Emergency relief to Haiti
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital.
As of February 12, an estimated three million people were affected by the quake; the Haitian government reports that between 217,000 and 230,000 people had been identified as dead, an estimated 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless. They also estimate that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings have collapsed or have been severely damaged.
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation reached out immediately to its partners on the ground in Haiti and first responders, and awarded the following funds in February for emergency relief operations:
- $250,000 to Partners in Health for provision of emergency medical services, psychosocial support services and logistics coordination.
- $148,000 to Catholic Relief Services for implementation of water and sanitation activities specifically targeting 50,000 people displaced by the earthquake who are now living in temporary camps in and around Port-au-Prince.
- $25,000 to International Medical Corps for general operating support, logistics coordination and provision of assistance for orphans.
- $77,000 to the William J. Clinton Foundation to support the transport of a 33,000 square foot tent to Haiti, where it will be used for office and administrative space for the city government of Port-au-Prince-including the Mayor's office.
The Foundation also facilitated a successful partnership between two of its grantees-those being International Medical Corps and Luftfahrt Ohne Grenzen-to transport and distribute donated emergency relief items originating from Europe. These items included medicines, medical supplies, food, water, blankets, tents and numerous other critically needed supplies. The total value of the relief items exceeds $2.7 million.
Foundation President and CEO, Steven Hilton traveled Haiti in January to witness the relief efforts first-hand:
The earthquake was a terrible disaster that only compounded the existing poverty and destitution of this tiny island country. Some speak of a window of opportunity to rebuild Haiti into a stronger more self-reliant country. One can only hope. From my very limited stay in Haiti, I saw horrible devastation; collapsed buildings with the victims still buried under tons of concrete. At the same time, I witnessed the incredible outpouring of aid coming from all over the world: compassionate volunteers working hard to save lives and assist the needy; NGOs coming together and working in collaboration; young American soldiers providing security and safety amidst the chaos; and a vibrant resilient spirit of the Haitian people as they go about slowly rebuilding their lives and their country.
