Caribbean
Haiti quake: Boston resources and events
Here is a list of Boston-area resources involved with the Haiti earthquake, and community actions in support of victims:
Governmental Organizations
The city of Boston on Thursday at 9 a.m. opened an emergency response center at the headquarters of SEIU Local 1999 on for 150 Mount Vernon St. in Dorchester for those who are trying to contact relatives in Haiti. The center will have phone lines, computers with Internet access, translators, and grief counselors, said Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
Haitian Consulate in Boston: Marie Andrine, Consul Général
Tel: 617-266-3660, Fax: 617-266-4060
Relief and Development Organizations
Partners in Health, Boston-based non-profit that has worked in Haiti for 23 years and has set up a field hospital there to treat the wounded. PIH is seeking donations and other support.
Oxfam America, which is based in Boston, has created an emergency relief fund. Oxfam has a staff of more than 200 people in Haiti, the Boston headquarters notes, and 15 disaster specialists who are already at work organizing relief.
Grassroots International is a Boston-based development group that has worked in Haiti for 20 years, and has set up a Haiti emergency relief fund.
The United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, is responding to the disaster with an initial $500,000 donation and support in the field. UNICEF has worked in Haiti since the 1940s.
Information about donations is available at the US Fund for UNICEF and the Boston office is reachable at 617.266.7534.
A group called Partners in Development, based in Ipswich, Mass., has a medical clinic in Port-au-Prince and is organizing to send a medical team there. Phone: 978-471-9922.
Catholic Charities is also at work organizing relief, raising funds, and accepting donations.
Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley said today that he has authorized a second collection in the parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston. Parishes may choose either this coming weekend, Jan. 16 and 17, or the weekend of Jan. 30 and 31 to take the collection. Funds collected will be sent to Catholic Relief Services to assist in relief efforts in Haiti.
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, a human rights group based in Cambridge, has launched an earthquake relief fund.
AmeriCares, a disaster response organization based in Stamford, Ct., has high ratings for its efficient use of donor resources. It has set up an emergency earthquake fund, pledging $5 million for victims.
Doctors Without Borders is a highly regarded humanitarian service that responds quickly to disasters around the Globe. MSF, as it it known by its French acronym, already had medical teams on the ground in Haiti and they are treating hundreds of victims.
The Wayland-based organization, Bread of Compassion, says it had long planned a medical mission to Haiti on March 1, and now is stepping up preparations and seeking contributions for the trip by 20 medical professionals to bring more medical supplies on the journey.
Local Haitian organizations
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined members of the Haitian community at a planning session Wednesday night at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End, including State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry. The mayor set up a team to open a resource center for local families seeking information and assistance, establish a relief fund to help support local families with relatives in Haiti., and offer search and rescue resources to Haitian officials, including both equipment and personnel.
The Boston center will operate out of SEIU Local 1199, at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester, as of Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, at least through the weekend. There will be translators. The hotline is 617-284-1199.
BIG CITY 101.3FM is said to be hosting a benefit fundraiser for Haitian Earthquake victims on Friday, Jan. 15 at 994 Blue Hill Ave.
The Center for Community Health, Education and Research has compiled a useful list of Haitian organizations in Greater Boston.
The Association of Haitian Women in Boston works to empower low-income women in Haiti.
The St. Boniface Foundation, based in Randolph, runs a hospital in Fond des Blancs, about 70 miles west of Port au Prince.
Also in Fond des Blancs, Haiti Projects Inc, run by Sarah Hackett, a nurse from Gloucester, offers family planning and other services in these remote mountains.
The Somerville Haitian Coalition will be holding a community meeting at 6 p.m. Friday. Details here.
The Collaborative Earthquake Relief Effort for Haiti will be open on Saturday at Hiberian Hall in Roxbury to accept clothing and other aid for people in Haiti. The event, featuring artists, musicians, and poets, will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contact Elie at infwisdm@yahoo.com and Nancy at miss.rousseau@yahoo.com.
Local Media
Jean Filias hosts a Haitian radio program on Radio Energy (1620AM) out of Dorchester.
The Boston Haitian Reporter has an impressive live blog on developments in Haiti and updates on available resources.
