 |
|
Support Eqrthquake Disaster Relief in Haiti
When disasters happen, the Center for Volunteer and
Nonprofit Leadership helps the community respond by mobilizing local volunteer
resources.
On January 12, 2010 a 7.0-magnitude earthquake caused widespread damage on the island of Haiti, especially in the capital city of Port au Prince. Aftershocks continue to shake the island. As with most earthquakes, immediate needs are expected for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support.
The American Red Cross has pledged an initial $200,000 to assist affected communities and is prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation. In the next few days, the American Red Cross expects to send an initial shipment of relief supplies from its warehouse in Panama, which will include kitchen supplies, mosquito nets, tarps and other materials to help those who have been made homeless. The Red Cross also plans to deploy a disaster management specialist to support Haitian Red Cross relief efforts.
The American Red Cross has an extensive partnership with the Haitian Red Cross, and employs several staff members in Haiti who provide ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention and disaster preparedness education. The Haitian Red Cross was founded in 1931 and specializes in emergency response, community health services, blood transfusions, ambulance services and first aid training.
The American Red Cross is accepting monetary donations to support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. Potential donors wishing to support this disaster may designate their gift to AP 2885 Haiti Relief and Development. Although the Red Cross will accept gifts restricted to the Haiti earthquake, please promote the American Red Cross International Response Fund (IRF) as the preferred giving option.
Monetary Donations
Red Cross Donation Page
As of January 14, the American Red Cross has released $10 million to date for earthquake relief in Haiti, $5 million of which has come from the text-to-give campaign.
· Five disaster management specialists from Peru, Mexico and the United States traveled by land to the disaster zone on Thursday. These individuals join the 15-person staff we already have on the ground in Haiti as well as thousands of local Red Cross volunteers. Additional workers are gathering in the Dominican Republic today for transport into the affected area.
· Airports have begun accepting relief shipments again, and the Red Cross is sending in tarps, cooking sets, hygiene items and other supplies from the American Red Cross warehouse in Panama, which will be distributed to an initial 5,000 families.
In-Kind Donations
The American Red Cross is unable to accept donations of food, clothing or medicine for people affected by disasters because of the large amount of valuable manpower to process items, the logistical difficulties in storing and delivering these items, as well as the extreme expense in shipping goods. The most effective way to help the people affected by this disaster in affected areas is to make a financial donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.
Volunteer Inquiries
The American Red Cross is not accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti. The American Red Cross provides relief efforts thanks to thousands of trained volunteers. Red Cross volunteers undergo special training to provide them with the ability to safely and efficiently provide relief services. If you are interested in becoming a Red Cross volunteer to help in future disaster, you may fill out a volunteer application online at www.redcrossbayarea.org
|
|
|
|
|
