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The Salvation Army has had a presence
in Haiti since 1950 and currently operates schools, clinics, a
hospital, feeding programs, children's homes and church-related
activities spread across two major facilities in Port-au-Prince,
close to the epicenter of the earthquake, and at other locations in
the country.
One of the facilities, or compounds as it is referred to, includes a
home for more than 50 children, a school with a daily attendance of
1,500 children, a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily
and a church that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000
people. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the National
Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin that is home to
predominantly poor people living in the nation's capital.
According to reports from Salvation Army staff in Port-au-Prince, no
one in the compound was injured during the earthquake, but the
children's home, the clinic and church suffered major damage.
Several smaller buildings, including residences, have collapsed
completely. People were sleeping in the parking lot overnight, while
severe aftershocks continued to affect the country.
The second compound, which houses Salvation Army administrative
offices, is being used as an emergency operations center. Damage to
this compound was
slight, according to Salvation Army reports from
Haiti.
The Salvation Army hospital in
Fond-des-Negres, 75 miles west of Port-au-Prince, reports some minor
damage, but no injuries.
The Salvation Army's World Services Office, based in Alexandria, Va.,
has committed $50,000 to the relief effort, and the organization is
prepared to commit more financial resources, as well as food, water
and other emergency supplies, to assist in the recovery.
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The organization is preparing to send
more than 44,000 pounds of prepackaged emergency rations to the
country, along with emergency disaster teams. The Salvation Army is
working with other agencies to identify appropriate transportation
for the food. As with all such relief efforts, The Salvation Army
will be a part of the initial emergency response while assessing
longer term needs of the residents.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti at this time
and especially our Salvation Army officers and employees throughout
the country," said Lt. Col. Dan Starrett, who directs The Salvation
Army World Services Office.
The Salvation Army is accepting monetary donations to assist in the
effort via
www.salvationarmyusa.org,
1-800-SAL-ARMY and postal mail to: The Salvation Army World Service
Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 630728,
Baltimore, MD 21263-0728. Designate donations to "Haiti Earthquake."
[Text from file received from
The Salvation Army of Logan County] |
