Starr Foundations Pledge $1M For China Quake Relief

The Starr Foundation of New York and Starr International Foundation of Switzerland today announced a joint grant to the China Charity Federation totaling $1,000,000 for earthquake relief in China.

The donation was facilitated by Give2Asia.

"Our heartfelt concern goes out to the government and people of China as they deal with the tragic deaths and destruction from the earthquake in the Sichuan Province," said Maurice R. "Hank" Greenberg, chairman and chief executive officer of both foundations, in announcing the donations. "We strongly encourage others to consider funding the relief efforts in China."

The magnitude 7.9 earthquake on May 12 destroyed homes, schools, hospitals, roads and threatened dams in the area. The death toll is in the tens of thousands as the Chinese government has rushed soldiers and relief workers to the area, added Mr. Greenberg, who has had business interests in China and Asia for decades.

"This ongoing tragic disaster in China has left hundreds of thousands of people in need of basics like shelter, food and water," said Ray Klinke, interim CEO of Give2Asia. "We are so pleased to be working with a group like the Starr Foundation, which is stepping in with a major contribution to help the survivors in Sichuan Province."

He continued, "Starr Foundation's donation to the China Charity Federation will provide much needed basic necessities such as tents, powdered milk, food and water filtration devices to populations in the earthquake-affected Sichuan Province."

Starr International Foundation, a charitable foundation located in Zug, Switzerland, makes grants in the areas of health and medicine, human needs, education, public policy, environment and culture in support of local and international organizations.

The Starr Foundation was established by Cornelius Vander Starr in 1955. Mr. Starr founded his first insurance venture in Shanghai in 1919 and left his estate to the foundation on his death in 1968.

The foundation's assets grew under Mr. Greenberg's leadership from $2 million at Mr. Starr's death to approximately $3 billion today. Since its founding, The Starr Foundation has made more than $2.3 billion in grants, including more than $200 million to China-related programs.

Give2Asia, founded by The Asia Foundation, works with a network of staff and advisors in 21 countries to connect donors directly with local charitable groups.

Give2Asia said its mission is to facilitate and encourage charitable giving to meet needs in Asia by providing personalized services to donors and recipients. Following the Southeast Asia tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004, Give2Asia's donor community raised nearly $10 million for relief efforts in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand and continues to support long-term projects in all four countries.