The Boston Haitian Reporter also has a list of Haitian community resources and organizations.
Haitian Embassy in Washington, hotline: 202-332-4090.
The US State Department hotline in Washington for information about relatives in Haiti is 1-888-407-4747.
Sen. Paul G. Kirk’s Boston office says it will try to connect people with relatives in Haiti. Call 617-565-3170.
National Resources
The Center for International Disaster Information has created a website with links to organizations that are accepting donations and other resources related to the earthquake.
The CIDI, funded by the US Agency for International Development, has guidelines on how to contribute appropriately to disaster relief. The key point is that the best contribution is money, not clothes and food, because money can be directed more quickly and efficiently to meet the needs of victims.
The United Nations World Food Program is quickly mobilizing aid resources for victims, and is accepting donations.
Action Against Hunger has hundreds of staff members in Haiti and has deployed emergency teams to assist victims.
The Episcopal Church is collecting donations and organizing relief, through its relief agency Episcopal Relief and Development.
The Salvation Army has worked in Haiti since 1950 and is organizing immediate assistance. The Salvation Army is accepting monetary donations to assist in the effort via, http://www.salvationarmyusa.org, 1-800-SAL-ARMY and postal mail at: The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728.
The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747.
Red Cross: Simply 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.
Reuters Haiti help page
Haitian Education & Leadership Program
International Committee of the Red Cross
Direct Relief International is a non-profit based in California that has a range of health partners in Haiti and has pledged a $1 million emergency donation.
Mobile Giving
A number of organizations are accepting donations through mobile phone text messaging. Here’s an update from the Mobile Giving Foundation, which works with a number of non-profits.
What: The quickest way to provide monetary relief to those affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti is mobile giving. By texting a keyword to a designated short code via a mobile phone, a micro-donation of $5 or $10 can be made to aid the millions of people affected by this tragedy. 100 percent of your donation goes to the recipient charity, and the donation appears as a charge on your carrier bill. Standard rates may apply.
Who: There are several organization that are responding to this urgent need with mobile-giving efforts, including the following:
Text the word “Yele” to 501501 to donate $5
On behalf of the Yéle Foundation, the leading contributor to rebuilding Haiti founded by Wyclef Jean
Text the word “Haiti” to 85944 to donate $5
On behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International
Text the word “Haiti” to 25383 to donate $5
On behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee
Text the word “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10
On behalf of the Red Cross in the US
Text the word “Haiti” to 45678 (In Canada Only)
On behalf of the Salvation Army in Canada
Lorson Ovilmar is the Founder of a Normal School in a town about 15 miles east of Verrettes (see attached map) and the leader of the team of educators that has been working closely and very effectively with Pierre. He sent the email below at 9:52 last night indicating that he and his family are fine but says that a house that he was building is destroyed. He asks us to help him to thank God for sparing his wife and her cousin when the building collapsed.
We know that most of the damage from the earthquake was near Port au Prince but we also know that there was some damage in the Artibonite Valley. We don’t yet know the extent of the damage in the Artibonite Valley but I have attached a report from the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, 4 miles from Verrettes to give some idea. When we know more, we will let you know.
Hal
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: le seisme
Cher Lorson.
Nous avons profondément apprécié la réception de ton courrier électronique. C’était un grand relief pour le recevoir. Nos coeurs sont lourds comme nous suivons les nouvelles de cette catastrophe qui a frappé notre Haïti chéri et nous prions pour tous qui sont si profondément affectés, mais nous louons Dieu que tu et ton famille êtes sauf. Nous prions aussi pour que nous soyons fidèles à ce que nous appelons pour répondre efficacement à ce temps d’une telle souffrance et d’une consternation.
Nous louons Dieu pour toi. Nous sommes si reconnaissants que Dieu l’a rendu possible pour toi de passer le temps avec nous à Boston. Nous ferons tout que nous pouvons ici à Boston pour soutenir votre efforts là comme vous travaillez avec Pierre et les autres membres de votre équipe. Nous prions pour que cette fois qui soit si difficile sera aussi un temps de la bénédiction spéciale de Dieu pour Haïti.
