ATLANTA – Nearly two weeks after a deadly tsunami swept through areas of Southeast Asia, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Asian Response Fund continues to grow, surpassing $89,000 in mail and online contributions as of Jan 6.

Contributors have given $30,951.80 online and an additional $58,719 by mail to the fund, which is aiding the Fellowship’s relief efforts in several Southeast Asian countries. So far, the Fellowship has sent more than $100,000 to CBF Global Missions field personnel to use in the relief effort.

To maximize the impact of their financial contribution, donors can also research their employer’s policy on matching gifts. Some corporations will match a portion or all of an employee’s contribution to a nonprofit organization. While restrictions vary among participating corporations, approximately $1.2 billion in matching gifts was donated to nonprofit organizations in 2002, according to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Web site. About 8,600 corporation matching gift programs are accounted for by CASE, but the organization predicts these programs might be offered by as many as 250,000 additional corporations or small businesses.

By accessing the Fellowship’s Web site, www.thefellowship.info, individuals can make a contribution online, read up-to-date dispatches from the field or learn of the latest prayer needs.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.