Relief agencies respond to Haiti devastation

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October 2004

New report attacks free trade mythology
October is domestic violence awareness month
Relief agencies respond to Haiti devastation
Thousands flee in new explosion of violence in Darfur
USCCB: New banking regulations will hurt poor
USCCB official urges more refugee admissions
Vatican delegate to UN calls for total disarmament

Relief agencies respond to Haiti devastation
September 23, 2004, Baltimore, MD—Hurricane Jeanne is the latest in a string of hurricanes that have swept through the Caribbean over the last month. In Haiti, over 1,000 deaths have been reported, and thousands more are missing. More bodies are retrieved daily and deposited in overflowing makeshift morgues. Haiti’s north, the Departments of the North (Cap Haitien), Northwest (Port de Paix), and the Artibonite (Gonaives) sustained heavy losses following widespread flooding after the passage of Hurricane Jeanne. More than 200,000 people are in need of food and water.

The situation in the city Gonaives is especially tragic, with over 80,000 people in need of medical care, food and water over the coming days and weeks. Many parts of the city are still under several feet of water, and many communities are still inaccessible, making humanitarian assessments difficult. Haiti’s government has declared a national disaster and decreed three days of mourning.

"Hurricane Jeanne is the latest in a series of deadly storms that have hit both Haiti and the rest of the Caribbean," said Jed Hoffman, Latin America Regional Director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). "Not only do the victims need our immediate help, but they will need assistance to help rebuild their lives and communities in the coming weeks and months ahead."

An emergency response team from CRS has been active and mobilized in Haiti to help distribute life-saving relief supplies to thousands of victims. Additional assessments will continue as the days progress to ensure that all needs of the victims are met. CRS’ Baltimore headquarters has already committed $130,000 to the Haiti relief effort thus far, and CRS Haiti won $14,000 from Comme Il Faut, a private enterprise, for the purchase of food and non-food items. CRS is accepting donations online to help respond to the crisis.

The devastation in Haiti even touched Pope John Paul II who dedicated $100,000 to fund relief efforts in flood-stricken Haiti through the Vatican's charity arm, "Cor Unum. The pope earmarked the money to help Caritas Haiti purchase drinking water, food and medicine after the string of powerful tropical storms and hurricanes that recently hit the Caribbean.

The pope's gift was announced by the Vatican Sept. 27 after Caritas Internationalis launched a major appeal for funding relief efforts in Haiti.

Caritas is seeking $900,000 in funding and donations to provide supplies to tens of thousands of people left homeless by Tropical Storm Jeanne. Mudslides triggered by heavy flooding killed more than 1,600 people and injured 100,000 more in Haiti after the storm hit the island in mid-September.

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