Nous tu aimons et nous prions pour que Dieu tu bénisse richement,
Votre frère,
Hal May
From: Lorson Ovilmar
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 9:52 PM
Subject: le seisme
Comme vous l’avez entendu, Haiti est severement touchee par un tremblement de terre qui s’est produit aujourd’hui aux environs de 4:30h pm. Beaucoup d’imeubles ont ete effondres surtout a Port -au Prince.C’est la consternation totale!
Moi aussi j’ai ete severement touche car la maison que je viens de construire il y a a peu pres un ana ete completement effondree avec tout ce qu’il y a dedans. Mais heureusement ,grace a rendu a Dieu, les gens qui etaient a l’interieur etaient deja sortis quand l’accident s’est prodduit.
Je vous en prie, ne vous affolez pas. Au contraire aidez -moi à remercier Dieu le fait qu’il a donne la chance à ma femme et sa consine d’etre encore là.
A present les telephones des compagnies Digicel et Voilà ne fonctionnent pas.Je ne peux meme pas avoir les nouvelles des autres.
Vous pouvez nous rejoindre ce soir a partir du numero de Louna Duversonne: 35871654
Program Invitation Haiti: Philanthropic Response
Luncheon Discussion
New England International Donors (NEID) is inviting any individual donors, grantmakers and philanthropic advisors who fund in Haiti or who are contemplating giving now to attend an informal lunch discussion, Haiti: Philanthropic Responses, on January 19 from 12 noon-1:00pm at The Philanthropic Institute in Boston.
Sandwiches and drinks will be provided and donations for food will be welcome! For this meeting, donors and advisors may choose to bring one staff person of an organization working in Haiti to enlighten the group about current conditions and their work there.
Please RSVP directly to Karen Ansara by Friday, Jan 16.
From Kristen Lynch:
Thank you to all staff who have pulled together in this difficult time for everyone as a result of the terrible events in Haiti. Especially for those in our community who are Haitian, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Below I have included 5 things you can do right away in response to this tragedy.
1. CSHC has decided to support Partners in Health (who have an office right across from 637 Washington St in Codman Square) in their relief efforts. Already they are leveraging 120 doctors and 500 nurses in emergency ‘hospital field sites’. CSHC will be collecting cash and checks in Finance before noon tomorrow, to be brought over to Partners in Health tomorrow afternoon. You can also donate online at http://www.pih.org.
2. Continue to participate in daily Sharing Sessions from 12:30-1:30 and the Online Blog: http://www.codmanhealth.wordpress.com We already have over 400 hits. I have changed the organization to make making comments easier by categorizing them better and easing the process (now all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of whatever you want to comment on). I am in the process of transferring comments already made to this new system.
3. We are looking into having onsite support through EAP or otherwise, but in the meantime you or your immediate family can call 1-800-854-1446 to talk.
4. Text ‘HAITI’ to 90999 to automatically donate to the Red Cross. Well over $1 million has already been donated in this fashion.
5. Await further news as we determine if we can conduct a food/clothing/water drive. For now, please dont bring materials in as we do not have the space, however we are continue to look for opportunities to conduct such a drive.
Below are some resources locally:
Referral and Support Center: at the SEIU Local 1199 Bayside Office Center, 150 Mount Vernon St, Dorchester
open 9am-9pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
offering phone lines and computer access to help in locating family and friends.
translators available along with counseling and assistance linking with needed services.
Locating American citizens in Haiti through the State Dept: 1-888-407-4747, press ’0′
General information about the earthquake and US relief efforts: http://www.whitehouse.gov
Dear Boston Foundation Donors and Friends:
In response to the tragedies unfolding in Haiti, we announce the creation of The Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation. All contributions to this fund will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $1 million, by the Ansara Family Fund at the Boston Foundation. Jim and Karen Ansara, together with the Board of the Boston Foundation, are creating this fund to focus on longer-term human rights and reconstruction issues in Haiti. As part of this effort, we plan to help coordinate the Boston philanthropic response to the Haiti crisis and convene a community of donors to work on the issues over the long term.
