Helping Haitian Earthquake Victims

Updated 8:23PM, January 17, 2010

Donate

From the US Department of State: Text “HAITI” to “90999” and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill.

The Center for International Disaster Information has established a dedicated page to coordinate Haiti support at www.cidi.org.

From the American Red Cross: You can make a donation by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish/Espanol) or donate at www.redcross.org.

Google Crisis Response Page– www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/.

Oxfam America has set up a Haiti Earthquake Response Fund.

Hyatt Place in Medford Collecting Items

Here at the Hyatt Place we have several Haitian staff members on our team. Some of these folks have parents, children, close family members and friends who live in Haiti and will very likely have been directly impacted by this disaster.

I am reaching out today to see if the great City of Medford and its citizens can band together to help those affected by this tragedy. We are looking for canned goods, clothing, and blankets to send on behalf of our team members.

We are going to open our doors starting tomorrow January 14, 2010 until Friday, January 29, 2010 to accept canned goods, clothing and blankets. There will be three drop off locations: Hyatt Place – Boston/Medford, Hyatt Summerfield Suites – Waltham and Hyatt Summerfield Suites – Burlington.

Information

The City of Boston is working with community partners as well as staff from city agencies such as the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) to set up the resource center for local families impacted by the earthquake. The center will be operated out of SEIU Local 1199, located at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester. It will begin operating Thursday from 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and remain open throughout the weekend and possibly into next week, depending on need. Translators, crisis councilors, computers, and phone lines will be available for local families in need of assistance. Individuals looking for more information can contact the center by calling (617) 284-1199.

The Somerville Haitian Coalition, www.haitian-coalition.org/, in an effort to mobilize care and support for the Haitian community, will hold a community-wide meeting on Friday January 15 at 6:00 at the Healey School, located at 2 Meacham St. The focus is for the community to get together as one, to share information, to support each other, and to develop effective strategies to deal with this dire crisis. Health care providers from Somerville Trauma Unit, Cambridge Health Alliance, and other agencies will attend the meeting and are available at Haitian’s office to provide counseling to those who are affected. For more information call Franklin Dalembert at 617-6256400 or email franklindalembert@comcast.net.

Haitian Consulate in Boston: Marie Andrine, Consul Général
Phone: 617-266-3660 Fax: 617-266-4060

Haitian Embassy in Washington hotline: 202-332-4090.

Rep. Edward Markey has also set up a Massachusetts Haitian Support and Information page on Facebook where Haitians with ties to the Bay State can post supportive messages and share information to help families and friends in Haiti after the tragic earthquake.

Families of Americans living in Haiti are encouraged to contact the State Department at 888-407-4747.

Sen. Paul G. Kirk’s Boston office says it will try to connect people with relatives in Haiti. Call 617-565-3170.

Boston Haitian Reporter www.bostonhaitian.com/

Haitian Earthquake Registry– www.haitianquake.com/

Medford, Malden, and Everett– tricityhaitianrelief.blogspot.com