|
American Red Cross Continues to Help in Haiti
As part of its largest international response since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the global Red Cross network has helped almost 2 million Haitians. In six months, the American Red Cross has spent and has signed agreements to spend $148.5 million to meet the most urgent needs of earthquake survivors. It will continue to support hundreds of thousands of additional survivors in the next several years until the last donated dollar is spent.
The global Red Cross network is providing:
- Semi-permanent shelters to house 165,000 people
- Cash grants and microloans to help nearly 210,000 people
- Water for 280,000 people each day
- Disaster preparedness activities to protect 500,000 people
- Medical care and/or health education for 435,000 people
- Emergency shelter materials for 625,000 people
- Latrines for 238,000 people
- Emergency supplies for 125,000 people for use during hurricane season
- Food for 1.3 million people for one month
Read our Six Month Progress Report to learn more about our work in Haiti.
For more information visit www.redcross.org.
How You Can Help
We are grateful for the generous support of the American people, which will help survivors cope and recover for years to come. The best way to help is with a financial contribution to the Red Cross International Response Fund. Donors can designate their gifts to Haiti relief.
- Make an Online Donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund or call 1-800-RED CROSS
- 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)
- Mail: American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013
- The Red Cross is also receiving money through a third party mobile fundraising effort sponsored by Mobile Accord.Mobile donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. The funds will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.
Donations of Goods
The Red Cross does not have the capacity to accept in-kind donations of items. Though well intentioned, this is not the most effective way to help those in need. For more details click here.
Volunteering
At this time, we are only deploying Red Cross volunteers specially trained to manage international emergency operations. Please consider supporting your community's local needs by volunteering with your local Red Cross.
Blood
The American Red Cross is meeting the needs of this tragedy through current supplies. At this time we do not anticipate the need for a special donor appeal to support our efforts. As always, blood donors are encouraged to call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit us online at redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.
|
Red Cross in Haiti
At a first aid post in Petionville, an American Red Cross worker looks over a young girl’s injuries. The American Red Cross is supporting the Haitian Red Cross with supplies and logistical and telecommunication help.
Photo:Talia Frenkel/American Red Cross
Local Red Cross Volunteer Among Specialists Back in Haiti
Brigitte Gaillis
American Red Cross International Services Volunteer
A native French speaker who is fluent in English and also knows Dutch, local disaster volunteer Brigitte Gaillis followed her heart to became an international delegate for the American Red Cross in 2004. The Marietta resident is one of dozens of pre-trained, technically experienced U.S. volunteers and reservists the Red Cross deploys to help with its extensive humanitarian relief efforts worldwide.
At the request of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), the American Red Cross deployed Brigitte to Haiti to help coordinate relief efforts one day following the devastating January 12th earthquake. No stranger to this disaster-weary country, Brigitte’s first international assignment was in Haiti following the Gonaives floods in September 2004, and she has returned there on serveral operations, where she continued to volunteer until May 2005. Her expertise lies in helping to asses the level of damage and determine how best to provide Red Cross aid for the country’s most vulnerable people.
The mother of two grown children says her experiences have taught her not to complicate life with necessary issues and to be happy with what she has. She considers her volunteer work her job and she does it to the best of her abilities, finding great satisfaction in the activities that directly impact people, such as distributing food, providing clean water, tents and cooking utensils, and enabling women to feed their families.
|
|
