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Monday, March 22, 2010

Earthquake Relief Efforts – Update March 22, 2010

We’ve heard the numbers: More than 212,000 people dead and nearly 300,000 others injured. The number of displaced people amounts to about 1.2 million, according to Haitian government figures.

We’ve seen the pictures: Countless images of destruction and suffering.

Devastation in Port au Prince
  

But neither statistics nor pictures can accurately describe the widespread devastation, despair and deplorable conditions that are now everyday life in Haiti. During the week of March 14th, Chances for Children was in Haiti to distribute food, medicine, tents and supplies to small orphanages and communities who had not received much in the way of aid.

Our journey started in Port au Prince where we quickly realized how much has changed now that the Haitian government is back in charge. 10,000 pounds of Relief Supplies were immediately held for ransom and we had to spend significant energy and resources to get them released without paying the exorbitant “tax” the government was asking. This set our efforts back as we had hoped to have much more time to distribute supplies – instead we were racing the clock the entire trip.

10,000 pounds of supplies, food, medicine and aid were delivered
  
  

We drove from Port au Prince west and visited the villages of Leogane, Grand Goave, Petite Goave, Mirogoane and Petite-Riviere.  Leogane lost 90% of its buildings in the earthquake and Grand Goave and Petite Goave were not much better off. The drive took us 140 miles west of PAP and as we traveled -   the magnitude of this disaster was what struck home. Pictures just can’t capture the widespread devastation that exists in Haiti. The piles of rubble are endless – the expansive encampments of displaced families living in tents is infinite, the shattered remains of building and lives are everywhere.  Despite this destruction, the Haitian people are getting on with their lives. Their resolution and faith is unfathomable as they clear away the rubble and continue to persevere.  However, the conditions they find themselves in are now worse then ever. In visiting villages your heart aches as mothers try to feed their children with no means to cook. Some children play with sticks, rocks and discarded trash, while others look for a place to relieve themselves in private. Bathing and washing clothes are major challenges for these families. There is no power, there is no running water, there is little sanitation, there are no schools in these encampments – children are simply surviving.

Encampents - Hundreds upon hundreds of tent cities house families and entire villages.
  
 

While our efforts to deliver food and shelter went a long way to help many families and children in Haiti, it is a band-aid, and not the long term solution. There are so many issues that need to be solved it often feels incredibly overwhelming. There are many aid organizations on the ground in Haiti providing food and supplies and this is a huge blessing to families and children. Chances for Children’s long term vision is to help in some of these small villages by creating  community centers to address the entire needs of a village through education, medicine, hygiene, job creation, faith and care for orphaned children. We had the opportunity to meet with a number of potential partners and visit a number of sites. We are actively working through this evaluation process. Once we have a site determined we will be asking for volunteers and donors to help us with these new efforts. Haiti is surviving through the generosity of donations and aid organizations, but in order for Haiti to recover it must begin its renewal soon.

Thank you again, for all you have done to assist us in getting over 25,000 pounds of supplies into Haiti. Please continue to keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers. If you would like to see more of the pictures from our trip please visit our site. If you would like to help in our Rebuilding Efforts please click here to donate.

Kids Can Make a Difference – Kids Helping Kids Campaign

Chances for Children is pleased to announce the results of the first phase of their Kids Helping Kids Hope for Haiti Program that ran from February 16 – March 2, 2010.  Kids from around the nation collected coins, started lemonade stands and emptied their piggybanks to help make this drive a success.

This program was sponsored by Chances for Children in partnership with the Haiti Renewal Fund.  The proceeds from the program are directed at rebuilding schools damaged and destroyed schools in Haiti.  At least 90 percent, as many as 8,000 schools in Port Au Prince, Haiti were destroyed or damaged in the January 12, 2010 earthquake.

 

With 28 schools and youth programs participating, the group effort raised $27,844.35 to help in the rebuilding effort.   All donations from the groups are being matched by Foster & Lynn Friess, bringing the grand total for rebuilding to $55,688.70. 

Participating groups are being provided monthly reports on the effort in Haiti.

Fall Creek Elementary in Indiana took the lead and raised $5,127.00, followed by Lincoln Elementary of Kennewick, Washington raising $4,050.00 and Sonoran Trails Middle School in Cave Creek, AZ with $2,509.00.

Thank you to the following schools and groups for making this effort a success:

  • The Episcopal Church of the Nativity, Phoenix, AZ
  • Copper Ridge Elementary, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Rancho Solano, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Sonoran Trails Middle School, Cave Creek, AZ
  • San Tans Heights, Queens Creek, AZ
  • Old Mission School, San Luis Obispo, CA
  • Celebration Christian Home School Group, Celebration, FL
  • Montessori School of Celebration, Celebration, FL
  • Greenfield Elementary School #222, Jacksonville, FL
  • Sallie Jones Elementary School, Punta Gorda, FL
  • Victor Elementary School, Victor, ID
  • Lemont High School, Lemont, IL
  • Fall Creek Elementary, Fishers, IN
  • VO Isom Elementary, Greenwood, IN
  • Cherry Creek Elementary, MT
  • Lakeside Elementary, Lakeside, MT
  • Polson School District, Polson, MT
  • Sommers Middle School, Sommers, MT
  • Tuckaseegee Elementary, Charlotte, NC
  • Centennial Elementary School, Springfield, OR
  • Lost Pines Elementary School, Bastrop, TX
  • Elger Bay Elementary School, Camano Island, WA
  • Lincoln Elementary, Kennewick, WA
  • Ruth Livingston Elementary, Pasco, WA
  • South Hills Church, Kennewick, WA
  • Wilson Elementary School, Wilson, WY
  • Sunrise Elementary, Cheyenne, WY

If your school or youth group would like more information in participating in the Kids Helping Kids Hope for Haiti program, click here for more infomation.

With Gratitude,

Chances for Children

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