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Released 29 January 2010
Alexandria, VA:–The Salvation Army is in the midst of
its largest international disaster response since the Indian Ocean Tsunami in
2005, providing immediate relief to Haiti following a major earthquake
that struck the island on January 12. Teams of international disaster
responders from The Salvation Army have joined more than 700 personnel
permanently stationed in Haiti to deliver food, water,
medicine and other aid supplies to people still
suffering more than two weeks after the tragedy. As one of the largest social
service organizations in Haiti, this week The Salvation Army
was named by the United Nations (UN) as the “lead
agency” responsible for well-being of an estimated 20,000 earthquake
survivors. The organization will
continue to serve those survivors while coordinating with other agencies and
planning its long-term recovery for the country.
“The Salvation
Army is committed to the people of Haiti for the long term,” said Major
George Hood, National Community Relations
Secretary, based in Alexandria,
VA. “We are not even at the
end
of the beginning of this response effort, though we are making great strides to
getting help to the point of need.”
As a lead
agency, The Salvation Army will coordinate the relief efforts of several
disaster response organizations for the community surrounding its main compound
in the Saint Martin neighborhood in Port au
Prince. This includes registering families so that appropriate aid supplies can
be efficiently ordered and distributed, providing shelter that meets U.N.
approved standards and establishing clean water sources, medical services and
other basic necessities.
“It is
critical that we establish a system with standards and accountability so that
all of the dedicated NGOs can work together to quickly deliver the right
supplies and services to the people who need them,” said Major Hood.
To date, The
Salvation Army has distributed more than 350,000 meals, 18,000 gallons of
water, hundreds of tents, tarps and flashlights, as well as baby items and
medical supplies. Over the last two weeks The Salvation Army worked with the
U.N.’s World Food Program to distribute the meals. It has also shipped
more
than 40 tons of aid to the country with the help of Atlanta-based shipping
company UPS (NYSE:UPS). The organization has established staging areas in both
Miami and Jamaica and is sending almost daily flights to Port au Prince and
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where supplies were then trucked over-land
into Haiti.
In addition,
Salvation Army medical teams consisting of doctors, nurses, paramedics and
other specialists have now given medical aid to more than 1,500 people. As
teams continue to administer medical assistance, the doctors are seeing fewer
life-threatening injuries. Medical teams have also delivered a number of babies
in the weeks following the earthquake, raising the spirits of Haitians
involved.
Also this
week, The Salvation Army was able to partially re-open its elementary school at
a temporary site on its compound in Port-au-Prince.
In addition to daily classes, approximately 100 children aged three to six
years will be provided basic nutrition and medical treatment in a secure
environment at The Salvation Army’s compound.
“It
is particularly difficult to see how this tragedy is affecting young children
in Haiti,”
said Major Hood. “Re-opening a school helps create a normal routine and
stability for kids who have gone through so much.”
The Salvation
Army set up a Haiti relief fund and is accepting
monetary donations. Donors may contribute $10 via
their phone bill by text messaging the word “HAITI” to
52000, and confirming the donation with the word,
“Yes.” Donors can also give via www.salvationarmyusa.org,
1-800-SAL-ARMY and through the mail at: The Salvation Army World Service
Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 630728, Baltimore,
MD 21263-0728 with designation
“Haiti Earthquake.” To date, more than $8.3 million has
been donated to The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti.
In Haiti,
The Salvation Army operates schools, clinics, a hospital,
feeding
programs, children's homes and church-related activities through some 60 Corps
community centers across the country. One Salvation Army
facility, or compound,
includes a home for more than 50 children; a school with a daily attendance of
1,500 children; a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily; and a church
that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000 people. The facility is less
than 10 minutes from the National Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin
that is home to predominantly poor living in the nation’s capital.
For continued updates, please visit www.blog.salvationarmyusa.org.<
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About The
Salvation Army
The Salvation
Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in
1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for
129 years in the United
States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive
assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of
social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for
disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill,
clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged
children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in
5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.