Officials from disaster relief organizations across the territory say that the best way to help Haiti in the aftermath of Tuesday’s massive earthquake is by sending monetary donations.
According to many aid groups, sending physical items (like food or blankets) to the area can end up complicating relief efforts until the beleaguered nation’s needs are determined.
Goods and services are available on the ground now in Haiti, according to Bruce Wilson, who along with his wife, Mathilde, co-directs the St. Croix-based nonprofit, Haiti Community Support.
Wilson said monetary donations can be used to purchase emergency relief items there, in Haiti, thus injecting money into the local economy.
Wilson said that his wife was on her way to Haiti Wednesday morning but turned back upon learning that the airport in Port-au-Prince had been closed. Reports throughout the day said that the tower at the airport has been destroyed.
Wilson said his wife will attempt to go again on Thursday.
In a noontime press release, Gov. John deJongh Jr. and Senate President Louis P. Hill urged residents to coordinate their relief efforts.
“We are asking each and every Virgin Islander who wishes to offer their assistance with the recovery in Haiti to work with us and within the guidelines given us by the American Red Cross, the Haitian Embassy and F.E.M.A.,” deJongh and Hill said.
Within the next 24 hours, a disaster-management team will be on the ground and in place to focus the necessary resources in the primary relief areas, where food, water, temporary shelter and emotional support will be provided, according to the release.
Individuals can immediately assist with donations made payable to the “ARC International Disaster Fund,” which may be brought or mailed to the American Red Cross V.I. Chapter offices in Nisky Center on St. Thomas or at Estate Castle Coakley on St. Croix, the release said.
“Funds would be the easiest and fastest way [to get help to Haiti],” Haitian native Hans Oriol said.
Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, Red Cross, C.A.R.E. and Rotary have all provided relief after hurricanes in Haiti, Oriol noted.
“Rotary is working on an efficient way for people to make donations, which we hope to unveil in the next 24 hours,” said Roger White, who is part of District 7020 Haiti task force.
“We are looking to find out what the priority of needs is and looking at logistics,” said David Edgecombe, special assistant to the governor for external affairs. “We want to avoid getting [relief items] and then have no way of getting them there without knowing the best routing. The needs are clearly going to be great … it is going to take a little while for us to get the lines of communication [open] and accurate data as to how best to get goods to people in Haiti.”
“The Red Cross is specifically telling those who want to help to send money at this time,” Edgecombe said.
The U.S. State Department has set up a way to contribute via cell phone. Text "HAITI" to "90999" and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross, and charged to your cell phone bill.
The following is contact information for the relief organizations mentioned in this article:
Haiti Community Support
www.haitisupport.org.
American Red Cross of the Virgin Islands
www.usvi-redcross.org
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands
www.vipn.vitelcom.net/ccusvi
Catholic Relief Services
www.crs.org
C.A.R.E
www.care.org/vft/haiti
Rotary St. Thomas
www.clubrunner.ca/CPrg/home/homeD.asp?cid=1578
