Bando
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I've got some regrets!
Posts: 2,431
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Haiti
Jan 13, 2010 17:40:54 GMT -5
Post by Bando on Jan 13, 2010 17:40:54 GMT -5
Thought I'd put this thread up in case anyone is in Haiti or knows anyone there, or if anyone knows what charities we should be donating to (all the NGO's immediately call out for funds before they determine what their capabilities for responding are, which is understandable, but our money is best given to those with a presence in Haiti already, IMO). This whole thing is horrifying in the light that Haiti had been doing (relatively) well recently. In relevant news, Pat Robertson continues to be History's Worst Monster ( Video Link)
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PhillyHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,016
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Haiti
Jan 13, 2010 19:25:59 GMT -5
Post by PhillyHoya on Jan 13, 2010 19:25:59 GMT -5
Charities: Red Cross, Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, Unicef
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hoyaalf
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
I like what your doing very much. Why squirrel hate me?
Posts: 688
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 10:17:02 GMT -5
Post by hoyaalf on Jan 14, 2010 10:17:02 GMT -5
Haiti is a desperate neighbor. This will take years more than blankets and tents. This quake will have a multi-generational impact.
If Haitians can't stay in Haiti, many will come here illegally.
Let's help them there.
It will be a long and costly process.
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theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,506
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 10:25:29 GMT -5
Post by theexorcist on Jan 14, 2010 10:25:29 GMT -5
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 10:25:59 GMT -5
Post by hoyawatcher on Jan 14, 2010 10:25:59 GMT -5
My sunday school class actually had a mission trip to Haiti on the ground during the earthquake. It is a place several folks from my class (not me) have set up as a brick and mortar mission in Haiti. I thought I would share the email we got from them to give you a bit more on the level of carnage. To put it mildly not quite what they expected on this trip.
=========================
We spent last night under the stars. Didn't want to be inside in case a large aftershock came. I didn't feel any tremors after about 2 - 3 am.
Today we will continue to try to help the community. No more injured have been brought in since late last night. Much of the community slept inside our compound walls for safety.
Please pray for the Haitians. Their suffering is great! Today, we will better see the damage around us.
Don't know when we will get out, but some of the US authorities know where we are.
Thank you and God bless,
The C and
The Bs
We and L and W are alright. None of our team was injured. Our
Mission to Haiti compound survived with cracks in the buildings. One of
the outer walls collapsed. The village around us is badly damaged. The
Haitians are bringing the wounded into our compound for treatment. There
are many broken bones and cuts. Three children have been brought in
dead. We have plenty of food and diesel to run the generator.
Thank God we were here because these people have no where to turn for
help. Don't know how long we will be here. Please pray for the Haitian
people. Their suffering is great.
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lichoya68
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
OK YOUNGINS ARE HERE AND ARE VERY VERY GOOD cant wait GO HOYAS
Posts: 17,440
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 11:36:06 GMT -5
Post by lichoya68 on Jan 14, 2010 11:36:06 GMT -5
another site is the clinton foundation i forgot he was appointed a special ambassador to haiti and it was just announed that he and pres bush I THINK senior will lead fundraising for haiti... best to all there and prayers will be needed. besides cash
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Bando
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I've got some regrets!
Posts: 2,431
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 15:44:31 GMT -5
Post by Bando on Jan 14, 2010 15:44:31 GMT -5
Thinking about this a little, bit it's starting to become clear that we're going to be in charge of Haiti for the foreseeable future. Whatever little institutions they had have literally collapsed, and many important people (esp. the Archbishop) have died. The government simply doesn't exist anymore. For the US, this means a few things. First off, I expect we'll have a sizable number of troops there for a long time. Most of the Haitian population lives near or in Port-au-Prince, and Haiti is a fairly small country in terms of geography and population, so we're not looking at Iraq-type numbers. This of course can be helped by international deployments, especially from French-speaking nations (Canada, France, Belgium, etc.). Secondly, we should be prepared to take the lead in reconstituting institutions in Haiti, largely by financing much of the government's budget. Half of the Haitian budget was already made up of foreign aid, and since revenue collection has likely broken down completely and people have no money or homes, this is inevitable. We should also try to mandate higher quality methods in reconstruction, so that new buildings can withstand earthquakes and hurricanes. This will cost more money, but will prevent everything being destroyed in the wake of the next natural disaster. Finally, I think we should seriously relax immigration requirements for Haitians. It will likely take generations to begin to recover from the earthquake given the country's already poor state. For many, the only path to a better life will be leaving. The US and other developed countries should allow as many Haitians as they can to live with them. This will have a bonus effect of not creating a refugee crisis in the Dominican Republic. So I'm seeing a long-term nation building project in store for us. Anyone see things differently?
