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Tornado Relief Donations from Various Sources

tulsacf.org

The Tulsa Community Foundation has received donations from 44 different states and two countries: UK and Italy. So far, the foundation has raised $550,000 to distribute to the people in Moore and Shawnee after the disaster created by the storms last week. Chief executive officer, Phil Lakin, credits social media and the Internet for the wide and fast response from those who have donated.

"I just think it's neat. I think that people not anywhere even close to Tulsa, Oklahoma have just felt enough compassion in their hearts to make a donation, regardless of how big or how small," says Lakin.

He also adds that the foundation focuses on the needs of people after the initial response.

"This fund focuses in on mid and long term needs. A lot of times the Red Cross and Salvation Army come in, a lot of people come in, but then they leave," says Lakin. "They have to go to other natural disasters and to their normal ways of life. That's where the Community Foundation comes in."

He says he does not have any idea on how people found out the creation of their fund to support the people in Moore and Shawnee.

If you want to participate, Lakin says to also think about the long term needs in Moore and Shawnee, as most people are thinking about the immediate needs.

People can give by visiting tulsacf.org or by sending in a check to the Tulsa Community Foundation.