ShelterBox

ShelterBox strikes me as a brilliant idea! Vital supplies are bundled into a large, reusable 40 gallon storage box and shipped off to aid victims of natural disasters. The location and circumstances of each crisis helps determine what will be in the ShelterBoxes, but at least one ten-person tent is always included. The charity was created by Tom Henderson in 2000 in Cornwall, England. It began with Mr. Henderson’s Rotary Club in Helston-Lizard, but is now supported by Rotary Clubs and individuals around the world. You can read more about the contents of the boxes and see one in detail here.

I’ve been unable to find a rating and review of ShelterBox on Charity Navigator, but it is registered with the Charity Commission which regulates charities in England and Wales. Based on a few Google searches, fundraisers for ShelterBox are taking place all over the U.S. right now. More than 1700 boxes have already been sent to and are being deployed in Haiti.

Here’s a brief CNN video about ShelterBox.

Here’s the ShelterBox Flickr Photostream.

And you can find ShelterBox on Twitter.