Since the earthquake occurred in Haiti last week I’ve received several dozen emails from concerned friends asking about what I knew of the situation in Haiti and how our friends and the school fared in disaster. I’m happy to report that by the grace of God, le Bon Samaritain School and all the teachers and students are fine. However, many have lost friends and relatives in this horrific event.
The question I am most frequently asked is what I recommend to be the most effective use of the money you may want to donate to help our friends in Haiti. Thanks to the wonderful coverage of the news media, the world is being kept informed of the relieve efforts and through the generosity of millions money is pouring in to the key relief organizations such as Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services. However, having conferred with Dr. Mortel who is my main source of information on the ground in Haiti, there is something we all can do.
Because the news has been focusing on reporting on the victims in Port-au-Prince, their medical needs and the search for survivors, there has been little attention paid to the hundreds of thousands of Haitians who, now that they are homeless, are moving to outlying towns/cities such as St. Marc, Liancourt and Gonaives which is northwest of the capital. Dr. Mortel has learned that the population of these cities (and likely many others) have doubled or tripled with the incoming refugees. Consequently there has quickly developed a severe food shortage in these cities. Dr. Mortel said that they believe that within a week or two at the most St. Marc will be without food.
To help we have developed a plan in which you can play a vital role. Dr. Mortel will be leaving with a contingent of Catholic Relief Service people to assess the situation in these outlying cities (especially St. Marc) and attempt to make contacts with some of the key people on the ground who will be able to assist us with logistics. While this is happening we are asking that as many people as possible donate as much money as you can to help us purchase food. In addition to raising money, I plan on organizing a food drive at Archbishop Spalding, where I teach to collect as much beans and rice as possible to ship to the Gonaives diocese.
The biggest challenge we face is that even in the best of circumstances it is very difficult to get supplies into the country and actually to the people in most need. We have succeeded in the past only through very creative and clandestine methods. Therefore, unless you live in the Baltimore area, where we can actually collect the food, please just focus on collecting money.
To donate money please go to our website where you will find a button to donate to “Haiti Earthquake Relief”. The Mortel Foundation is a registered 501C3 non-profit organization so all of you donations will be tax deductible. And because all of us who are part of the foundation are volunteers and pay all our own expenses, 100% of all monies donated will go directly to the relief effort.
On the front page of our website there is a section called “Latest News” in which we will keep you informed with whatever additional, first-hand news we have.
Thank you for whatever help you can give. Please continue to storm Heaven with your prayers for our friends in Haiti.
website: www.highhopesforhaiti.org
Peace
Pat Brady