Community Corner

2 Million Haitian Children in Need

Save the Children is working to help those affected by the earthquake.

A Save the Children emergency response team successfully reached Haiti Thursday and worked quickly with staff on the ground to organize the distribution of tents, medicine, and toiletries to  children and families in need, according to a news release.

The organization, with global headquarters based in Westport, works to help children in need throughout the world.

"Save the Children is extremely concerned about the well-being of children in Haiti at this critical moment and we are doing everything we can to quickly get relief supplies to those who need it most," Charles MacCormack, President and CEO of Save the Children, said in the release.  "Our staff on the ground is pulling out all the stops to overcome hurdles like blocked roads and unreliable access to the airport."

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"This is just the beginning of what will be a comprehensive 5-year effort to build back better in Haiti," MacCormack added.  "We are dedicated to not only addressing the immediate needs of children and families, but to making sure they have a brighter future ahead."

Thursday, community members around Save the Children's Port-au-Prince office pitched in to clear rubble from the street so Save the Children staff could get agency vehicles on the road to assess damage and logistical hurdles and to coordinate with United Nations agencies and others is distributing relief.

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

Reports from Save the Children Wednesday indicated that not all of their Haitian staff was accounted for. Spokeswoman Wendy Christian said Thursday morning that the organization did not mean to imply staffers were missing, only that they were not accounted for due to a lack of communication. She was not sure if all staff members had been accounted for as of Thursday morning.

Because Save the Children's offices did not suffer the structural damage of other non-governmental organizations, other aid workers have taken refuge in the agency's compound, where operations are being run out of offices and tents, according to the release. 

United Nations offices have suffered major damage in Haiti.  Save the Children will work closely with UNICEF to coordinate the child protection response, to include helping children remain with and be cared for by their families—and reunifying them if necessary. 

Save the Children has been working in Haiti for 25 years and has provided emergency relief and assistance to Haitian children and families following various recent disasters, including hurricanes and floods.

Click here to donate to the organization's emergency response efforts in Haiti.

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

OR

DONATE $10 BY TEXTING "SAVE" to 20222.

Click here to learn more about the emergency response to the earthquake in Haiti.


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