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North Shore Taal Volcano Relief

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My name is Anna Dugan of Annadidathing. I am a Filipino American artist working on the North Shore. I have been painting Balikbayan Boxes* (large cardboard boxes) with murals over the last few months as a way to spread awareness about Filipino culture and create more Filipino representation in public arts on the North Shore.

On January 12, 2020, Taal Volcano in the Philippines erupted, drastically changing the lives of thousands of people. Crops have been destroyed, livestock has perished, homes have collapsed, people have been displaced. The volcanic ash in the air will have long-lasting effects on the ecosystem and local people. There are thousands of people who are waiting to return to their homes in relief centers around the area, and we are still waiting for a larger hazardous eruption that is predicted to happen in the next few days, which will increase damage to the country exponentially. Now and in the coming months, thousands of Filipinos will be in dire need of our help. 

I am looking to raise $3,000 to help send my balikbayan boxes overseas to the Philippines, filled to the brim with supplies like clothing, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, canned goods, and other basic necessities, to help the people affected by the Taal Volcano erruption. The money raised will help cover the cost of the contents inside the boxes and shipping costs for 9 XL Balikbayan Boxes with my murals painted on their sides. Any remaining money will be donated to the Philippines Red Cross.

Anyone that donates will get a "Taal Me About It" sticker in the mail from me. I will reach out for the best address.

Anyone that donates $100 or more will receive a sticker and have their name added to a personal letter that will be enclosed in each box.



*A balikbayan box is a staple in Filipino culture. Balikbayan means “return to country.” In its simplest & most stripped down definition, a balikbayan box is a large cardboard box filled with things you send to family members back in the Philippines. Typically, these boxes are sent overseas by giant barges. Otherwise, you take them with you as checked luggage on a planeride to the Philippines.

It is customary for family members who have found work abroad to send goods & gifts back home to their loved ones in these boxes. In many cases, these boxes are the only parts of you that get to return home. Rather than spending money on a plane ticket, the Overseas Filipino Worker (or OFW) of the family will more often spend the money they would use on a ticket home towards food, goods, toiletries, and other non-perishable basis necessities that their family members could use back home. In this way, a balikbayan box is much more than just a box filled with goods, but a symbol of the sacrifices made by countless Filipinos worldwide to provide for the people they love.


Organizer

Anna Dugan
Organizer
Salem, MA

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