How does the CNMI account for typhoon aid coming in?

With the outpouring of generosity for Saipan in the wake of Typhoon Soudelor’s Aug. 2 devastation, how does the CNMI keep track of and account for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash donations, in-kind contributions, and free services for relief and recovery?

More cash donations are expected in the next few days and weeks.

Containers of relief goods have already made their way to Saipan, and many others are on the way.

If one is to add U.S. federal resources to help restore water and power services, individual and household assistance (nearly $2 million approved so far), emergency food stamps ($3.5 million at least), and relief supply vouchers and transportation of emergency supplies and equipment, then we’re talking about multiple millions of dollars worth of assistance to the CNMI. This is with or without local matching fund requirements.

Saipan is getting help from individuals, families, groups, businesses, civic organizations and neighborhoods on Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam, Hawaii, California, Washington, D.C., other U.S. states and other countries.

Among the people near and far that are opening their hearts and wallets may not even be able to pinpoint Saipan on the world map.

Part of the reason for such an outpouring of support may be the nearly 100 local, national and global media outlets such as Associated Press and Al-Jazeera that reported on Soudelor’s fury on Saipan. After wreaking havoc on the island, Soudelor later became the strongest storm so far this year.

Here is an attempt to list some initial cash donations:

•First Hawaiian Bank’s monetary donation of $25,000 to the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter as early as Aug. 3, plus other relief goods and services;

•DFS Group’s initial monetary donation of $50,000 also to Red Cross, plus direct donations to its Saipan employees within 48 hours of the typhoon’s direct hit, and an ongoing online fundraising that DFS will match, with a target amount of $100,000;

•Bank of Hawaii’s $25,000 monetary donation ($15,000 through Red Cross and $10,000 through The Salvation Army), plus other relief goods and services;

•Bank of Guam’s monetary donation of $50,000 ($20,000 through Red Cross, $20,000 through Karidat Social Services, and $10,000 through The Salvation Army), plus ongoing collection of donations;

•Nissan Motor Corp. in Guam’s monetary donation of $10,000 ($5,000 through Rotary Clubs of Guam and $5,000 through Joeten Daidai Foundation);

•Baseball players and fans in Bangor, Maine where the Senior League World Series was recently held, donated $8,000 directly to players and coach of the CNMI team by passing hats around during games;

•Tinian leadership’s monetary donation of $5,220, along with relief supplies, to The Salvation Army;

•Municipality of Mangilao in Guam’s monetary donation of $4,265.70 to the Saipan Mayor’s Office;

•Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan’s (Ind-MP) online campaign donated $6,743 to Karidat Social Services for the latter’s typhoon relief program, in addition to Sablan’s efforts in getting Obama to declare the CNMI a federal disaster area to be able to tap federal resources for relief and recovery missions.

Those with combined donations of cash and relief supplies, and those that provided Saipan with manpower resources and other emergency service needs:

•Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies;

•U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines (aboard USS Ashland from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit), U.S. Air Force (airmen from the 36th Contingency Response Group out of Andersen Air Force Base), National Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Joint Region Marianas;

•Government of Guam, including boot drives led by the office of Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio and an online donation campaign, Guam Power Authority, Guam International Airport Authority, members of the Guam Legislature, Guam municipalities;

•American Red Cross-NMI Chapter, Karidat Social Services, The Salvation Army;

•American Red Cross chapters across the United States sending volunteers to Saipan;

•Joeten Daidai Foundation donated $60,000 in combined cash and in-kind contributions ($40,000 cash and supplies through Red Cross, $10,000 in cash and supplies through the Salvation Army, and $10,000 in cash and supplies through Karidat Social Services);

•Saipan exclusive casino license holder Best Sunshine International Ltd. claims to have donated at least $500,000 in combined cash and in-kind contributions ($200,000 to the Saipan Mayor’s Office; $100,000 cash to the governor’s office and lieutenant governor’s office; $100,000 to the Legislature; $50,000 to Red Cross; $50,000 to Karidat Social Services);

