Though it’s over 7,000 miles away, Nepal’s earthquake has made tremors in Eugene.
Eugene community members and University of Oregon students from Nepal have been meeting to discuss how to raise $100,000 for relief funds.
According to the group, this will be done through a variety of fundraisers and donations that are still being planned. The group hopes to raise funds through selling tickets for a movie screening, partnering with restaurants to get a portion of meal sales and placing donation jars at a variety of businesses in the community.
In addition, the group will be raising awareness about the disaster on their website for donation by holding a campus vigil, talking to classrooms and sending mass emails.
Members of the group say that they will only be sending money instead of supplies for logistical reasons. Harvey Blustain, a Eugene community member involved with the efforts, says that money is a much better option because money can provide anything. If supplies are sent, people are limited to what they have.
“People on the ground (in Nepal) know exactly what the people need,” Blustain said.
Student Sugam Singh is from Nepal, and has family there. He says they will not directly send the money, but will donate the money to an organization that will deliver the funds.
But, finding an organization to do so is not an easy task. Singh said that they are looking for an organization with low to no administration fees, and one that they are 100 percent positive that the money will go where it is most needed.
Here’s what you need to know about the earthquake:

• More than 4,800 people have died, and an estimated eight million have been affected.
• 2.8 million people have been displaced and more than 70,000 houses have been destroyed.
• Only 14 people have been rescued.
• Most Nepali people can’t remember a worse national disaster – it’s the deadliest the nation has faced in over 80 years.
• The aid response has been slow – so slow that there have been riots.
• A University of Oregon student in Nepal went missing on April 27, but was found April 28.

If you would like to know more about the efforts, or where you can donate money, visit www.kathmandurelief.org.