NEWS FROM UMCOR IN HAITI
Providing Clean WaterUMCOR is providing emergency grants to the Methodist Church in Haiti and GlobalMedic to address the needs of those affected by the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12.
UMCOR is partnering with GlobalMedic to provide clean drinking water, treatment for severe diarrhea, and medical attention to those in need. UMCOR is also supporting GlobalMedic's response through the deployment of paramedics, water technicians, and a doctor to assist those sick or injured.
A hub for water distribution is also being set up to provide 65,000 people daily with clean drinking water. In addition, about 110,000 sachets of PUR water purifiers, five million Aquatab water purification tablets, and 110,000 oral rehydration sachets are being distributed to those who have been forced from their homes as a result of the earthquake.
UMCOR and GlobalMedic are working in partnership with local non-government organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations’ network of relief organizations to coordinate response efforts and give aid to areas not receiving direct assistance.
Bahamas Methodist Habitat Transports UMCOR StaffThanks to mission aircraft transportation services provided by Bahamas Methodist Habitat (BMH), a US-based nonprofit organization, UMCOR staff persons Melissa Crutchfield, international disaster response executive, and Edgar Avitia, a Global Ministries executive, arrived in the Dominican Republic over the weekend when all commercial airlines were sold out. Crutchfield and Avitia are assessing relief needs and coordinating relief distribution efforts with on-the-ground partners.
Bahamas Methodist Habitat Transports UMCOR StaffThanks to mission aircraft transportation services provided by Bahamas Methodist Habitat (BMH), a US-based nonprofit organization, UMCOR staff persons Melissa Crutchfield, international disaster response executive, and Edgar Avitia, a Global Ministries executive, arrived in the Dominican Republic over the weekend when all commercial airlines were sold out. Crutchfield and Avitia are assessing relief needs and coordinating relief distribution efforts with on-the-ground partners.
Bahamas Methodist Habitat is conducting 12 flights per day through its Fly-In & Help Out mission program, transporting much-needed medical supplies into and evacuating people out of Haiti for medical assistance. Through this program, more than 10,000 pounds of emergency medical relief supplies have already been delivered to Haiti.
Over three million people are in dire need of assistance in Haiti. Please support UMCOR in its response with your gifts to Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance # 418325.
HEALTH KITS NEEDED
Material resources at both of UMCOR’s relief supply depots are in short supply due to the overwhelming response to the Haiti earthquake. The depots are also continuing to respond to other countries’ needs as they respond to Haiti. Your support is needed to help UMCOR’s relief supply depots shelve a reserve of relief supplies in preparation for future disaster needs.
“The plan is to keep the health kits going into Haiti, not store them,” said Kathy Kraiza, UMCOR Sager Brown director.
Sager Brown (LA) and UMCOR West, (Salt Lake City, Utah) are working closely with conference/jurisdiction-owned warehouses, such as Midwest Mission Distribution Center (IL), Mission Response Center (Western NC), MERCI (NC), Mission Central (Central PA), Eastbrook Mission Barn (Western PA), and staging areas in several conferences to ready shipments to Haiti. Those assembling health kits and other relief supplies for Haiti are instructed to ship kits to their nearest warehouse facility.
Volunteers are welcome to assist in assembling health kits at either of the depots. Those interested in volunteering at UMCOR West in Salt Lake City, please contact Director Brian Diggs at 801-973-7250, or email WestDepot@umcor.org. To volunteer at Sager Brown, please call 1-800-814-8765. Please also give generously to Material Resources, UMCOR Advance #901440. Giving to this Advance project enables Sager Brown to purchase relief supply contents
