wfn.org | UMNS# 04023-United Methodists' contributions for tsunami aid reach

["NewsDesk" <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

United Methodists' contributions for tsunami aid reach $2 million

Jan. 11, 2005	 News media contact:   Tim  Tanton * (615) 7425470*
Nashville {04023}

NOTE: Related resources are available online at http://umns.umc.org.

By Elliott Wright*

NEW YORK (UMNS) - United Methodist contributions to tsunami relief in
the Indian Ocean region reached $2 million as of Jan. 10, as officials
continued processing donations.

The figure incorporates the total of what has been given by online and
telephone credit-card donations but only part of the boxes of checks
received, according to Roland Fernandes, treasurer of the United
Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the parent organization of the
United Methodist Committee on Relief.

"We have deposited checks dated through Dec. 31, 2004, totaling
$755,000," Fernandes said. "We continue to receive checks for 2004. We
have begun to process mail contributions for 2005. Hundreds of checks
are being received each day."

Fernandes also offered a reminder that the Internal Revenue Service of
the U.S. government will allow January donations to tsunami relief to be
counted as 2004 charitable contributions.

"Donors can decide whether they want their contribution to go into the
2004 tax year or apply it to 2005, so long as the gift is made by Jan.
31," he said.

Donations to UMCOR's "South Asia Emergency" relief efforts can be placed
in local church offering plates or sent directly to UMCOR, 475 Riverside
Drive, Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Designate checks for UMCOR Advance
#274305 and "South Asia Emergency." Online donations can be made at
www.methodistrelief.org. Those making credit-card donations can call
(800) 554-8583.

One hundred percent of the money donated to "South Asia Emergency" goes
to that relief effort.

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*Wright is the information officer of the United Methodist Board of
Global Ministries.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

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United Methodist News Service