Haiti Earthquake Relief - Responding to the Disaster

Haiti Earthquake ReliefJRF is encouraging our member communities and people everywhere to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti due to the recent earthquake there. On January 31, The SAJ Hebrew School's Bake Sale raised over $400 for Haiti Relief. The next bake sale will take place on Tuesday, Feburary 9, 4:30 PM - 6:00PM. Please stop by to support it. You can also click "READ MORE" for a list of places you can make a donation.

With a per capita income of $3.60 per day, Haiti is the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere. Thus, its population is especially vulnerable to natural disasters, such as the recent earthquake. Based on initial reports of widespread devastation and a high number of casualties, relief agencies anticipate that the immediate and long-term needs will be profound. Our prayers and our concrete actions are directed at this time to the many people in Haiti, both Haitian citizens and the many international visitors, aid workers and support people who have lost their lives and those who have lost loved ones. We also pray for the healing of those injured by the earthquake.

Donations to AJWS's "Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund," which can be made at www.ajws.org/haitiearthquake, will enable AJWS's network of grantees in Haiti to meet the urgent needs of the population based on real-time, on-the-ground assessments.

The Jewish Federations of North America is partnering with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) to provide aid and relief to victims http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=213133.

The Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, of which JRF is an executive committee member participating in decisions on relief funding, is also responding long-term: http://www.jdc.org/jcdr_about.html.

MAZON, an external affiliate with JRF, is also responding to the situation, http://mazon.org/2010/01/13/mazon-launches-emergency-haiti-fund/

Gig Pomerantz, a member of Shir Hadash, Milwaukee, WI, is President and Executive Director of Youthaiti, http://www.youthaiti.org/

For the latest in news, and an extensive list of global relief organizations responding to the disaster see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/

To find information about friends and family in Haiti: The U.S. State Department set up a toll-free number to call for information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747.

-- January 14, 2010 - 12:03am — Rabbi Shawn Zevit