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Elvado
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,080
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 16:03:33 GMT -5
Post by Elvado on Jan 14, 2010 16:03:33 GMT -5
Thinking about this a little, bit it's starting to become clear that we're going to be in charge of Haiti for the foreseeable future. Whatever little institutions they had have literally collapsed, and many important people (esp. the Archbishop) have died. The government simply doesn't exist anymore. For the US, this means a few things. First off, I expect we'll have a sizable number of troops there for a long time. Most of the Haitian population lives near or in Port-au-Prince, and Haiti is a fairly small country in terms of geography and population, so we're not looking at Iraq-type numbers. This of course can be helped by international deployments, especially from French-speaking nations (Canada, France, Belgium, etc.). Secondly, we should be prepared to take the lead in reconstituting institutions in Haiti, largely by financing much of the government's budget. Half of the Haitian budget was already made up of foreign aid, and since revenue collection has likely broken down completely and people have no money or homes, this is inevitable. We should also try to mandate higher quality methods in reconstruction, so that new buildings can withstand earthquakes and hurricanes. This will cost more money, but will prevent everything being destroyed in the wake of the next natural disaster. Finally, I think we should seriously relax immigration requirements for Haitians. It will likely take generations to begin to recover from the earthquake given the country's already poor state. For many, the only path to a better life will be leaving. The US and other developed countries should allow as many Haitians as they can to live with them. This will have a bonus effect of not creating a refugee crisis in the Dominican Republic. So I'm seeing a long-term nation building project in store for us. Anyone see things differently? Sadly, no.
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Nevada Hoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 18,484
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 17:20:23 GMT -5
Post by Nevada Hoya on Jan 14, 2010 17:20:23 GMT -5
another site is the clinton foundation i forgot he was appointed a special ambassador to haiti and it was just announed that he and pres bush I THINK senior will lead fundraising for haiti... best to all there and prayers will be needed. besides cash One more: Catholic Relief Services; Donate by Phone or Mail If you prefer to donate to Catholic Relief Services by phone, please call 1-800-736-3467 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. You can also send in a donation via the mail. Mail your check to: Catholic Relief Services P.O. Box 17090 Baltimore, MD 21203-7090 Website: www.crs.org
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Bando
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I've got some regrets!
Posts: 2,431
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 17:28:34 GMT -5
Post by Bando on Jan 14, 2010 17:28:34 GMT -5
Unsurprisingly, Rush Limbaugh is now vying with Robertson for the title of History's Worst Monster. ( Link 1, Link 2) elvado: You know, right? I just don't see anything else we can do, even though nation building projects generally are a horrible idea. @nevada: Do you know how the Church is doing in Haiti? I know the Archbishop is dead, but are they in any way capable of assisting anyone?
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 18:27:23 GMT -5
Post by Coast2CoastHoya on Jan 14, 2010 18:27:23 GMT -5
Another org to consider is World Vision. www.worlvision.org. They've been in Haiti over 30 years, have something like 350 staff there, and reportedly have helped about 300,000 kids since they began. Also, a fellow Hoya let me know about this: "Help the relief effort in Haiti by texting HAITI to 90999. Your cell phone carrier will add a $10 Red Cross donation to your next bill." Thanks for starting the thread bando. What a tragedy to happen to a country with so little that's been struggling so mightily to get itself on its feet for so long. God be with the Haitians. A true chance for America to do some real good for a neighbor in need.
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 21:40:06 GMT -5
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 14, 2010 21:40:06 GMT -5
Another organization that I would like to commend to the board is Partners in Health. Found out about them tonight on CNN. They have set up and operated hospitals in rural Haiti, and these hospitals are in tact. They have been able to get supplies into Port-au-Prince, where there seems to be a bottleneck at the airport and issues with getting relief safely into the city. They have also been transporting injured/sick to their hospitals outside Port-au-Prince. An additional attraction of this organization is that it is indigenous, so hopefully donations can go toward something lasting/permanent for the Haitian people.
A total mess that calls for a Herculean effort. This earthquake is every bit as bad as Katrina but, even worse, may lead to state failure.
