(CARSON, CA)— Together Samoa, a group of young Samoan Americans formed with the mission of supporting tsunami relief efforts through selling custom wristbands, has donated a total of $3,000 to the Help Samoa Disaster Relief Coalition (Help Samoa) to aid in their second and third shipment of disaster relief items to Samoa and American Samoa.

The check was presented by Nemaia Satele, founder of Together Samoa, to Pat Luce, Executive Director of the National Office of Samoan Affairs and Co-Chair of Help Samoa.

Together Samoa’s donation to Help Samoa was generated through people’s purchase of $2 wristbands, with 100% of proceeds donated to tsunami relief efforts. The money will be used to purchase much needed items to the islands including building materials, and also offset shipping/transportation costs to Samoa and American Samoa.

Help Samoa’s third shipment will leave to Samoa and American Samoa today and arrive in the islands in early December. Items in these containers will be distributed through Help Samoa’s partner non-governmental organizations, Native American Samoa Advisory Council (NASAC) in American Samoa, and Samoa Umbrella of Non-Governmental Organizations (SUNGO) and Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women’s Association (PPSEAWA) in Samoa. Help Samoa has already sent a total of twenty containers packed with food, water, clothing, diapers and medical supplies to the islands.

“Together Samoa’s donation to Help Samoa is really a testament to the entire Samoan community in the United States. We are particularly grateful to youth, who have whole-heartedly taken on Together Samoa’s mission and fundraised in their communities, purchased wristbands, and advocated on behalf of the tsunami relief efforts underway,” said Nemaia Satele. “Two dollars for a wristband may not seem like a lot, but has made a profound impact on healing our homeland. We are humbled and grateful for everyone’s purchase.”

Pat Luce concluded, “We are thankful for the generosity of the Together Samoa organization as a coalition partner. Together Samoa is a fine example of young promising community leaders.”

Together Samoa was founded on the premise of giving young people and others the opportunity to participate in tsunami relief efforts, and to symbolically unify those living outside of the islands around rebuilding efforts.

The group will continue to sell wristbands, which say “Together Samoa” and “One Love * One Goal.” Future proceeds will go towards supporting education efforts for schools in Samoa and American Samoa damaged by the tsunami.

For more information, visit www.togethersamoa.com

Together Samoa was formed in response to the September 29th tsunami. It is a coalition of Polynesian families, students, community leaders and church members in the United States unified around a common vision of rebuilding Samoa and American Samoa, with central hubs in the Los Angeles area (Long Beach, Carson), as well as the San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland).

(Source: media release— Together Samoa)