•Grassroots volunteer group United 4 Saipan, funded by Help us Restore our Island’s GoFundMe online account, Glen Hunter, Sveta Hunter, Mami Ikeda and other volunteers;

•Various Lions Clubs in Guam’s over $20,000 worth of relief goods;

•Sons of Saipan, in partnership with the Guam Regional Medical City and others, collected $13,334 so far in donated cash and relief supplies;

•Hormel Foods Corp. based in Minnesota donated over 20,000 cans of luncheon meat;

•Ayuda Foundation in Guam, Payuta Inc. in Guam, Archdiocese of Agana, Catholic Social Services, Guam Chamber of Commerce, Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Guam, Korean Association of Guam, Filipino Association of Guam, Association of Mariana Islands Mayors, Guam Territorial Band, Guam Running Club;

•GTA Teleguam, IT&E, Docomo Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Bank Pacific, Matson, Dewitt, Pacific Trading, Triple J, IHOP in Guam, Marianas Express Lines, Dependable Global Express, Sorensen Media Group;

•United Filipino Organization, Bayani Association, Honorary Philippine Consul to the CNMI Eli Arago, Saipan Lions Club, Empty Vessel Ministry, other faith-based groups and churches, Saipan Young Professionals, Project: Save Saipan, Marianas Chapter of U.S. Pinoys for Good Governance;

•CNMI San Diego Club raising funds through an online GoFundMe account, in partnership with the Sons and Daughters of Guam Club in San Diego;

•Reach Out Pacific and office of Hawaii State Sen. Glenn Wakai, healthcare providers from Hawaii, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Pacific Xtreme Combat community, Tokia Nation, Gamageri Junior Brass Band from Aichi Prefecture in Japan, students from Itoda School in Japan donated 30,000 yen or $241;

•Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands donated some $20,000 worth of relief goods to Karidat Social Services, plus individual hotels such as Mariana Resort & Spa, Hyatt Regency Hotel;

•Saipan Tribune, Tan Holdings Corp., Tang Construction, ITS Equipment Rental, GPPC, E-Land, Telesource, Tokio Marine Pacific Insurance Ltd., other businesses in the CNMI;

•Micronesia Islands Nature Alliance, Saipan Fishermen’s Association, Talaabwogh Stars Association, Tinian Cattlemen Association;

•United Airlines’ online fundraising initiative and the purchase of emergency medical kits with medicines and supplies for 10,000 Saipan residents for up to 90 days;

•South Korea to send 100 boxes of instant noodles, 600 bottles of spring water, 100 sets of mosquito nets, 100 flashlights and four small generators via Asiana Airlines;

•CNMI departments and agencies and elected officials;

•Individual members of the CNMI community;

•Feel free to add to the list…

It’s hard to estimate the value of “all” donated drinking water, food, clothing, medicine, beddings, cots, tents, batteries, sanitary wipes and other toiletries, power generators, rechargeable fans, mosquito nets and coils and other relief supplies.

Equally tough is putting a dollar figure on all the time, energy and other resources spent to support ongoing relief and recovery efforts.

When many of the donors and volunteers help anonymously, without media coverage, and give directly to typhoon survivors, that also makes it difficult to keep track of every penny and every item donated.

At the end of the day, however, what matters most is that all the monetary donations, goods and services from donors and volunteers reach their intended recipients.

Through these donations, typhoon survivors are able to eat, drink, shower, sleep at night safely, go to and from work or school, and eventually stand on their own feet again.

But if the donations (or vouchers and food stamps) are already on Saipan yet take a long time to reach individual typhoon survivors and are therefore bogging down relief and recovery efforts, one can only guess whether it’s because of a lack of coordination, communication breakdown, incompetence, bureaucracy, corruption, or a combination of any of these.