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The Stig
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 2,844
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Haiti
Jan 14, 2010 23:57:08 GMT -5
Post by The Stig on Jan 14, 2010 23:57:08 GMT -5
This is worse than Katrina by a long shot. In every measurable way, this simply dwarfs Katrina, and the non-measurable impacts are even worse. The Haitian government has effectively ceased to exist. The Archbishop is dead, and the leader of the UN mission there is also reportedly dead. Every hospital in Port au Prince has been destroyed. There has been effectively zero response from the local authorities because they either didn't exist in the first place or were destroyed in the quake. There are no police or anybody else to keep order because they're too busy trying to save their families. There are a few noble doctors trying to help, but all the medical supplies they need were in the hospitals that were destroyed in the quake. 1/3 of the population of an already overpopulated country is either dead, injured, or homeless. In most major disasters, you can get help from elsewhere in the country. Medical supplies can come in from elsewhere, neighboring police and rescuers can help out, the government can coordinate the response, and homeless people can be relocated to other cities. That isn't happening in Haiti because the rest of the country was entirely dependent on Port au Prince. A couple articles to give an indication of just how bad things are there: www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B5IZ20100114www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60D5VB20100114
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 0:03:47 GMT -5
Post by jerseyhoya34 on Jan 15, 2010 0:03:47 GMT -5
This is worse than Katrina by a long shot. In every measurable way, this simply dwarfs Katrina, and the non-measurable impacts are even worse. The Haitian government has effectively ceased to exist. The Archbishop is dead, and the leader of the UN mission there is also reportedly dead. Every hospital in Port au Prince has been destroyed. There has been effectively zero response from the local authorities because they either didn't exist in the first place or were destroyed in the quake. There are no police or anybody else to keep order because they're too busy trying to save their families. There are a few noble doctors trying to help, but all the medical supplies they need were in the hospitals that were destroyed in the quake. 1/3 of the population of an already overpopulated country is either dead, injured, or homeless. In most major disasters, you can get help from elsewhere in the country. Medical supplies can come in from elsewhere, neighboring police and rescuers can help out, the government can coordinate the response, and homeless people can be relocated to other cities. That isn't happening in Haiti because the rest of the country was entirely dependent on Port au Prince. A couple articles to give an indication of just how bad things are there: www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B5IZ20100114www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60D5VB20100114Thanks for clarification - didn't mean to suggest that they were equals if it came across that way. This really needs to be a simultaneous relief and reconstruction effort since security issues can just kill the relief effort in its tracks or make its effects short term at best. We're probably a few short days away from the time when horror can turn to madness and chaos (and we'll be in the danger zone for a while), and there's practically nobody there to secure the place from looters. From what I've seen, the network news organizations are doing a great job. They have some boots on the ground and are getting the message out about the degree of suffering. Brian Williams did the first part of the newscast on what looked like a early model cell phone and the rest by satellite phone from the airport. Well-done but discouraging video from Port-Au-Prince on the ground.
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Elvado
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,080
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 7:15:58 GMT -5
Post by Elvado on Jan 15, 2010 7:15:58 GMT -5
Unsurprisingly, Rush Limbaugh is now vying with Robertson for the title of History's Worst Monster. ( Link 1, Link 2) elvado: You know, right? I just don't see anything else we can do, even though nation building projects generally are a horrible idea. @nevada: Do you know how the Church is doing in Haiti? I know the Archbishop is dead, but are they in any way capable of assisting anyone? Lest I be misconstrued here, I see no alternative to the US repairing this situation and helping these victims for as long as it takes. The sad part is that we are their only hope. I view this more as extended rescue and crisis management than nation building. Either way, the human suffering must be addressd for as long as it takes. Luckily, the U.S., for all of its warts, is here to help.
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The Stig
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 2,844
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 9:36:07 GMT -5
Post by The Stig on Jan 15, 2010 9:36:07 GMT -5
Unsurprisingly, Rush Limbaugh is now vying with Robertson for the title of History's Worst Monster. ( Link 1, Link 2) elvado: You know, right? I just don't see anything else we can do, even though nation building projects generally are a horrible idea. @nevada: Do you know how the Church is doing in Haiti? I know the Archbishop is dead, but are they in any way capable of assisting anyone? Lest I be misconstrued here, I see no alternative to the US repairing this situation and helping these victims for as long as it takes. The sad part is that we are their only hope. I view this more as extended rescue and crisis management than nation building. Either way, the human suffering must be addressd for as long as it takes. Luckily, the U.S., for all of its warts, is here to help. I agree with you on the extended crisis management thing. I'm not sure Haiti's even ready for nation building, not when fresh water has become so scarce and valuable that it's become Port au Prince's de facto currency.
