By now we all have heard of the devastation in Haiti today after a 7+ earthquake hit near the capital around 3:45. Many of you have met Pat Santangelo, formerly of the FHP. He has worked many many hours helping the Haitian community, both in Dade County, and in the country of Haiti. some of you went to the Christmas party in north Miami last month. I have been donating furniture, clothing and toys to Pat's friends in the Haitian community in Delray Beach. It seems this is a good time to do something to really help some people that truly need help. I've reached out to Pat, waiting for his response. I am thinking a food/clothing drive of some sort. Please, if you can help out, please add a post to this thread. I will let you know what Pat thinks. Thanks.
Spoke to Pat, at this point, unless there is a way to ship it at no cost, food and clothing would not be a good idea. He felt on top of the shipping costs, it would sit in customs too long. He said to wait for now. Possibly the Red Cross will start some sort of food drive. I can't imagine the difficulty with which these people are dealing. Its already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, corruption, lack of proper facilities. About all anyone can do at this time is pray.
Better off donating money to the catholic charities, that way the money has a better chance of getting directly to the people who need it. Forget any government agencies and such,where money gets " lost " along the way or goes to staff etc.
Have to agree with above - as Haiti is predominantly Catholic - pipeline is already there. Forget Politics, forget Religion, don't forget People.
want to donate? http://www.haitivision.org/ I have a friend that does the graphic design work for this group. best part is that they are based out of Rivera beach. local organization +1 My prayers go out to the whole Haitian community, I've worked with guys that have family over there and i hope they are alright.
Who ever knew Haiti was in an earthquake zone Its less than 500 miles from here Can Miami get hit by a quake too ?
Last night on TV, some guy explained the reason as PAP is located between two mountains. As the mountains move, the land below also shifts, so earthquake. I am thinking, Chihuahua is on a flat area totally surrounded by mountains......but supposedly not on a fault line. Whoops. I am just not sure about this theory........ Using this threory, unless those large mountains created by trash all over south Florida count, I would think the biggest threat here is from a tsunami from a nearby earthquake.
Are you sure re the Haiti vision charity credentials. We all want to donate but have concerns about the vast numbers of rip off artist out there. Please reassure us.
I have been assured that both of these check out as legit by the Glickenhaus Foundation: http://www.haitiwater.org/ http://ajws.org/
A class mate of mine did some work for them, and they have been around for some time. From the projects he told me they where doing in Haiti they seem legit.
If anyone is interested, my fiance Shelly is organizing the shipment of a container of clothing and relief supplies direct to an orphanage in Haiti. Get in touch with me and I will email you the contact information directly. Scottie
Cool, my Buddhist temple in Coconut Grove is also preparing a shipment going to Haiti I'm taking over 50# + of clothes, food, medicine etc
I know some of you are wondering how you can help in Haiti. I just received this from a customer of mine, so I know it isn't a scam: Dear Friends Below please find a piece from Christina Sajous, a very close family friend (in fact my godchild) which will give you an idea of what is happening in Port-au-Prince. Most important, it indicates how you can help. By directing your donation, in cash or per below-spelled list of urgently-needed hospital supplies, to the Hopital de la Communaute Haitienne, you are sure that your contribution will reach the intended recipients and it will be put in the best and efficient use. This I guaranty. Thanks for helping. Sincerely, Roger From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Family Update Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 11:17:27 -0600 > Dear Friends, > > Thank you to all of those who have called and emailed asking about my family in Haiti. Your concern, thoughts and prayers have meant a lot. > > It is nothing short of a miracle that all of my closest relatives are unharmed. For the most part, they live and work in the heart of the damaged areas. Many of the places they frequent (and ones that Iâve frequented) have been brought to the ground. As a family, we were also very fortunate to hear the night of the earthquake that my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins were fine. Facebook and e-mail have been invaluable in keeping in touch with all of our family. Since the initial relief that our close relatives are okay, news has been trickling in about good family friends who are either confirmed dead or are missing. > > My family still does not know the extent of the damage â their businesses, childrenâs schools, etc. Some of their homes are not structurally sound and one uncleâs business is gone. Several of my motherâs brothers and sisters live together on a hill, like a small family compound, in Frères, a suburb of Port-au-Prince. Those homes are intact, but due to aftershocks and uncertainty regarding unseen damage, they have been sleeping outdoors, either in their cars or on porches/decks. > Two of my motherâs sisters have a school in Petionville, another suburb of Port-au-Prince. The school grounds have become a haven for approximately 40 people â school employees and their families who have lost their homes. Because lunch is normally served to the children who attend the school, there are large food provisions. For the moment, my family is not too worried about food because of these reserves. > > As many of you may know, my grandmother has a hospital â she along with a few others established it and run it. The hospital is not far from the family compound, and since the earthquake, most of my family members (young, old, doctors and non-doctors alike) have been spending their time there. They have been working tirelessly, but due to the great number of wounded and limited supplies, they have watched many people die. They are currently working with very few supplies. Sheets and blankets from their own homes are being used for bandages and âbedsâ. > Stateside, I, along with my sister and cousins, have been coordinating efforts to send supplies to the hospital. One cousin, who is in the navy, is organizing a group of military doctors who will enter Haiti through the Dominican Republican. They will deliver supplies and provide services to hospital. Another cousin is a pilot, and he has been using his small plane to make trips from Miami to Haiti with supplies for the hospital. > > Many of you have asked if there is anything you can do. Donating money to organizations like Doctors without Borders and UNICEF would be wonderful. If you want to support our family's efforts to bring supplies to my grandmother's hospital, Hopital de la Communaute Haitienne, that would also be greatly appreciated. It has functioning ICU and tax-deductible monetary donations can be wired to: Suntrust Bank: > > Hopital de la Communaute Relief-G. Diederich > Account number 1000103902598 > The routing number for the bank is: 06100010 > Suntrust Bank > 11333 South Dixie Highway > Pinecrest FL 33156 > Tax ID#650627901 > > Credit card donations can be made via the hospital website at: > http://www.haitihosp.org/ > Also supplies can be sent to the following address: Robert Hare > 19731 SW 89 Ave > Miami, Fl. 33157 > > The above is a cousinâs home address where we are gathering goods to be piloted by another family member to Haiti. > > Supplies needed: Alcohol, butadiene, antiseptics, antibiotic creams, oxygen peroxide, scalpels, surgical equipment, antibiotics, Ampicillin, cleaning gauze, water, water swab sticks, pain medication, adhesive tape, scrub brushes, X-ray films, Perotide, Gauze bandages. Antiseptics for operating rooms. Injectable antibiotics, thermal paper rolls, elastic bandages, non perishable foods, flash lights Battery operated lights, blankets, stromalizers=(sp.?) for blood clots, bone pins and metallic devices, crutches and complete orthopedic sets. > > Here's a WHO piece on my grandmother. http://www.who.int/world-health-day/previous/2006/doctors/hti/en/index.html > This has=been a very difficult time for me, so I appreciate all of you of have rea=hed out. I will keep you posted on any new developments. > >Love to all of you, > Christina > --------------------
I would love to give directly, however I have major concerns. Giving money, I am afraid I will wind up paying for the solid gold statues that sit around the pool of the new home of the Hatian president. I do not want to support the corruption. For hard supplies, right now, the biggest issue has not been the amount of supplies donated, but the distibution of the supplies to those in need. I still remember the food rotting on the docs in Ethiopia. So I just give to the Red Cross.
