ShelterBox USA receives 2022 Peace Prize from United Nations Association of Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.ShelterBox USA received the 2022 Peace Prize from the United Nations Association of Santa Barbara and Tri-Counties Chapter.

The award ceremony coincided with United Nations Day.

The United Nations is now 77 years old.

ShelterBox USA President Kerri Murray accepted the award during a ceremony and reception at Pascucci's restaurant on State Street in Santa Barbara on Monday evening.

The event sold out thanks to donors who believe in ShelterBox and its mission.

Murray said ShelterBox was started by Rotary more than two decades ago following an earthquake.

Members had hoped to help a dozen people year. ShelterBox now helps about 300,000 people a year.

One ShelterBox can be made with a $1,000 dollar donation.

The big green box includes a family tent that can shelter up to ten people. It also includes a hygiene kit, a solar light, a water filter, a mosquito net, blankets, a shelter kit full of home repair supplies and a cook set.

The items can prevent people from dying from exposure.

Murray said their humanitarian relief work has been in extreme conflict zone including Ukraine where the difficult winter season is about to begin.

They are also helping in natural disaster areas such a Pakistan where a third of the county was flooded by a monsoon.

With 114 million people around the world displaced this year, Murray said the humanitarian need is only growing.

She said 75 percent of the people they help are women and children.

Murray told the crowd that every person who has shown their support deserves the award.

People in Santa Barbara who have survived countless fires and a deadly debris flow have been generous to the privately funded nonprofit.

"This community has been through so much between fire and also debris flows and i think this community really connects to what is like to lose everything in an instant," said Murray.

Former UNASB President Barbara Gaughen-Muller said,  "Every time there is a disasters Kerri gets on a plane, and goes there, and these people trained to carry these shelter boxes- and they are not light- up hills, through rivers, wherever they are needed, they go with her, and they carry a home."

Current UNASB President Sharon Byrne said, "This is our 6th annual Santa Barbara Peace Prize created by the United Nations Association and our job is to bring the work of the United Nations to the community and visa versa."

They say people can help by telling their friends about ShelterBox and by joining UNASB.

For more information visit www.ShelterBoxUSA.org/StockTheBox and unasb.org