wfn.org | Initial CWS Emergency Appeal: Haiti Earthquake

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Initial CWS Emergency Appeal: Haiti Earthquake
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The global humanitarian community, including Church World Service, has
begun responding to the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the Haitian
capital of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday (Jan. 12).

Much of the capital was reduced to rubble, and at this early stage
estimates of casualties and damage are not known, though thousands are
believed to have perished.  The Haitian president, René Préval,
described the death toll as unimaginable.

The International Red Cross has estimated that more than 3 million
people have been affected.  In calling for a major international
effort to assist Haitians, United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon today called the situation ?a major humanitarian emergency and
that a major relief effort will be required.?
CWS Response

CWS is issuing this initial appeal with additional revisions planned
in coming days.

CWS, a member of the ACT Alliance, is in contact with long-time
partners in Haiti, including other ACT Alliance members, Christian Aid
and the Lutheran World Federation, and local partners Service Chretien
d?Haiti, SKDE and the Ecumenical Foundation for Peace and Justice.

EFPJ?s House of Hope is a day school CWS supports in Port-au-Prince.
Preliminary information indicates the orphanage is damaged, and some
staff are trying to determine the well-being of other staff and
children.  Christian Aid colleagues report their office is damaged and
are still trying to reach unaccounted-for staff.  CWS has also made
contact with long-time partner Lutheran World Federation in Haiti.

CWS partners in the Dominican Republic have been contacted and
accounted for.  CWS contacted Cuban missionaries from long-time
partner, the Cuban Council of Churches, which works with people with
disabilities in Haiti.  CCC staff are currently in the border city of
Dajabon trying to account for a dozen of volunteers they work with in
Port-Au-Prince.

CWS is sending funds to local partners in Haiti as it continues to
assess the situation, and is ready to provide CWS Kits and CWS
Blankets to those in need.  Church World Service anticipates that in
conjunction with our partners (some of whom have been directly
affected by the earthquake) we will be providing temporary shelter,
food and health assistance.  CWS will also be supporting communities
in the long struggle to rebuild from this disaster - the worst
earthquake to strike Haiti in 200 years.

In speaking to CWS staff today, CWS Latin America and Caribbean
Coordinator Martin Coria said communications with CWS partners in
Haiti remains difficult.  But he praised ?the resilience and spirit of
the Haitian people?, whom he said have endured poverty and repeated
humanitarian and political crises for many years.
How to help

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be sent to your
denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN,
46515.  Please designate: Haiti Earthquake, Appeal Number #6762.  You
can also click here to donate online now.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service
is responding, please visit www.churchworldservice.org or call the CWS
Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151
Program Director: dderr@churchworldservice.org

Media Contact:

Lesley Crosson, 212-870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526, jdragin@gis.net