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On Friday, May 2, Cyclone Nargis hit southwestern Burma with winds exceeding 190 km per hour (118 mph). Media reports show that an estimated 24 million people live in the affected areas, which includes the heavily-populated city of Yangon. Current government reports indicate tens of thousands of deaths with this number expected to rise. A state of emergency has been declared in five regions, and there are reports of significant damage to electricity, telecommunications, water, fuel, vegetation, and small scale infrastructure. Many homes have been damaged or destroyed; several hundred thousand people are believed to be in need of shelter.
Remarks: Mrs. Bush's Statement on Burma
USAID Partners with American Red Cross to Help the Burmese People
USAID Provides Additional $3 Million in Assistance to the Burmese People in Cyclone Aftermath
USAID Assists Burmese People in Cyclone Aftermath
USAID Responds to Cyclone Nargis
For information on how to assist by volunteering or donating to the relief and recovery effort:
American Red Cross: Response to the Myanmar Cyclone
International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
United Nations World Food Programme
USAID: General Information on Donating to Humanitarian Organizations In Times of Disaster
 USA Freedom Corps Director Henry Lozano today joined President Bush for a White House celebration of National Volunteer Week, honoring Americans who give of their time to help the less fortunate and create impact in communities at home and around the globe. During an East Room ceremony, President Bush recognized 33 Peace Corps trainees preparing to leave for Guatemala and thanked them for dedicating their lives to serving others. This tradition of hosting Peace Corps volunteers for a formal White House send-off before the trainees leave for their service has been continued by every sitting President since Richard Nixon.
Learn more
Remarks: President Bush Discusses National Volunteer Week
White House Fact Sheet: National Volunteer Week
Enthusiastic about the growing national momentum for service and civic action, organizers of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service expect more than 4,000 leaders to gather in Atlanta this June 1-3 to unleash a new wave of service and social entrepreneurship to meet social needs. The conference, cosponsored by the Points of Light & Hands On Network and the Corporation for National and Community Service, comes at a key time as national service is embraced in the Presidential campaign and as changing technologies and demographics are reshaping the volunteer landscape.
The conference is the nation’s largest gathering of service and volunteering leaders. Organizers expect strong turnout from businesses, nonprofits and public agencies -- driven by growing interest in citizen service, a packed agenda of forums and workshops, and the attraction of Atlanta as a vibrant host city.
Learn more
Visit www.volunteeringandservice.org
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