating tornado that hit Oklahoma, USA.
ShelterBox responded to four disasters in the Philippines working alongside Rotarians in each occasion to help families affected by Typhoon Bopha in Mindanao, set up an evacuation camp after conflict erupted in Zamboanga City, respond to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol, and help families affected by Typhoon Haiyan. Rotarians around the world mobilised to support the response in the Philippines by volunteering as response team members and raising funds.
We would like to express our gratitude to Rotarians around the world for their continued and generous support, especially to our Typhoon Haiyan Emergency Appeal and our on-going Syria Refugee Appeal.
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Read the Rotary-ShelterBox Fact Sheet for more information about our project partnership.
Service in Action 
Rotary Club of Northampton West was pleased to be able to fund shelter boxes very quickly after the Philippines Disaster , and join with other clubs in the town to od this.
Service above self as we know is the motto of Rotarians all over the world.Rotary club of Adimali of Rotary Dist 3201 wish you the best in your endeavour to help the poor,needy and suffering