One month after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines, some residents of San Diego gathered to let the people who survived the deadly storm know they have not been forgotten.
Residents got together at Eastlake Middle School in Chula Vista Saturday night for a fundraiser to help Gawad Kalinga (GK), the non-profit organization based in Poway that is sending aid to those left homeless by the typhoon that struck Nov. 8.
The group’s name means "to give care" in Tagalog.
Attendees paid $10 at the door and there were some raffle prizes to help raise money.
Prima Zarza was one of those at the event. Her family was not directly affected but she has been working to help raise money for typhoon relief organizations.
Haiyan plowed through Tacloban and other coastal areas, leaving over 5,700 dead and more than 1,700 missing throughout the region. Some 4 million people were displaced.
"They don't have the infrastructure, they don't have electricity for instance. Many of the towns or villages have nothing even up to now,” Zarza said.
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"You've got to remember they don't have a home to go home to. It's going to take a while to build those homes," she said.
The storm, one of the strongest to hit land on record, triggered an international response, led by the United States and U.N. agencies.
It’s estimated it could take up to three years for some communities to rebuild.
Many people, including event organizer John Academia, say they want to make sure the victims are not forgotten.
“Those peoples' lives are still in turmoil even though we're here living a great life in the United States,” Academia said.
The charity reports that as of Dec. 11, it has established three locations in the Philippines and successfully distributed 100,000 food packs that consist of six meals designed for a family of five.
GK also hopes to repair as many as 5,000 roofs and rebuild up to 20,000 homes as part of its relief efforts.
