Lord Krishna in the 21st Century
Chapter 18 - 1-800-DISASTER
In the Spring of 1997 I noticed a newspaper article about a tornado that had just killed over 20 people just north of Austin, Texas, in a small town called, Jarrell.
Most interesting was that the newspaper also printed a "How to Help" box and inside it were the names of different organizations that had responded to this horrible tragedy. This same information was printed in countless newspapers across America.
I
I'm sure that by now, some 28 years later, the contact information here is outdated, but putting that aside, the point I am making here is that all newspapers, both large and small, print these "How To Help" boxes along with the actual story. These "How To Help" boxes appear as a shaded box that gives them a special appearance. I have seen dozens of them over the years and have included two of them in this book.
I just wrote: "Show Me the Money." I also said that Krishna Disaster Relief should work closely with the ISKCON Communications Office. Naturally, I would like to see this blueprint followed by ISKCON and as soon as the initial steps have have been taken, Krishna Disaster Relief should obtain its own 1-800 number. One that can be easily memorized such as: 1-800-DISASTER. (Note: We're being extra careful not to put the cart before the horse here, and as soon as our IRS 501 (C)(3) status has been approved Krishna Disaster Relief will be obtaining a business phone number. Following this, our banking and business cards can be ordered. ISKCON is no longer a factor.)
The basic idea is that whenever a major disaster strikes, Krishna Disaster Relief would generate a fax, e-mail, message, etc. and send it to every newspaper & media outlet in America, with our 1-800 number printed on it. Of course, even before this, Krishna Disaster Relief would have sent those news platforms information about Krishna Disaster Relief. If written nicely and with photographs, many newspapers would print the entire thing as a general-interest story, without there even being a disaster.
I want to stress the words, "every newspaper." We don't want to leave out rural America. Our country is dotted with millions of small towns and they all have their small newspapers. I have a collection of them. They also report on major disasters and also include these "How To Help Boxes." In other words, the residents of a small village in Montana (hundreds of miles from Texas) will nonetheless read in their local newspaper the same story about the tornado in Jarrell, TX. They will also see the "How To Help" box, showing them where to send money for the relief efforts and many people gladly donate.
When you multiply this formula by the huge number of small newspapers in America (plus all the major ones) you can imagine how much money is given to the various relief agencies that respond to disasters. As I mentioned, millions of dollars are donated to the Salvation Army each year. Since Lord Krshna is the "Greatest Hero," I'm saying that Krishna Disaster Relief should definitely be listed in these "How To Help" boxes, right along with the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities and others.
I am not a computer whiz but I have heard of special programs being able to simultaneously broadcast the same message to everyone located on a specific contact list. It is just a matter of collecting and storing the necessary data on all these newspapers (and media outlets). When a major disaster hits, we can then customize a special press release and within no time have it sent to every newspaper in America. Once the data has been entered into the program, this can be easily done.
Another point is that these newspapers, both large and small, also report on worldwide disasters, not just local or national disasters. I'm a little ahead of myself here, but shortly I will show you how a bonafide, worldwide, Krishna Disaster Relief agency can be set up almost over night. Basically, whenever there is a major disaster in America (or in another part of the world), by following this blueprint, a detailed description of what happened and Krishna Disaster Relief's immediate response can be sent to all these newspapers via e-mail. Remember, besides reporting on the specifics of a certain disaster, these newspapers & media outlets will also print a "How To Help" box. But first they have to know about us.
The points to consider here seem endless. Every region in America has some form of television news coverage. Disasters are televised during both the local and world news. Radio is another huge source for the news, and even more popular are social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, etc.
Keeping track of every newspaper & social media outlet in America will certainly keep Krishna Disaster Relief busy, but this is what is needed. The idea is that we want to have Krishna Disaster Relief appear in every "How To Help" box that the public sees. Again, we should be right there alongside the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross! This is presenting Lord Krsna as He is: The world's Greatest Hero.
Because Krishna Disaster Relief is a worldwide disaster-relief agency, everything that I have mentioned also needs to be duplicated globally. People in South America, Africa, Europe and Asia also have their local newspapers and local television stations. They also have their "How To Help" boxes. Regardless of where people happen to live they naturally want to help out, so all we need to do is tell them about the efforts that Krishna Disaster Relief is providing and how they can help us.
As I have been trying to say all along, people relate to heroes; even if the hero is a dog. If a dog jumped into a lake today and pulled out a little toddler, you would be seeing that dog's photo; name; and name of its owner all over the news. "Good Morning America" would probably fly the dog and its owner to New York City for a live appearance. “People love heroes.” This is something they can really relate to.
Lord Krshna is the "Greatest Person" and yes, we could tell the world that He is so great that He had 16,108 wives (resulting in people scratching their heads) ...or we can show Krishna coming to the rescue as the word's "Greatest Hero," resulting in people's hearts being filled with love and appreciation, exactly as Shrila Prabhupada dreamed about.
Factually, what we have here with Krishna Disaster Relief is an excellent way to show Lord Krshna to the world, and in way that everyone can relate to and appreciate. “People love heroes.” This is the value that this book; this formula; that this blueprint is all about.
Public domain photo
1. Jarrell Recovery Fund, c/o Eagle Bank, P.O. Box 345, Jarrell, Texas 76537, (512) 746-2531
2. Salvation Army, c/o Tornado Relief, P.O. Box 28145, San Antonio, Texas 78228, (210) 223-6877
3. Burial Fund Donations, c/o Community Fund Donations, First Baptist Church, P.O.. Box 339, Jarrell, Texas 76537
4. American Red Cross, c/o Disaster Relief Fund, 2218 Pershing Drive, Austin, Texas 78723, 1-800-928-4271
5. Catholic Charity, c/o Jarrell Disaster Fund, Diocese of Austin, P.O. Box 13327, Austin, Texas 78711
6. San Antonio Food Bank, 4311 Director Drive, San Antonio, TX 78219, (210) 337-3663