Our History

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2008

May
In response to Cyclone Nargis, subscribers to "The Vine" (www.thevine.co.nz), a New Zealand website raise US$13,000 to help victims. The money is used to purchase food, blankets, medical supplies, and other essential relief items.

July
Steve Neill, owner and maintainer of The Vine incorporates "Community Aid Relief and Development" (CoAid) as a non-profit organization in Colorado, USA. Steve and Phil Gazley form the CoAid Board of Directors. The CoAid website is officially launched. The CoAid Facebook group is created.

August
Steve travels to Burma under the invitation of the Burmese Governement. He spends 2 weeks in Karen State visiting ethnic Karen leaders. CoAid distributes medical supplies, shoes and school supplies. CoAid adopts a set of principles for working within Burma.

November
CoAid runs a training session for staff at Denver Rescue Mission -- "Understanding Burmese Karen Culture". CoAid attends the AERDO Conference in Colorado Springs.

2009

January
CoAid launches the "Refugee Outreach" program to assist Lutheran Family Services in Denver with purchasing essential items for newly arrived refugee families.

February
Website given a facelift.

March
Jarrod Newcom joins the Board of Directors. CoAid and Church of the Nazarene sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for working together on projects in Rwanda and The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

April
CoAid runs a successful food drive in Denver to help restock the refugee food pantry of Lutheran Family Services.

July
CoAid celebrates first birthday with family, friends and supporters. CoAid donates $2,000 for work in Africa. Luke Oravec joins the Board of Directors.

October
CoAid signs an MOU with a partner in India. Monsoon floods hit India. CoAid raises over $6,000 for flood relief. Volunteer teams in India deliver relief supplies to over 1,200 people. CoAid joins Facebook "Causes".

December
CoAid is awarded $25,000 from JP Morgan Chase Bank.

2010

January
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastates Haiti. 200,000 people are believed to have died.
CoAid delivers tents and medical supplies to earthquake victims in Haiti.
CoAid signs an MOU with Hope Force International (www.hopeforce.org). CoAid and Hope Force combine resources to deliver urgent medical supplies to the stricken country.

June
CoAid attends DART training course run by Strategic World Impact (www.swi.org) in Oklahoma.

August
CoAid signs an MOU with Promised Provision Ministries (www.promisedprovision.org) to help provide shelter to about 1,500 earthquake victims in Haiti.
CoAid, Promised Provision Ministries, and Fountains of Hope install 2 clean water purification systems in Darbonne and Lafferronnay, Haiti.

December
CoAid runs its 2nd Annual Refugee Food Drive and delivers 100's lbs food to Lutheran Family Servies and Ecumenical Refugee Services in Denver.

2011

June
CoAid welcomes Don Bibb to the Board of Directors.