As Port au Prince, Haiti, lies in ruins, with thousands of people injured or dead, local community organizations are raising funds to help survivors stay alive.
“Please pray for, and donate, if possible, to relief efforts in Haiti,” reads a notice from Orcas Community Church.
Many San Juan County churches are urging congregants to pray and to funnel cash through well established, national relief organizations.
Jan Steckler of St. Francis Church on Orcas says that structured aid organizations like Catholic Relief services are critical in this time, when effectively, “Haiti doesn’t have a government anymore.”
She notes that 94 to 96 percent of donations to Catholic Relief Services go directly to aid.
The 7th Day Adventist Church on Orcas will send cash to Haiti through the Adventist Development Relief Agency, which Pastor William Hurtado says has a presence in most countries around the globe.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church held a special service of prayer followed by a “Labyrinth Walk of Compassion” on Jan. 15. Emmanuel will send donations through Episcopal Relief and Development, as will St. David’s Episcopal Church on San Juan Island.
Orcas Island Community Church recommends World Vision and World Concern, which have both been well established in Haiti for around 30 years.
OICC member Doug Boyden serves on a leadership team for Northwest Medical Teams, and pastors recommend that organization as well.
Lighthouse Christian Center on Orcas will be taking a special offering this week and sending it to Haiti Arise.
Deacon Bob Barnhart of Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church says the U.S. Presbyterian Church holds an annual worldwide offering called “One Great Hour of Sharing” around Lent. From that collection, a $100,000 allocation has been made for Haiti. He expects more funding to follow.
“We care for the survivors and want to see assistance brought to people as soon as possible,” Barnhart said. “Our congregation will be involved in prayer and gathering some funds to send through Red Cross or PC USA.”
Pastor Tim Daniels of San Juan Islands Community Church in Friday Harbor recommends Samaritan’s Purse.
“They are a much faster, more versatile disaster relief than the U.N. or the U.S. Government,” he said.
Red Cross representatives collected change for Haiti at Lopez Village Market on Jan. 14, and islanders say the container was overflowing with cash.
Anacortes Red Cross director Brian Geer said he recently received a $1,000 check from a Deer Harbor resident.
“We do have some volunteers on each of the islands, and we’ll eventually get things going on all the islands,” he said, adding that volunteer Paul Neave on Lopez recently planned a fundraiser at Lopez Village Market.
“The outpouring has been pretty incredible,” Geer said. “We’ve had $2,000 in two days walking in to the front desk here in Anacortes. We also expect a lot by mail; our predictions are about $10,000 chapter-wide by Monday. The islands are a generous group, and when they’re needed, they respond. I have faith that they will respond.”
The Red Cross is on Facebook and members are getting the news out about Haiti through press releases, social networking, and word of mouth.
The Salvation Army website notes that clothing donations are impractical to transport, but cash is welcome. Make an online donation to the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org, or phone 1-800-RED CROSS.