The Haiti Fund, which will be spent down over the course of five years, will devote 25% of its resources to immediate disaster relief and remaining funds will be dedicated to long term efforts such as human rights training and organizing, reconstruction of infrastructure and livelihoods with an emphasis on grassroots approaches.
The Haiti Fund will be advised by a small committee including the Ansaras and leaders from the Boston Haitian American community. It will be staffed and administered by the Boston Foundation.
The Board of Directors and all of us here at the Foundation are deeply moved at both the generous response by the Ansara family and thoughtful plan that has been put together. We are thrilled to be a part of an effort which can help the people of Haiti in their time of dire need and in the difficult years to come.
Please call Kate Guedj (617-338-2670) or Diane Elenbaas (617-338-2608) with any questions regarding the fund.
Contributions can be made in the following ways:
1. Fund advisors can login to Advisor Xpress and recommend a grant to the Boston Foundation with the grant to be used for the Haiti Fund.
2. Make check payable to the Boston Foundation with Haiti Fund in the memo line. Checks should be sent to Fund Administration, The Boston Foundation, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116.
3. Donate by credit card. Click here to access our secure site. Select Haiti Fund in the drop down menu.
Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.
From Partners In Health (our partner in HIV and diabetes services)
Over the past 18 hours, Partners In Health staff in Boston and Haiti have been working to collect as much information as possible about the conditions on the ground, the relief efforts taking shape, and all relevant logistics issues in order to respond efficiently and effectively to the most urgent needs in the field. At the moment, PIH’s Chief Medical Officer is on her way to Haiti, where she will meet with Zanmi Lasante leadership and head physicians, who are already working to ensure PIH’s coordinated relief efforts leveraging the skills of more than 120 doctors and nearly 500 nurses and nursing assistants who work at Zanmi Lasante’s sites.
We have already begun to implement a two-part strategy to address the immediate need for emergency medical care in Port-au-Prince. First, we are organizing the logistics to get the medical staff and supplies needed for setting up field hospital sites in Port-au-Prince where we can triage patients, provide emergency care, and send those who need surgery or more complex treatment to our functioning hospitals and surgical facilities. To do this, we are creating a supply chain through the Dominican Republic. Second, we are ensuring that our facilities in the Central Plateau are ready to serve the flow of patients from Port-au-Prince. Operating and procedure rooms are staffed, supplied, and equipped for surgeries and we have converted a church in Cange into a large triage area. Already our sites in Cange and Hinche are reporting a steady flow of people coming with medical needs from the capital city. In the days that come we will need to make sure our pharmacies and supplies stay stocked and our staff continue to be able to respond.
Currently, our greatest need is financial support . Haiti is facing a crisis worse than it has seen in years, and it is a country that has faced years of crisis, both natural disaster and otherwise. The country is in need of millions of dollars right now to meet the needs of the communities hardest hit by the earthquake. Our facilities are strategically placed just two hours outside of Port-au-Prince and will inevitably absorb the flow of patients out of the city. In addition, we need cash on-hand to quickly procure emergency medical supplies, basic living necessities, as well as transportation and logistics support for the tens of thousands of people that will be seeking care at mobile field hospitals in the capital city. Any and all support that will help us respond to the immediate needs and continue our mission of strengthening the public health system in Haiti is greatly appreciated. Help us stand up for Haiti now .
If you are not in a position to make a financial contribution, you can help us raise awareness of the earthquake tragedy. Please alert your friends to the situation and direct them to http://www.pih.org for updates and ways to help.
Thank you for your solidarity during this crisis,
Ophelia Dahl
Executive Director
I do not remember if I sent this email, I am sending it again.
—–Original Message—–
From: Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti
Sent: 01/13/2010 4:56:51 PM
To: richezamor@gmail.com
Subject: Earthquake Update #2 from Deschapelles
January 13, 2010
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Quick Links
Please donate now [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102939774528&s=2950&e=001s-LFTJ7OEfktT5shKZ8CU0zadGXAo0h21W1hkYSDkNhOjunjrIuI52A5VWl6N46P65Ki0g9qa4pxvNutwHHo1lmMB-VaASLsgo_XxzUyfhvAWFrebqGMYs4_OMsKmwbv]
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Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti is Making a Difference
Afternoon Report Wednesday, 13 Jan 2009
As we have all heard many reports of the terrible disaster—a 7.0 earthquake in
Haiti, the worst in 200 years. Up to 3 million people may have been affected.
