SHELTERBOX – A UNIQUE IDEA!
The ShelterBox concept was thought up and developed by Rotarian and ex-Royal Navy search-and-rescue diver Tom Henderson – the charity’s founder & CEO.
Disasters – whatever the cause – often result in huge numbers of people left homeless. The initial challenge is often medical aid and making sure everyone has access to water and food. However, another essential is shelter. That’s because without protection from the elements survival can be a real battle – particularly for the young, old and infirm.
In late 1999, Tom realised no one was really dealing with this specific challenge and came up with the idea of the ShelterBox. He spent the next few months researching the idea, sourcing equipment and getting others to back the project.
ShelterBox was launched in April 2000 and the first boxes sent to India in January 2001. Now, ShelterBox has become one of the most effective aid agencies in the world.
The Rotary link
The ShelterBox idea was adopted by Tom's Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard as its millennium project and registered as a UK charity. The directors of The ShelterBox Trust are members of the Helston-Lizard club.
Many Rotary clubs in the UK and Ireland now enthusiastically
support ShelterBox – and raise a significant proportion
of the charity’s income.
Tom Henderson - founder
Rotary clubs in the United States, Australia, Canada have also set up ShelterBox affiliates to fundraise on our behalf. Similar support groups are being set up in a number of other countries, including Germany, Norway and New Zealand.
The Rotary organisation also often plays a key role in helping ShelterBox get aid to disaster victims in the field.
The first five years
In January 2001, the first 143 ShelterBoxes were flown to the earthquake-hit region of Gujarat in India. Over the next four years, the project grew steadily and the charity responded to 23 different disasters around the world.
By the end of 2004, ShelterBox had sent out nearly 2,600 boxes and helped around 26,000 people. Based on what had been achieved so far, the charity set itself an annual target of sending out 900 boxes in 2004-2005.
Then, on 26th December 2004, came news of the Boxing Day Tsunami and everything changed. An unprecedented flood of donations meant the small team that had developed at the charity – together with its many loyal volunteers – was able to respond on a scale not previously envisaged.
In the end, more than 13,000 boxes were sent to the areas hit by the tsunami – providing aid for approaching an estimated 230,000 people. ShelterBox was suddenly a major player in the field of international humanitarian aid.
During 2005, ShelterBox also helped 13,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina and provided aid for approaching 140,000 people after a huge earthquake in Pakistan.
