More donations and aid still coming to those in need
Ljubljana, 11 August - Many organisations are raising money to help in flood relief efforts, including the Red Cross Slovenia that has raised more than EUR 1 million through donations by individuals and companies by Friday. Caritas Slovenia has so far raised more than EUR 1.5 million in funds.
Ljubljana
Aid is being collected at the Red Cross's centre in Ljubljana.
Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA
The Supernova group and the bank Delavska hranilnica contributed EUR 100,000 each, the Red Cross told the STA.
The Red Cross has mobilised more than 1,000 volunteers who gave out more than 80,000 litres of water, 40 pallets of toiletries and 80 pallets of food. Every day the organisation helps more than 120,000 at risk individuals and families.
The pharmaceutical company Roche has pledged to donate EUR 100,000 through the Finance Ministry.
The strength of the community and mutual support shows the character of Slovenians who know how to stand united through the most difficult challenges and show the proverbial solidarity, the company wrote, adding that it is proud of its employees who are helping in their local communities.
The German cleaning equipment maker Kärcher in coordination with its partners Kärcher and Panna Plus donated on Friday 191 pieces of professional cleaning equipment to the Slovenian Armed Forces and the Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration. The donation is valued at EUR 140,000.
The equipment, including high-pressure cleaners, electric generators and waste water pumps, is already on its way to the affected areas, said Rudi Medved, a state secretary at the Defence Ministry, who described the donation as extremely valuable in the current situation.
Panna Plus previously donated ten vacuum cleaners for wet-dry cleaning worth EUR 35,000 to the Red Cross that are already in use.
Caritas Slovenia's secretary general Peter Tomažič said that they had so far raised over EUR 1.5 million, and the funds raised during yesterday's RTV Slovenija donation campaign are not factored in. "The response is really surprising and huge," he said at a news conference, thanking everyone for their contribution.
Just over EUR 182,000 was raised via text messages by more than 20,000 individuals, but this money can be accessed only in around a month's time after the donors pay the pledged funds. Companies contributed EUR 312,000, EUR 60,000 came in from abroad, and EUR 50,000 was donated by the FIHO organisation of the disabled.