South Asia Earthquake

In October 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. The death toll exceeded 74,000, another 75,000 people were injured and approximately three million people were left homeless. Business Roundtable member companies responded and contributed more than $47 million in cash and in-kind donations to the immediate relief effort.

South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund

On November 9, 2005, President Bush announced the appointment of five current and former Business Roundtable CEOs to lead a nationwide effort to raise funds and increase awareness to help survivors of the South Asia earthquake.

The South East Asia Earthquake Relief Fund (SAERF), complemented the overall U.S. government relief and reconstruction commitment to the South Asia earthquake relief effort. As the first initiative of its kind, SAERF, administered by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), created a powerful collaboration between corporations, government entities and nonprofit organizations to create a sustainable response to the areas of Pakistan hit hardest by the devastating earthquake. After nearly three years of success and millions of dollars in relief and building efforts, SAERF was closed on August 31, 2008. For more information, please click here.