Update on Humanitarian Relief in Haiti

In earthquake-devastated Haiti, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) was distributing food Saturday in Cite Soleil and Carrefour, both located in the capital, Port-au-Prince. In Cite Soleil, WFP plans to reach 20,000 Haitians and in Carrefour another 8,000.

In the southern town of Jacmel 12,000 people received food at three locations on Friday and more deliveries took place on Saturday. 

Also on Saturday, food from WFP's El Salvador hub was expected to arrive with 20.5 metric tons of high energy biscuits for quick distribution. The plane carrying these biscuits landed on Friday in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Trucks were bringing the biscuits to Haiti on Saturday. 

Another plane carrying 43 tons of high energy biscuits was due to depart from El Salvador on Saturday.  To help the relief effort in Haiti please donate to the World Food Programme or the Friends of the World Food Program.

Save the Children has been distributing medical supplies to hospitals and clinics which lost everything they had in the earthquake.

Annie Foster of Save the Children says, “We are seeing dazed, dehydrated parents walking the streets with their children, searching for clean water, food, and shelter. Many are starting to congregate in open spaces, setting up makeshift camps.  They are particularly fearful of being in or near buildings, as strong aftershocks are continuing.”

Save the Children and AmeriCares will soon be distributing medical supplies and 40,000 liters of water. On Friday it was announced that a shipment of these supplies was expected to arrive shortly. Save the Children is now accepting $10 donations via a text message of “SAVE” to 20222.

Catholic Relief Services has been distributing aid from its supplies that were in the country before the earthquake struck.

"We are fortunate to have had water in our warehouse," says Karel Zelenka, country representative for CRS Haiti. "We also trucked in family food kits from Les Cayes."

Catholic Relief Services is also preparing food packages that can feed 50,000 people. Other supplies CRS is routing to Haiti include water storage containers and water purification tablets.

Donal Reilly, CRS' emergency response team leader, says, "Water infrastructure is bad even on a good day, so this is essential." Catholic Relief Services is accepting donations at its website.

See also Feed the Invisible Guest at Your Table, Help Food Relief in Haiti.