By Monica Drake
The Oakland Press
FERNDALE (AP) - Thousands of people are trying to leave Kathmandu, Nepal - scared of staying too close to the recent earthquake's epicenter.
But, while so many are trying to get away, Ferndale resident Mallory Brown has decided she wants to travel to the heart of Nepal's destruction.
"I fly to Nepal on May 7 and will be on the ground in the midst of disaster relief," the 28-year-old told The Oakland Press. "I understand the situation to be very critical - locals and volunteers sleeping in tents in the streets, low supplies of water and food, endless medical needs, continuous aftershocks. But (there's) also an incredible movement of compassion and humanity."
Through the Royal Oak crowd-funding platform CrowdRise, Brown has raised $5,000 so far to help the people of Nepal.
"I have been in touch with aid organizations on the ground to determine what needs exist and how I can help," she said. "The situation is tragic and complex, so I want to implement these funds in the way they do the most good."
Brown is no stranger to helping those in need. Five years ago, she founded World Clothes Line, an online "buy one, give one" apparel brand. The organization matches each customer's purchase, giving clothing to people living in impoverished areas.
"I travel the world to personally deliver new clothes to people in need. Since WCL's founding, I've distributed in 16 different countries," she said.
This year, in addition to her fundraising efforts for Nepal, she has raised $10,000 in 24 hours to find a home for a displaced family in Haiti and another $10,000 to build an educational center in Mexico.
Brown said she was already planning to donate clothing to Nepal before the earthquake - but she now has a sense of immediacy to help the country.
"The earthquake in Nepal has added such purpose to my already philanthropic campaign," she said.
Published: Tue, May 05, 2015
