Committee of 100 Newsletter

C-100 Scholarships Presented to Sichuan Medical Students

This October, the Committee of 100 awarded scholarships to 54 students at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The program assists students whose families suffered in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, allowing them to continue their education.

Carter Tseng (right) congratulating a scholarship winner.

Carter Tseng, who represented both C-100 and his Little Dragon Foundation, which awarded 66 scholarships, helped present RMB 360,000 to the 120 students at the October 19 ceremony. This is the second year of the C-100 scholarship program, which has disbursed a total of nearly $143,000 in awards. According to Give2Asia, which administers the program and organized the ceremony, Tseng “inspired the students to pass on the caring, charitable spirit that they experienced and give back to society when they have an opportunity to do so,” studying hard now so that they can contribute to the future development of Sichuan and China.

Major General John L. Fugh Annual Symposium on Law and Military Operations

August 2010 | By Jane Leung Larson

The Judge Advocate General of the US Army has established an annual symposium to honor the life and career of the late Major General John L. Fugh (past Chairman of the Committee of 100, 2006-2009), who served as The Judge Advocate General from 1991 to 1993. Funded by Fugh’s family, friends and colleagues, the Major General John L. Fugh Symposium on Law and Military Operations will be held each May during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Army's Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School, located at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Long-term Recovery is Aim of Committee of 100 Qinghai Earthquake Relief Fund

April-June 2010 | By Jane Leung Larson

Strong aftershocks have continued to shake an isolated area of Qinghai province, mostly populated by Tibetans, which was hit by a 7.1 earthquake on April 14, leaving nearly 3,000 dead and at least 12,000 injured. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed in Yushu county. To help with long-term recovery, the Committee of 100 has established a Qinghai Earthquake Relief Fund, once again turning to Give2Asia, a San Francisco philanthropic foundation, for administration. Gifts are tax-deductible.

Complicating the recovery is the 13,000 ft. altitude. 

Roads leading into the region have been damaged by the quake, with “the hardest hit areas 15 hours by road from the closest city, Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province,” according to Give2Asia.

Unlike the C-100 Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund, where donations primarily went to local private Chinese NGOs, the Chinese government has specified that government-sponsored national NGOs, including the China Charity Foundation and China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, receive the funds.

Contributions will be pooled by Give2Asia, and recovery and reconstruction projects undertaken with Give2Asia’s involvement. To make a donation, go to the Committee of 100 Qinghai Earthquake Relief Fund:

Two Years after Sichuan Earthquake, Survivors’ Lives Returning to Normal

April-June 2010 | By Birger Stamperdahl, Director of Marketing and Partnerships, Give2Asia

Recovery was unimaginable after the devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Sichuan province in 2008, leaving a death toll of 88,000 and a ravaged infrastructure. Two years later, the people of Sichuan have made significant progress in reconstructing their lives. In some areas, the earthquake’s impact is barely visible. Houses have been rebuilt, businesses have reopened, new businesses have been started, farming has resumed in rural areas, and goods are making their way to the city markets.

Give2Asia was the second largest U.S. contributor of aid, raising US$16.6 million, and the Committee of 100 Earthquake Relief Fund was an important part of that effort, contributing US$840,415 to support immediate relief and long-term recovery.

Committee Funds Education at Many Levels for Sichuan Earthquake Victims

January 2010 | By Jane Leung Larson

To show the continuing commitment by the Committee of 100 to those who suffered in Sichuan’s 2008 earthquake, Carter Tseng, CEO of the Little Dragon Foundation and Chairman of Give2Asia’s China Earthquake Committee, presented 27 scholarships to students at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine on December 18.

Opening their scholarship envelopes are two joyful scholarship recipients.	Carter Tseng greets a scholarship winner.

