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Ambassador Victor Ashe would like to express his special appreciation for all the meaningful and generous offerings of help and support, for the flowers and candles that have been placed in front of the Embassy in Warsaw and our Consulate General in Kraków and for the individual condolences and prayers for the victims that so many Poles have expressed.
Three Polish relief agencies – Polska Akcja Humanitarna, the Polish Red Cross and Caritas – will coordinate a drive for funds to be distributed to non-governmental organizations in the United States. Donations may be paid into account: BPH 42 1060 0076 0000 3310 0008 4935 , noted for "Katrina". Money may also be donated at any branch of the bank BPH, under the slogan “Katrina”. The historic Piwnica Pod Baranami and Polska Akcja Humanitarna will jointly stage a charity concert in Kraków this Sunday to raise money to help the victims of hurricane Katrina.
The American people are touched and deeply grateful for the generous offers of help we have received from governments, individuals and private organizations around the world. This generous outpouring provides both practical help and moral support, which mean a great deal to the victims of this, the worst natural disaster to hit the United States in recent times.
Because of the massive scale of the disaster and difficult conditions in the stricken region, we may be able to accept some offers of assistance sooner than others. The State Department is working with local, state, federal authorities and the U.S. military to receive offered assistance as rapidly as possible. We are grateful for the world’s generosity.
We are also working hard to help governments around the world locate their citizens who may have been affected by the hurricane. Citizens of many countries, including nearly two dozen Polish nationals, are, unfortunately, still missing. Our goal is to have people reunited as quickly as possible with their loved ones.
Contact: Jim Bond or Chase Beamer, U.S. Embassy Public Affairs,
(022)504-2323
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