Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Committee (AERC)

Alla nostra andata in stampa, mercoledi’ po-meriggio, si e’ tenuta al Columbus Centre una conferenza stampa per presentare il gruppo AERC , a cui aderiscono tra l’altro le seguenti or-ganizzazioni comunitarie:
Villa Charities , Canadian Italian Business & Pro-fessional Association , Na-tional Congress of Italian Canadians – Ontario ,\ Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana , Columbus Cen-tre , Casa Abruzzo , Italian Chamber of Commerce , Italian Canadian Savings and Credit Union .
Pal Di Iulio, President and CEO di Villa Charities agira’ come coordinatore di AERC , il comitato che si prefigge di coordinare una raccolta fondi a favore delle vittime del grave sisma in Abruzzo.

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GTA Italian-Canadian Community Establishes
Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Fund

April 8, 2009 - Members of Toronto's Italian-Canadian community gathered today at Columbus Centre to organize and coordinate relief efforts for the recent and ongoing earthquakes centered around L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. To date, tremors and aftermath have killed over 260 people, injured 1,000, shaken 26 towns/cities and tens of thousands of people have lost their homes.

The Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Committee (AERC), to date includes the following organizations: Villa Charities family of organizations including Villa Colombo, VITA Community Living Services, Mens Sana, Columbus Centre, Villa Colombo Vaughan, Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association, National Congress of Italian Canadians -Toronto District and Ontario Region, Centro Scuola e Cultura Italiana, Casa Abruzzo, Italian Chamber of Commerce of Toronto, Associazione Culturale Abruzzo Canada, Order of Sons of Italy of Canada, Italian Canadian Savings and Credit Union and other members and leaders from the Italian community and "friends of Abruzzo."

The purpose of this Committee is to invite additional participation, obtain registered charitable status and receive funds which will be used to do something positive and concrete to aid in reconstruction in the areas most affected once the dust settles.

Pal Di Iulio, president and CEO of Villa Charities, will be acting as coordinator of the AERC.

"While the immediate needs in L'Aquila are adequately being met by the Italian government, the purpose of the funds raised by the AERC will be for reconstruction required in the coming months and years," states Di Iulio.

A bank account in the name of "Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Fund" has been opened at CIBC branches across the city, Account Number: 11-78512, Transit number: 07602. Eventually, branches and other banks across Canada, including The Bank of Nova Scotia, will also receive donations.

A website is currently under construction: www.abruzzoearthquakerelieffund.ca
Alternately, donations can be dropped off at:

Columbus Centre IC Savings and Credit Union branches:
901 Lawrence Avenue West
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 2900 Duferin Street, Toronto
416-789-7011 416-784-4007

1254 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto
416-653-4007

53 Woodbridge Avenue, Woodbridge
905-264-4007