How a postcard campaign in North Carolina grew into three decades of advocacy and more than $1 million in aid — all of it carried by volunteers.
Tamil families in North Carolina followed events in Sri Lanka's north with growing alarm. On July 9, 1995, the Sri Lankan air force bombed St. Peter's Church in Navaly, killing 147 civilians who had taken shelter there.
Families ran a postcard campaign asking North Carolina's U.S. Senators to speak up. When the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington protested, it showed that a community speaking together carries more weight than individual letters.
On March 16, 1996, about ten families met at Pullen Park Baptist Church in Raleigh at the invitation of Elias Jeyarajah. They elected a board that afternoon, agreed to meet every two months, and committed to two linked kinds of work: advocacy with elected representatives and direct aid to people affected by the war.
On April 20, 1996, the first formal meeting adopted a constitution, chose a logo and letterhead, and registered the group as a nonprofit. In 2001, members created the North Carolinians for Peace Foundation as a separate 501(c)(3), so gifts for relief and development are tax-deductible.
"To promote human rights, social justice, world peace, and the alleviation of human suffering."
Members gathered donated equipment from local medical facilities on weekends — children helping their parents — then shrink-wrapped and crated it, storing it until a container was full. Several containers went to Sri Lanka and were handed to trusted local organizations for distribution.
Members in Raleigh and Wilmington collected clothing, medical supplies and cash across the state and packed three containers. Gulf American Lines shipped them at no charge, and the Lions Club in Colombo handled distribution.
Elected March 16, 1996
Every one of them a volunteer.
Learn more about the Foundation's work at ncfpfoundation.com.