These 27 freshmen, whose families are still suffering from financial hardship following the devastating earthquake, joined 82 other undergraduate students at this university from earthquake-struck areas of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi who are currently receiving support from the Committee of 100 to pay basic living costs and school fees. The awards ceremony was held at the University, one of the first in China to offer comprehensive training in this traditional system of healthcare, with Tseng as the featured speaker, along with provincial and university officials. Tseng personally met most of the scholarship recipients at this event and noted that “the students seem much happier this year.”

C100 Awards 82 Scholarships to Sichuan Earthquake Victims

June 2009 | By Jane Leung Larson

Carter Tseng, CEO of the Little Dragon Foundation and Chairman of Give2Asia’s China Earthquake Committee, presented scholarships funded by Committee of 100 donors to 82 students at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine on April 17 at a ceremony hosted by University President Fan Xinjian and Vice President Xu Xiaoping. The recipients had good academic records and were directly affected by the May 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province. The scholarships will fund up to four years of education.

C-100 scholarship ceremony at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (click the photo to enlarge)

Spotlight on a Donor: Bank of America Charitable Foundation

January 2009 | By Jane Leung Larson

Last year, over $840,000 was raised for the Committee of 100 Earthquake Relief Fund and distributed to Chinese charity, community, and educational organizations helping the May 2008 earthquake victims in Sichuan province. One corporation’s donation of $500,000 gave the Relief Fund real heft, and, unusually, came to the Committee unsolicited.

The Bank of America traditionally gives generously for disaster relief in the United States, but was challenged when it wanted to make a gift for disaster relief in China. After the company’s philanthropic arm, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, discovered Give2Asia and the Committee of 100, “we were thrilled,” said Kerry Sullivan, National Philanthropy Executive. Sullivan said that the Bank was especially pleased that donations to the C-100 relief fund, which was organized through Give2Asia, would go to grassroots organizations in China for strategic and carefully monitored projects. For a list of the seven projects made possible by the Earthquake Relief Fund, click here to see this November Committee Bridges story.

Committee Distributes Grants from C100 Earthquake Relief Fund

November 2008 | By Jane Leung Larson

The May Sichuan earthquake was only six months ago, but rebuilding will take years and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. With 88,000 dead or missing, the earthquake left behind shattered families as well as flattened villages in a remote and impoverished region.  The Committee of 100 Earthquake Relief Fund raised (USD) $840,415 for immediate relief and long-term reconstruction for both physical structures and lives. 

Give2Asia, a funding organization established by the Asia Foundation, has worked with the Committee to select projects and partners for grants from its Fund, and this November, the final distributions were made.  C-100 Development Director Michael Lee reports that the Committee supported seven projects:

C100 Executive Director Impressed by Sichuan Earthquake Recovery Efforts

September 2008 | By Jane Leung Larson | Photographed by Alice Mong

Along with the flurry of Committee activities held alongside the Beijing Olympics, Executive Director Alice Mong and Carter Tseng met with the Beijing director of Give2Asia, the philanthropic organization through which the Committee set up its C-100 Earthquake Relief Fund. They were briefed on the progress being made in Sichuan. Tseng, who along with Leslie Tang Schilling is a trustee of Give2Asia, has been appointed Chair of the China Earthquake Committee and is overseeing Give2Asia relief efforts in Sichuan.

Journalist Charlie Cook surveying earthquake damage near the epicenter

Reconstruction begins with recycling

Earthquake Relief Fund Raises Nearly $800,000

July 2008 | By Jane Leung Larson

The Committee of 100 Earthquake Relief Fund has raised $777,996 as of July 22, with gifts from 257 donors. Established a few days after the May 12 earthquake hit Sichuan province, the fund has given grants to Chinese organizations in the best position to make a difference on the ground. The first grant of $150,000 was made to the China Charity Federation for distributing tents, instant food, powdered milk, and water-purifying machines in the quake-hit areas. The China Charity Federation is a non-governmental humanitarian agency that helps low-income families and provides relief to those in need. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs has designated CCF as one of the few organizations in China with the capacity to coordinate wide-ranging disaster relief.