A variety of organizations have established earthquake relief funds for victims and their families who were affected by the recent earthquake in the town of L'Aquila and other small towns in central Italy in the region of Abruzzo. Please be careful when donating online as a number of scams have popped up.

Anyone interested in receiving news on the victims may contact the Italian Department of Civil Protection as follows:

Telephone number: 011/39 06 68201
Email address: salaoperativa@protezionecivile.it

Here are some of the reputable organizations providing relief funds:

Festa Italiana and the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has established an Italian Earthquake Relief Fund. View the press release (pdf) for more information. Credit card donations can be made through the two organizers' websites at www.festaitaliana.com (exit WisItalia) or www.italianconference.com (exit WisItalia).

Il Circolo Calabrese is the world's oldest and largest organization devoted to the study and preservation of the language, history, culture and genealogy of the Calabria region of Italy. They have set up a relief fund where donations will be forwarded to the international Red Cross agencies operating in Italy. View the Il Circolo Calabrese website at www.circolocalabrese.org (exit WisItalia).

Italian Academy Foundation (IAF) has established a L'Aquila relief fund. Additionally, the IAF headquarters in L'Aquila (Bisegna) is open to the victims of the April 6, 2009, earthquake who are seeking shelter. View the IAF website at italianacademyfoundation.org (exit WisItalia).

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) has established a special NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund. View the NIAF website at www.niaf.org (exit WisItalia) and the special NIAF/Abruzzo Adopt-a-Student Fund at www.niaf.org/relief/Adopt_info.asp (exit WisItalia). The Adopt-a-Student fund is being established to accommodate 125 students from the University of L’Aquila for a full academic year in the U.S. while their university is being rebuilt.

The Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) has created an Emergency Relief Fund. View the Order Sons of Italy in America website at www.osia.org (exit WisItalia).

UNICO Announces Initiation of Fund to Aid Abruzzo Italy Earthquake Relief. View the UNICO website at www.unico.org (exit WisItalia) with a link to their press release (Word) for more information.

Updated March 6, 2010