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Alexandria, VA (January 13, 2010) –
The Salvation Army is mobilizing resources and
personnel to assist with the international relief effort in Haiti
following a severe earthquake Tuesday that damaged much of the country’s
infrastructure, housing and commercial buildings.
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’s home to predominantly poor 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 that houses Salvation Army
administrative offices is being used as an emergency operations center; damage
was slight to this compound, 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, and the organization is prepared to commit more financial
resources, as well as food, water and other emergency supplies, to assist in
the recovery.
The organization is preparing to send more than 44,000 lbs
of pre-packaged 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 at: The Salvation Army World Service Office,
International Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728.
Designate donations “Haiti Earthquake.”
The Salvation Army, an evangelical
part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting
those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United
States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army
each year through the broadest array of social services that range from
providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the
disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless
and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 82 cents of every dollar
raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For
more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
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