So far, tens of thousands of people have died.
Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti, located 40 miles NW of Port-Au-Prince was able
to withstand the recent devastating earthquake and is currently operating with full
staff helping victims. With mass casualty protocols in place, the medical staff
is evaluating each patient, performing diagnostic tests and delivering life saving
care. Due to the expertise developed over its 54 year history, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer
Haiti (HAS) is one of the few institutions positioned to provide timely hospital
care for the injured. As the flow of people urgently seeking care increases over
the next few days and weeks, our resources will be pushed to the breaking point.
It is critical that we receive support to help us continue with our mission.
Ever since early this morning, a steady stream of vehicles, mainly the open-back
pickups which serve as public taxis on Haiti’s roads, has come to the front of
the hospital. In the back are one or two people, their legs or arms covered in bandages
or clothes. HAS security staff rush out to the truck with a backboard or gurney,
and bring the patient inside to be triaged by the emergency team.
Now, in early afternoon, a crowd of over 200 people are outside the hospital, friends
or neighbors of injured patients. They rush to the arriving trucks and try to help
to carry the new patients inside. Occasionally, the combination of the person’s
injuries and the truck ride are more than can be sustained by the patient, and the
family members, with great wailing, adapt to the shock of the loss of a loved one.
A sound system has been set up outside, so that family members may be called into
the hospital to meet with doctors.
Each patient is brought into the Observation Unit and quickly evaluated. Some are
sent to for an X-Ray or lab test while others are taken immediately to the holding
area outside surgery, where both operating rooms are being used full time.
All beds have been pressed into use, and still there are patients on benches. Gradually,
some of the early arrivals and less injured are prepared for discharge.
Systems at HAS are working well; preparation and practice have paid off. The greatest
resource, however, is the dignity and grace of people who have suffered a great
shock and sometimes tragedy, and remain calm and show concern not just for the people
with whom they have come here, but for others as well.
This is the most serious challenge ever faced by HAS in its 54-year history, and
while we are currently coping with the onslaught of the injured, we urgently need
support.
At this moment, we don’t have the capability to accept material goods or personnel.
Our greatest and most urgent need is for funds to pay overtime wages to our dedicated
staff, and to buy replacement medicines and supplies.
We will update the http://www.hashaiti.org [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102939774528&s=2950&e=001s-LFTJ7OEfnU3toge5LlrNrA25dImYESvQeXCAgGBdT43EL-t_BzLzzan2WrTEg1Qj4y5DVF5RmBwqjm49BtzHJE-0zMa0MjNKn0gK0RnRjFdWqG06RMTg==]
website with news of relief efforts. To make a donation that will have immediate
impact, please go to http://www.hashaiti.org [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102939774528&s=2950&e=001s-LFTJ7OEfnU3toge5LlrNrA25dImYESvQeXCAgGBdT43EL-t_BzLzzan2WrTEg1Qj4y5DVF5RmBwqjm49BtzHJE-0zMa0MjNKn0gK0RnRjFdWqG06RMTg==].
Thank you again for the many expressions of help and caring that are coming from
around the globe.
Hello everyone,
I want to say Thank You to the Codman Community who have shown concern, and provided support to my Haitian coworkers and myself during this troubling and worrisome time.
I want to share this information with you to reach family members.
Radio Signal FM is accepting calls from the Haitian diaspora to send a message and contact numbers to loved ones in Haiti. The numbers to call are:
1-305-407-2119
1-809-510-2858
509-3453-1306
509-2256-4368
or you can send a message to signalfmhaiti.com.
Also, if you have members of your family who are US citizens, you can send an e-mail to the Embassy in Haiti to register them. The e-mail should include their names, addresses in Haiti and the telephone number where they can be reached. The e-mail address is acspap@state.gov . You can also contact them by phone as follows: 011-50980898322, 011-5098088672 or 011-50922298942.
