Community Corner

Save the Children Readies Response to Massive Earthquake in Chile

The agency plans to send an assessment team to focus on the needs of children and families.

Westport-based Save the Children is readying to send its emergency assessment team to Chile, the site of a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck early today.

The quake shook near Chile's second-largest city, Concepción, and has caused extensive damage. The capital Santiago, about 200 miles north of the epicenter, was also badly hit. Powerful aftershocks continue.

The president has declared an "area of ecocatastrophe."

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"Any disaster increases the vulnerability of children. And we know from experience that an earthquake of this enormity — with widespread destruction of homes, schools, infrastructure and piece of mind — will put thousands of children at risk," Charles MacCormack, Save the Children's president and CEO, said in a news release. "It is critical to reach affected children and families now in the early hours and meet their immediate survival needs. At the same time, we must also ensure that children, because they are at greater risk, are protected and nurtured as their country begins the difficult relief and recovery process."


How To Help

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

You can help Save the Children respond to emergencies around the world by contributing to the Children's Emergency Fund, which enables the agency to prepare and respond immediately to children and families who urgently need help when disasters strike.

Click here to donate to the Children's Emergency Fund

Save the Children also continues to conduct a major relief and recovery effort in Haiti, which was struck more than six weeks ago. The agency has reached more than 500,000 people with lifesaving food, clean water, shelter, and health and nutrition programs.

Save the Children is the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 29 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

 


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