Haitian Earthquake Response
Lutheran Disaster Response of Ohio is collecting monetary donations to assist volunteers with travel expenses to Haiti for emergency relief and long-term recovery. Emergency relief supplies are needed and may be donated through LDR Ohio. Disaster-trained volunteers need to have a passport, immunizations and personal protective equipment. Please send donations to LDR Ohio, 750 East Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43205. To join an emergency response team or to schedule a long-term recovery team of volunteers, contact Mary Woodward, LDR Ohio Disaster Coordinator, at 740-509-1132.
January 30 Update
The first shipment of approximately 2,000 health kits as well as first aid kits was shipped from LDR Ohio. The next shipment of around 3,500 health and first aid kits will be sent on Feb. 8 to Jacmel, Haiti, the area most recently devastated by the second earthquake. Relief supplies will continue to be shipped as resources and donations are received. Due to safety issues and a lack of coordination, disaster volunteer teams are not encouraged to travel to Haiti at this time unless they have support from an established mission. Mary Woodward, LDR Ohio coordinator, is registering volunteers for long-term recovery who will travel to Haiti when it is considered safe (estimated May or June).
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April 5 Update
LDR Ohio has shipped 6,725 health and first aid kits to Haiti as of April 1. A recent Reader’s Digest article on Haiti referenced the families who stand in line for a bar of soap. With the support of Lutheran congregations, LDR Ohio is reducing the number of families who have to stand in line to be able to wash and brush their teeth. Thank you for all of your help and support.
May 1 Update
There is a great need for volunteers to help with rebuilding and long term recovery efforts in Haiti. Interested volunteers will be connected to a scheduled team or will assist in coordinating a team if there are enough volunteers. All vaccinations, particularly malaria and hepatitis A & B, are required. Each team must have a trained team leader with prior experience in Haiti. So far, 5 teams are being coordinated from Ohio. If you would like more information, please contact Mary Woodward, Lutheran Disaster Response coordinator, at 614-732-6700 or mwoodward_1@msn.com.
USAID has also launched a volunteer portal at www.usaid.gov/haiti. The portal will make volunteer registrations accessible to NGOs, and it allows NGOs to post specific needs. Cash donations are also encouraged, and the website features contains a link to make a contribution to the Clinton – Bush Haiti Fund. The site also offers an in-kind portal that gives donors the ability to register their goods online, which are then viewed by NGOs that may have a need for those items.
If you have questions regarding the volunteer portal, please contact Sarosh Hussein, ODP/PSP at 202-712-5395 or shussain@usaid.gov.
