“You have to join hands. You have to take each child as your daughter.”
— Anuradha Koirala, Nepali humanitarian

Dear Friend,

In the wake of last week’s catastrophic flooding, thousands of families across Nepal are facing unimaginable loss. As of this writing, the death toll has exceeded 1,000, with more than 4,000 still missing. Entire villages have been devastated, and the infrastructure connecting them destroyed. The steep and unstable terrain has hindered rescue operations, including those of hundreds of workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels.

While all O.A.T. travelers, Trip Experience Leaders, and associates are safe, the needs of local communities continue to grow.

Today, I am asking for your help. Grand Circle Foundation will match every donation, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000 when you give by Friday 9/18.

When Nepal was devastated by the 2015 earthquake, we recalled an important lesson from our longtime friends and Grand Circle Foundation advisors, the late Sir Edmund and Lady June Hillary: “Don’t tell people what they need. Ask what they need.”

Guided by that principle, Grand Circle Foundation distributed more than $416,000 in aid through trusted partners who knew exactly where help was needed most. We identified organizations with experience on the ground, rather than a large international nonprofit, because they can act more quickly and effectively.

Now, Nepal needs our help once again. Building on our established partnerships, we will distribute funds between these organizations:

• Himalayan Trust Foundation to rebuild damaged schools. Founded by Sir Edmund Hillary and now led by CEO Mingma Norbu Sherpa, PhD, this organization has been a Foundation partner since 1993.
• Wine to Water for water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions. Since 2018, we have partnered closely with founder Doc Hendley when we require rapid emergency response and proven ability to deliver safe water to people in need.
• Joint Distribution Committee for temporary shelters and mobile medical equipment in partnership with Senior Director Alexandra Shklar. With more than 100 years of experience in emergency response to crisis zones, this humanitarian relief organization has been a trusted partner since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• Yeti Foundation, the charitable arm of the partner who operates our tours in Nepal. We have collaborated with Yeti on rebuilding efforts since the 2015 earthquake.

As the news from Nepal grows more serious, we hope you will join us in doing everything we can to make a difference.

Thank you for joining me in this urgent effort. We are committed to standing by the people of Nepal and helping them rebuild their beautiful country.

Love and Peace,

 

 

 

Harriet Lewis

Chair, Grand Circle Foundation

Thank you for the generous support of Grand Circle Foundation, and the trust you place in our team to ensure your donation is used as intended.

Donations made to Grand Circle Foundation are tax deductible (Federal Tax Number is 04-3175434). The Foundation is a US registered 501(c)(3) organization. All administration fees are covered by the Lewis Family and Grand Circle Corporation so that 100% of donations are used towards projects supported by Grand Circle Foundation.