For non-US citizens you may contact the Haitian Consulate in New York at (212) 697-9767, Fax number (212 681-6991 or email address contact@haitianconsulate-nyc.org or the Haitian Embassy at (202) 332-4090, Fax number (202) 745-7215 or e-mail address embassy@haiti.org.
May God help my people in Haiti, and may He continues to bestow his blessings upon us.
Can Codman do a payroll deduction for people who want to contribute? This would be easy and clean. Of course it would be up to each individual to determine how much he/she wants to donate. Most people seem to be donating/asking for $5.00 -$10.00 per person.
Statement from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano
Release Date: January 15, 2010
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
“As part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to assist Haiti following Tuesday’s devastating earthquake, I am announcing the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. This is a disaster of historic proportions and this designation will allow eligible Haitian nationals in the United States to continue living and working in our country for the next 18 months. Providing a temporary refuge for Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States and whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti is part of this Administration’s continuing efforts to support Haiti’s recovery.
“At this moment of tragedy in Haiti it is tempting for people suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake to seek refuge elsewhere. But attempting to leave Haiti now will only bring more hardship to the Haitian people and nation. The international community has rallied to deliver relief to Haiti. Much has already arrived and much more is on its way. The Haitians are resilient and determined and their role in addressing this crisis in their homeland will be essential to Haiti’s future.
“It is important to note that TPS will apply only to those individuals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after January 12, 2010 will not be eligible for TPS and will be repatriated.
“The Department of Homeland Security continues to extend sympathy to our Haitian neighbors and support the worldwide relief effort underway in every way we can. Four Coast Guard cutters have arrived in Haiti, in addition to a variety of Coast Guard assets that were already in the area to support military air traffic control, conduct damage assessments and rescue people in need of assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to work closely with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department – the lead U.S. federal agencies in the response – while coordinating the deployment of state and local Urban Search and Rescue Teams from across the country to Haiti and standing by to provide food, water and other resources as requested. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has provided aircraft to support response efforts.
“Haitians in the U.S. who are eligible to apply for TPS should go to http://www.uscis.gov or call USCIS toll-free at (800) 375-5283.”
Catholic Charities to provide legal assistance to Haitian Immigrants seeking Temporary Protected Status
(BOSTON) January 20, 2010—For two days, immigration attorneys from Boston law firms will be on-hand to assist in processing requests for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. This free legal assistance will take place this Friday (1/22) and Saturday (1/23) from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Catholic Charities Haitian Multi-Service Center in Dorchester
A hotline has been established to provide information and gather contact information from those in need of TPS assistance at (617) 464-8004. Callers will hear a recorded message in Haitian Creole and English with the date, location and time of the group processing and are asked to leave their contact information. Immigration attorneys from Mintz Levin, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will volunteer their legal services. Translators will be available if needed.
“We are committed to assist with relief efforts on the ground in Haiti and at home in Boston. It has become clear that among these needs is legal counsel for families looking for Temporary Protected Status during this crisis,” said Marjean Perhot, Director of the Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services. “We encourage anyone who has legal questions or needs assistance filing for TPS call our hotline.”
The Haitian Multi-Service Center supports newly arrived and long-term resident Haitian immigrants and refugees in their quest for educational development and economic self-sufficiency in a culturally and linguistically familiar environment. Approximately 1,500 families are served by the Haitian Multi-Service Center each year mostly from Dorchester, Mattapan, Milton, Roxbury, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Cambridge, Somerville, and other neighborhoods outside of greater Boston.
About Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston
For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities has continued its mission of building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people. The agency provides approximately 140 programs and services throughout Eastern Massachusetts. These services respond to the needs of the poor and working poor, provide supportive services to children and families, and assist refugees and immigrants as they become active participants in their communities. Last year, Catholic Charities served nearly 200,000 people in need of all faiths. To discover more of our work, visit http://www.ccab.org.
International Institute of Boston
Support for Haitian Community
The International Institute of Boston, a local refugee and immigrant service provider, is supporting the Haitian community of Boston with the following services:
January 21, 2010: Information, referral and support session
Supportive/Grief counselors will be available
7:30-9pm
Location: 1 Milk Street – 4th Floor
(Downtown Crossing)
Daily intakes for those seeking supportive counseling and basic needs services. Please call 617-695-9990 for more information.
