BANGOR – As the international tsunami relief effort continues to gather momentum, churches, businesses and other organizations in the state are hoping to do their part in raising funds to help aid agencies working overseas.

Many churches throughout the state are holding special offerings during regular services as well as accepting donations at their offices to be channeled to denominational aid organizations.

Member churches of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, such as Centre Street Church in Machias and All Souls Congregational Church in Bangor, are collecting donations that will be forwarded to the Maine Conference’s offices in Yarmouth. The funds will be dispersed to approved international aid services, such as Church World Services.

Corky Smith, parish administrator and communications officer at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bangor, said that in the days after the disaster in Southeast Asia, St. John’s has appealed to its members through an extensive e-mail list for donations to Episcopal Relief and Development, an international agency like the Red Cross and The Salvation Army that has a presence across the globe and specializes in disaster relief.

Meanwhile, secular organizations such as the American Red Cross, which has chapter offices throughout the state, have been accepting contributions both online and at branch offices.

Larry Harrison, manager of the Aroostook County Branch of the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross, estimates that the Presque Isle office has collected $3,000 in donations from local businesses and individuals.

Suzanne McCormick, chief executive officer for the Southern Maine Chapter of the American Red Cross, said the organization has received more than $155,000.

Scarborough-based Hannaford Bros. Co. announced Monday that the company, along with its sister companies, has donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund as part of a monthlong fund-raising program in its stores dating from the day after the disaster struck.

Coffee giant Starbucks announced last week that it has donated $100,000 to two international relief organizations, CARE and Oxfam. The company also will donate $2 from the sale of every pound of its whole bean Sumatra coffees to aid organizations through the end of January.

Rhonda Murphy, store manager at Starbucks’ Bangor Mall retail location, said the company is supporting individual store efforts to raise funds for CARE, and the Bangor store will be accepting donations.

“Anything we can do to help provide some relief for them,” she said.

Continuing through Jan. 12, Bangor-based Blue Paper Communications is organizing a communitywide bottle drive that also will benefit the Red Cross International Relief Fund.

St. Vincent DePaul Knights of Columbus in Bucksport will donate proceeds from its Jan. 16 public fish fry to tsunami relief efforts.

In Waterville, the United Way of Mid-Maine is partnering with the Colby College bookstore to collect donations for United Way International.

The funds being raised are earmarked primarily for emergency supplies such as food, water and medicine. But in the coming months many agencies will be looking for continued support to help in the rebuilding process.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Donation information

Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ: www.maineucc.org

Episcopal Disaster and Relief: www.erd.org

United Way of Mid-Maine: 873-0686

Blue Paper Communications Tsunami Relief Bottle Drive: 941-9888

American Red Cross Pine Tree Chapter: 941-2903