Haiti

My heart goes out to the Haitian people in the aftermath of this terrible earthquake. My heart squeezes closed whenever I see photos and read about the survivors sitting on sidewalks, or victims being buried alive under collapsed buildings.

I want to help. You can, too. Here are some opportunities:

UMCOR: Assemble relief supply kits. According to the United Methodist Committee on Relief, there will be a great need for volunteers to help rebuild once the initial crisis is past, but it is not safe or possible for volunteers to go to Haiti at the present. However, UMCOR’s two relief supply warehouses are asking United Methodists to provide health kits that will be sent to Haiti. Instructions for assembling and shipping health kits are available here. Or, go here for Health Kit Assembly and Shipping Instructions.

Online donations through UMCOR: If you are unable to assemble the health kits yourself, you can also donate funds that will enable these kits to be assembled. United Methodists have had a long-standing relationship with Haiti through the Methodist Church of Haiti. The strong ties between the Methodist Church of Haiti and The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) helped in facilitating the opening of the UMCOR Haiti field office in 2005. 100 percent of Advance gifts made will go to support relief and development efforts due to emergencies in Haiti.

Action by Churches Together: ACT works to respond as quickly as possible to emergencies as they occur across the world. One of the resources available to ACT members is a centrally managed Rapid Response Fund (RRF) to support members responding to small emergencies with up to US $60,000. Go here if you would like to contribute to the RRF.


Heifer International: “It’s essential that we prepare to follow the important work of first responders [...] While they provide emergency food, medical care and aid, we offer our hopes and prayers for the victims and the families, but at the same time, we must prepare for the next wave of help -- giving people the tools and the ongoing help to rebuild their lives and their livelihoods.” Funds raised in this appeal will be used in the recovery and rebuilding effort in Haiti in the wake of the earthquake. Any funds that exceed the level needed to provide relief in this rebuilding effort will go toward the disaster relief fund and for the entire mission of Heifer International.

The ONE blog provides an EXTENSIVE list of groups and organizations that are responding in Haiti. Go here to see how groups like American Red Cross, FEED, World Food Programme, or Yele Haiti, are providing relief.