Legal Services:
The Institute has established a separate phone line to provide services to those in the community who are seeking information regarding Temporary Protective Status (TPS). Please call 617-695-1639 for more information.
Temporary Protective Status filing fee: $85 (waived to $35 based on income)
Legal Services for those interested in filing for TPS will be available at the following times starting on January 25th:
Mondays –Thursdays: 9am to 8pm
Fridays: 9am to 5pm
In addition, our Legal Services department will run information sessions and clinics on Saturdays. At this time, services are as follows:
Saturday, January 30th:
Information Session on Temporary Protective Status
Location: 1 Milk Street, 4th Floor
10am-12pm
Saturday, February 6th:
Forms clinic for filing Temporary Protective Status
Location: 1 Milk Street, 4th Floor
10am-2pm
We are currently working to establish similar services at our office in Lowell, MA. For general information about our Lowell office, please call 978-459-9031.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/worldly_boston/2010/01/the_haiti_quake_boston_resourc.html
Caribbean
Haiti quake: Boston resources and events
Here is a list of Boston-area resources involved with the Haiti earthquake, and community actions in support of victims:
Governmental Organizations
The city of Boston on Thursday at 9 a.m. opened an emergency response center at the headquarters of SEIU Local 1999 on for 150 Mount Vernon St. in Dorchester for those who are trying to contact relatives in Haiti. The center will have phone lines, computers with Internet access, translators, and grief counselors, said Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
Haitian Consulate in Boston: Marie Andrine, Consul Général
Tel: 617-266-3660, Fax: 617-266-4060
Relief and Development Organizations
Partners in Health, Boston-based non-profit that has worked in Haiti for 23 years and has set up a field hospital there to treat the wounded. PIH is seeking donations and other support.
Oxfam America, which is based in Boston, has created an emergency relief fund. Oxfam has a staff of more than 200 people in Haiti, the Boston headquarters notes, and 15 disaster specialists who are already at work organizing relief.
Grassroots International is a Boston-based development group that has worked in Haiti for 20 years, and has set up a Haiti emergency relief fund.
The United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, is responding to the disaster with an initial $500,000 donation and support in the field. UNICEF has worked in Haiti since the 1940s.
Information about donations is available at the US Fund for UNICEF and the Boston office is reachable at 617.266.7534.
A group called Partners in Development, based in Ipswich, Mass., has a medical clinic in Port-au-Prince and is organizing to send a medical team there. Phone: 978-471-9922.
Catholic Charities is also at work organizing relief, raising funds, and accepting donations.
Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley said today that he has authorized a second collection in the parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston. Parishes may choose either this coming weekend, Jan. 16 and 17, or the weekend of Jan. 30 and 31 to take the collection. Funds collected will be sent to Catholic Relief Services to assist in relief efforts in Haiti.
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, a human rights group based in Cambridge, has launched an earthquake relief fund.
AmeriCares, a disaster response organization based in Stamford, Ct., has high ratings for its efficient use of donor resources. It has set up an emergency earthquake fund, pledging $5 million for victims.
Doctors Without Borders is a highly regarded humanitarian service that responds quickly to disasters around the Globe. MSF, as it it known by its French acronym, already had medical teams on the ground in Haiti and they are treating hundreds of victims.
The Wayland-based organization, Bread of Compassion, says it had long planned a medical mission to Haiti on March 1, and now is stepping up preparations and seeking contributions for the trip by 20 medical professionals to bring more medical supplies on the journey.
Local Haitian organizations
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined members of the Haitian community at a planning session Wednesday night at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End, including State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry. The mayor set up a team to open a resource center for local families seeking information and assistance, establish a relief fund to help support local families with relatives in Haiti., and offer search and rescue resources to Haitian officials, including both equipment and personnel.
The Boston center will operate out of SEIU Local 1199, at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester, as of Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, at least through the weekend. There will be translators. The hotline is 617-284-1199.
BIG CITY 101.3FM is said to be hosting a benefit fundraiser for Haitian Earthquake victims on Friday, Jan. 15 at 994 Blue Hill Ave.
