Members of the Hainanese community in New York have rallied together to raise nearly $40,000 in donations for their hometown, which was recently devastated by Typhoon “Molang.” This generous contribution has been handed over to the Chinese Consulate in New York, which will forward the funds to the Wenchang Charity Association in Hainan Province for disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.
The powerful Typhoon “Molang” struck Hainan Province on September 6, causing significant loss of life and property, and severely impacting the local economy. Upon hearing the news, overseas Chinese citizens and caring individuals quickly responded with donations and support. The New York Hainan Association, the New York Hainan Club, and the American Hainan Chamber of Commerce initiated a fundraising campaign on September 7, just one day after the disaster, and received a warm response from the Hainanese community. Over the course of more than a month, they collected contributions from 177 fellow Hainanese, with donations ranging from $100 to $1,500, totaling $38,600.
On October 19, the leaders of the three Hainanese organizations—Wu Shizhao, Chen Zaifu, and Xie Zili—along with Chen Shanzhuang, the president of the United Asian Community in America who contributed $1,000, visited the Chinese Consulate in New York with a delegation of eight. They officially delivered the collected donations, which will support the reconstruction efforts in the affected areas.
Expressing gratitude for the community’s support, Chen Zaifu, president of the New York Hainan Club, highlighted the tradition of solidarity within the Hainanese community during times of crisis. He recalled past charitable efforts, including contributions of $27,289 in response to the earthquakes in Sichuan and Yunnan in 2014, and donations during the windstorm in Hainan in 2017, emphasizing the ongoing commitment of Hainanese compatriots to aid their hometown in its time of need.
