Community Corner

Save the Children to Host Help-A-Thon

Here are ways you can contribute to the emergency response efforts in Haiti.

Save the Children is hosting a virtual Help-a-Thon from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday to raise much-needed funds for the agency's emergency response efforts in Haiti.

The nonprofit organization, with global headquarters in Westport, works to help children in need throughout the world. The group has been working in Haiti for the past 25 years and sent additional teams to help in the relief effort Thursday.

An estimated 3 million people are in need of food, water and medical care following Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake, according to Save the Children.

Find out what's happening in Westportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We're reaching out to texters and tweeters (and even those who still use the phone) to raise money for Save the Children's relief efforts in Haiti," said Anne-Marie Grey, the agency's Vice President of Resource Development.  "If everyone takes a few minutes to contact five or more friends and asks them to donate, we could make a huge difference for survivors of this tragic disaster."   

Here's how you can help:

Find out what's happening in Westportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

TEXT:  Text the word SAVE to phone number 20222.  $10 will be charged to the cell phone account.  Callers can text up to three times from the same cell phone.  Standard messaging rates apply. (U.S. only)

TWEET:  Tweet your friends and ask them to donate to Save the Children.  Tweet the message:  "Text SAVE to20222 to donate $10 to Save the Children for Haiti earthquake victims"  Or ask them to go online and donate at:  http://www.savethechildren.org/haitifund

PHONE:  Call friends and family and tell them about Save the Children's work.  Ask if they would be willing to make a pledge to Save the Children's efforts. Ask them to donate by visiting http://www.savethechildren.org/haitifund or call 1-800-728-3843.

Donate any amount through the link above or www.savethechildren.org or by calling 1-800-728-3843 or 1-203-221-4030.

Here's the latest update from Save the Children's emergency health and nutrition director Kathryn Bolles who is concerned about the increased health risks for children in Haiti:

"Because clean water is very scarce, families in makeshift camps may be forced to use contaminated water to mix baby formula, which puts infants at risk of life-threatening diarrhea," says Bolles, who has been traveling from camp to camp to provide health care and assessment. 

"People are crowded together with very little shelter and no sanitation systems. Under these conditions, everyone is at risk of communicable diseases, but we know that children under age 5 are the most vulnerable."

Bolles is encouraging breastfeeding among mothers of infants, particularly those she has met who have just given birth in the camps. 

Save the Children is also delivering essential medical supplies and IV solutions to 14 hospitals and medical clinics in the impacted area.

"Patients are overflowing from the hospital buildings," reports Bolles, "and some are lying in the compound waiting for medical attention." 

Save the Children is bringing five Haitian American physicians from the United States to help provide medical care to the families in the camps and set up mobile health clinics.

Click here to read blog posts from Save the Children staffers working in Haiti.

 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here