Wednesday, January 13, 2010

HAITI: WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW!

Hello World Family,
It is with tremendous sadness that Falcon and Dove report the devastation to our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti after a 7.0 earthquake and many aftershocks have hit that fragile yet beautiful country. Our prayers are with all of you, as well as with the family and friends of those impacted by this tremendous challenge. An African proverb says, "When you pray, move your feet", and so we ask this of our world community right now.

UPDATE: Google map post-earthquake link:

http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2010/01/haiti-imagery-layer-now-available.html

The Navy ship Carl Vinson has arrived with communications capabilities and medicine.
A search and rescue tam from Fairfax, VA is on the ground and already rescuing people.
New Red Cross supplies will arrive by tomorrow.(Friday)

KEEP THOSE DONATIONS OF FOOD, WATER, TOILETRIES, MEDICINES, and MONEY COMING!!!

Anyone have any of those cool packs that have the endothermic chemicals that get cool when you break up the intenal separate vessels? It's going to be like 90 degrees there today...those would help.

WHAT CAN YOU DO-if you are in emergency management, have IT technology and equipment, generators, food, water, medical expertise, rescue and recover experience, etc. you are needed in Haiti NOW! Time is passing and in order to rescue and save lives, anything you can do to be there, help organizations like Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross,OXFAM, the UN,the Salvation Army, and many, many other organizations, please do. If you can't go to Haiti, any donations you can make to the above named organizations or others on the ground or going to Haiti can help.

UPDATE: DONATION SITES LISTED BELOW:

www.UNICEFUSA.org

Keep the lines of communication open. If you don't have to be on the phone to government agencies right now, free up the lines for others who are in critical need to find family and friends.
IN PITTSBURGH: Brother's Brother Foundation is collecting toiletries right now for a shipment leaving Monday. Anything that cannot spoil will be accepted. Their warehouse is on the Northside of the city.
www.brothersbrother.org


UPDATES-this section will keep changing regularly, so keep checking back. I understand that the electricity is back on at the airport only. Medicine is completely gone. Donations are needed-if you work for pharma, here is your moment to be a hero-donate some much needed medicine.

It is now reported sadly that there may be as many as 500,000 casualties at this point. (11:30p EST)

SOCIAL NETWORKING-has been working when nothing else has. Scype, Wyclef's donation sites, Facebook, MySpace, and email is critical to communications. Anyone who can help send messages and receive messages for those who need it, please do. Thank you so much for your courage and generosity. Message boards are also important. Post what you need, many are trying to reach out. Tweet if you can get a phone signal or access to a computer and let people know you are alive. Any messages sent to Falcon and Dove will be posted as long as they pertain directly to the Haiti disaster.

ADVICE-if you can, donate through Wyclef or reputable websites; go directly to branches or organizations to donate if you can-it reduces the liklihood of scams.

Again, updates will be made repeatedly, so check back.
Keep you heads up World Family, and thank you in advance for your generosity, your prayers, your donations, and your concern for those impacted by this tragedy.
Peace...and prayers,
Falcon and Dove