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Nevada Hoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 18,484
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 13:34:51 GMT -5
Post by Nevada Hoya on Jan 15, 2010 13:34:51 GMT -5
Unsurprisingly, Rush Limbaugh is now vying with Robertson for the title of History's Worst Monster. ( Link 1, Link 2) @nevada: Do you know how the Church is doing in Haiti? I know the Archbishop is dead, but are they in any way capable of assisting anyone? Bando, no. Only what I hear on the news. I work with a woman, who is of Haitian descent (parents born in Haiti), but who grew up in Montreal. She has relatives living there, but has not heard. An uncle was supposed to go down to Haiti the day after the earthquake. Her father has a vacation house near the airport, so that might be destroyed. I will ask her if she has heard anything about the Church in Haiti. EDIT: This recent news of a missing DC priest in Haiti and the work he has done in the Haitian community in DC: voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/missing-dc-priest-found-alive.html?hpid=topnews
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Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
Posts: 10,355
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 13:45:18 GMT -5
Post by Boz on Jan 15, 2010 13:45:18 GMT -5
Another idea for anyone if your company does any programs with America's Charities.
We run an annual employee giving campaign with America's Charities who sets up a special Web site for our employees so they can donate to any charity they want through payroll deduction.
Our normal campaign closed down at the end of December, but we just spoke with America's Charities and they are going to open the site up for our employees again to make donations to earthquake relief through payroll deduction.
If you know that your company works with America's Charities at all, you might want to talk to someone on your HR/Corporate Relations/Philanthropy department. I'm sure America's Charities will be happy to do it for any company who they work with on a regular basis.
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Bando
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I've got some regrets!
Posts: 2,431
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 15:52:32 GMT -5
Post by Bando on Jan 15, 2010 15:52:32 GMT -5
Unsurprisingly, Rush Limbaugh is now vying with Robertson for the title of History's Worst Monster. ( Link 1, Link 2) elvado: You know, right? I just don't see anything else we can do, even though nation building projects generally are a horrible idea. @nevada: Do you know how the Church is doing in Haiti? I know the Archbishop is dead, but are they in any way capable of assisting anyone? Lest I be misconstrued here, I see no alternative to the US repairing this situation and helping these victims for as long as it takes. The sad part is that we are their only hope. I view this more as extended rescue and crisis management than nation building. Either way, the human suffering must be addressd for as long as it takes. Luckily, the U.S., for all of its warts, is here to help. Agreed. I think we're going to end up doing a little bit of nation building either way. If we create any institutions, that's one more than they have right now.
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Nevada Hoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 18,484
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Haiti
Jan 15, 2010 20:02:51 GMT -5
Post by Nevada Hoya on Jan 15, 2010 20:02:51 GMT -5
Georgetown's response to the tragedy in Haiti:
Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:
As we reflect on the catastrophic earthquake that devastated much of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, we offer our prayers and our deepest sympathies to all of the victims and their families. We especially embrace those members of our Georgetown community who have family or friends in Haiti, or who have been personally affected by this tragedy.
Members of the Georgetown community have already begun to mobilize to help those affected by this tragedy. Earlier today, Campus Ministry and the Caribbean Culture Circle hosted an interfaith prayer service for the victims and the survivors of the earthquake.
In addition, the Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service has set up a fund to support the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief work that is currently happening in Haiti. Donations to the fund can be made through the CSJ website (http://socialjustice.georgetown.edu/86785.html) or at locations that will be posted around campus.
All gifts received will be evenly directed to Jesuit Refugee Service (www.jrs.net), Save the Children (www.savethechildren.org) and Partners in Health (www.pih.org), three organizations with a longstanding presence in Haiti that have made significant commitments to the disaster relief effort in Port-au-Prince.
At this time, we are not aware of any Georgetown students, faculty, staff or alumni who were harmed in the earthquake. We realize, however, that this is a difficult time for many in our community. On the Main Campus, counseling and campus ministry staff are available for students 24 hours a day and we encourage anyone who may be in need of those services to take advantage of them.
We will continue to update the Center for Social Justice website as the university develops educational programming and service opportunities related to the relief and reconstruction efforts in Haiti. We will continue to keep the victims of this tragedy in our prayers, and we encourage everyone in the university community to support those who were injured or displaced by this tragic event in whatever way possible.
Sincerely,
Philip L. Boroughs, S.J. Vice President for Mission and Ministry
Kathleen Maas Weigert Executive Director, Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service
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