Dear alumni and friends:

The 2008 Sichuan earthquake (Chinese: 四川大地震), magnitude 7.9 Mw, occurred at 14:28:01.42 CST (06:28:01.42 UTC) on 12 May 2008, with its epicenter in Wenchuan County, Sichuan province of the People's Republic of China. The epicenter was 90 kilometers (56 mi) west-northwest of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, with a depth of 19 kilometers (12 mi). The earthquake was felt as far away as Beijing and Shanghai, where office buildings swayed with the tremor. The earthquake was also felt in nearby countries, such as Taiwan, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Official figures (as of 14 May) state that 14,866 are confirmed dead and 66,286 injured, while the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that 19,565 (including 7,700 in Yingxiu, near the epicenter) are dead and 26,206 injured. Thousands are missing, many of them buried, and eight provinces were affected. These figures are likely to rise sharply as a clearer picture emerges. It was the deadliest and strongest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed approximately 250,000 people.

It's hard not to be moved by the scenes on TV and the fact that whole China is rallying up for the disaster relief effort. I am calling for your generosity to help the earthquake victims.

Donate by check:
Please make checks payable to SJTUFA, and specify "China Earthquake Relief". Please mail to

Katherine He
SJTUFA
16625 Sonora Street
Tustin, CA 92782

Donate by Direct Transfer:
SJTUFA account #: 6110021990
Union Bank of California Routing #: 122000496

It will be great if you could get matching fund from your company. SJTUFA EIN: 76-0802983

The earthquake relief fund will be 100% forwarded to Chinese Red Cross. Deposit of the checks will be made after I return from China on May 25th. Please email me after you make the donation so that I can reply your email with a receipt in PDF after I return.

SJTUFA (Shanghai Jiao Tong University Foundation of America) is a nonprofit organization in the process of tax exempt status application and expecting to receive IRS response soon. All donations made within 18 months can be tax deductible retrospectively.


Best regards,

Katherine He
SJTUFA President