ShelterBox USA welcomed Coconut Grove resident Steven Tonkinson into its Hall of Fame after Tonkinson recently reached a fundraising milestone, raising more than $100,000 to provide emergency shelter and supplies to people who have lost their homes to disaster or conflict.
Of the more than 400 ShelterBox Ambassadors across the country — volunteers who represent ShelterBox in their communities and fundraise on behalf of the organization — Tonkinson joins 33 others who have reached this fundraising milestone. The funds raised through his efforts have provided more than 100 families with emergency shelter and supplies.
“Volunteers are imperative to ShelterBox’s ability to provide warmth, dignity, and hope to vulnerable families during their time of greatest need,” said Kerri Murray, ShelterBox USA Ppresident. “We cannot thank Steven enough for selflessly giving hundreds of hours of his personal time to generate support and compassion for people around the world.”
Tonkinson has been a ShelterBox volunteer for 10 years and has deployed internationally numerous times as a ShelterBox response team member to help distribute aid to people in need.
In 2016, he ran the entire Miami Marathon with a ShelterBox replica on his back and raised more than $20,000 for the organization as well as introduced new audiences to the mission.
In honor of his 40th birthday in June, his parents made a donation to ShelterBox through the Tonkinson Foundation to help him earn Hall of Fame status. Tonkinson is the managing director of Tonkinson Financial in Miami.
ShelterBox provides humanitarian aid in the form of family-sized tents and essential tools to start repairing and rebuilding homes. Additionally, the organization’s kits and boxes contain items that help transform shelter into a home, like cooking sets, solar lights, blankets, water filtration, and activity sets for children.
ShelterBox currently is responding in Malawi after Cyclone Idai, Somaliland after severe drought, and is responding to shelter needs of refugees and displaced people in Syria, Iraq, Ethiopia, Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger.
To volunteer, fundraise, or make a donation, visit www.shelterboxusa.org or call 941-907-6036.
