| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/28/2010 |
Contact: Karen Gabrys 734-677-7224 kgabrys@uwwashtenaw.org |
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HAITI RECOVER AND REBUILD: UNITED WAY'S RESPONSE United Way's role is to support long-term recovery efforts to rebuild lives and communities devastated by the disaster and to address educational, financial and health-related challenges. United Way Worldwide has created the United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund, introduced a text-to-give program, and is coordinating the integration of efforts from United Ways around the world, in cooperation with our corporate partners and other NGOs. United Way Worldwide is working with the U.S. government – the White House, Congress, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, USAID – to incent non-taxable donations to Haiti (to ensure policy makers understand the critical donation curve, and that time is of the essence), and to underscore the vital role of U.S. and international NGOs in Haiti's long-term recovery. Recovery and Long-Term Rebuilding United Way's long-term response will be coordinated through our members in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. Our members are working with Haitian community networks to help assess their needs. We expect that process to continue for some time, given the extent of the devastation. United Way will focus on education, income and health, helping reestablish the educational and health infrastructure of Haitian communities, and work to improve the income-earning potential of Haitian families. United Way will draw upon its experience and long history of disaster support including the South Asian Tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 2008 earthquake in China, and Typhoon Morakot in 2009. We look forward to creating partnerships with governments, aid institutions, corporations, foundations and private citizens across the world to help rebuild Haiti. United Way Caribbean Members to Determine the Most Pressing Long-term Recovery Needs in Haiti Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, United Way has rallied to support those in need. United Way Worldwide's members in the Caribbean region have mobilized their staff, volunteer leaders, partners and resources in response to this disaster, and will help to determine the most pressing long-term recovery needs, such as access to health care, rebuilding schools and housing, and meeting critical basic needs for shelter, food and clothing. Some examples of work already under way: *Through cash donations being collected, Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico is purchasing basic needs that will go to Haiti. Fondos Unidos also is working with its corporate partners to get food and water into the affected area. *United Way Jamaica set up a relief fund and made a $50,000 lead gift. United Way Brasil is working with local corporations to connect in-kind donors such as Procter & Gamble with Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico. *United Way of Trinidad and Tobago is collecting goods that will be channeled through Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico. *United Way of St. Thomas / St. John is organizing a benefit concert for long-term recovery. *United Way of Miami-Dade raised and disbursed $500,000 in critically needed emergency supplies to people in Haiti through Operation Helping Hands, a partnership with The Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald, Univision and Univision Radio. After the first-responders have done their work, the long-term recovery efforts will begin, and United Way will still be there to help rebuild lives and infrastructure devastated by the disaster in Haiti, as it was following the tsunami of 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2008 earthquake in China. |