The Center for Community Health, Education and Research has compiled a useful list of Haitian organizations in Greater Boston.
The Association of Haitian Women in Boston works to empower low-income women in Haiti.
The St. Boniface Foundation, based in Randolph, runs a hospital in Fond des Blancs, about 70 miles west of Port au Prince.
Also in Fond des Blancs, Haiti Projects Inc, run by Sarah Hackett, a nurse from Gloucester, offers family planning and other services in these remote mountains.
The Somerville Haitian Coalition will be holding a community meeting at 6 p.m. Friday. Details here.
The Collaborative Earthquake Relief Effort for Haiti will be open on Saturday at Hiberian Hall in Roxbury to accept clothing and other aid for people in Haiti. The event, featuring artists, musicians, and poets, will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contact Elie at infwisdm@yahoo.com and Nancy at miss.rousseau@yahoo.com.
Local Media
Jean Filias hosts a Haitian radio program on Radio Energy (1620AM) out of Dorchester.
The Boston Haitian Reporter has an impressive live blog on developments in Haiti and updates on available resources.
The Boston Haitian Reporter also has a list of Haitian community resources and organizations.
Haitian Embassy in Washington, hotline: 202-332-4090.
The US State Department hotline in Washington for information about relatives in Haiti is 1-888-407-4747.
Sen. Paul G. Kirk’s Boston office says it will try to connect people with relatives in Haiti. Call 617-565-3170.
National Resources
The Center for International Disaster Information has created a website with links to organizations that are accepting donations and other resources related to the earthquake.
The CIDI, funded by the US Agency for International Development, has guidelines on how to contribute appropriately to disaster relief. The key point is that the best contribution is money, not clothes and food, because money can be directed more quickly and efficiently to meet the needs of victims.
The United Nations World Food Program is quickly mobilizing aid resources for victims, and is accepting donations.
Action Against Hunger has hundreds of staff members in Haiti and has deployed emergency teams to assist victims.
The Episcopal Church is collecting donations and organizing relief, through its relief agency Episcopal Relief and Development.
The Salvation Army has worked in Haiti since 1950 and is organizing immediate assistance. The Salvation Army is accepting monetary donations to assist in the effort via, http://www.salvationarmyusa.org, 1-800-SAL-ARMY and postal mail at: The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728.
The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747.
Red Cross: Simply 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.
Reuters Haiti help page
Haitian Education & Leadership Program
International Committee of the Red Cross
Direct Relief International is a non-profit based in California that has a range of health partners in Haiti and has pledged a $1 million emergency donation.
Mobile Giving
A number of organizations are accepting donations through mobile phone text messaging. Here’s an update from the Mobile Giving Foundation, which works with a number of non-profits.
What: The quickest way to provide monetary relief to those affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti is mobile giving. By texting a keyword to a designated short code via a mobile phone, a micro-donation of $5 or $10 can be made to aid the millions of people affected by this tragedy. 100 percent of your donation goes to the recipient charity, and the donation appears as a charge on your carrier bill. Standard rates may apply.
Who: There are several organization that are responding to this urgent need with mobile-giving efforts, including the following:
Text the word “Yele” to 501501 to donate $5
On behalf of the Yéle Foundation, the leading contributor to rebuilding Haiti founded by Wyclef Jean
Text the word “Haiti” to 85944 to donate $5
On behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International
Text the word “Haiti” to 25383 to donate $5
On behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee
Text the word “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10
On behalf of the Red Cross in the US
Text the word “Haiti” to 45678 (In Canada Only)
On behalf of the Salvation Army in Canada
This is from our friend Dr. Hal May…..
Lorson Ovilmar is the Founder of a Normal School in a town about 15 miles east of Verrettes (see attached map) and the leader of the team of educators that has been working closely and very effectively with Pierre. He sent the email below at 9:52 last night indicating that he and his family are fine but says that a house that he was building is destroyed. He asks us to help him to thank God for sparing his wife and her cousin when the building collapsed.
We know that most of the damage from the earthquake was near Port au Prince but we also know that there was some damage in the Artibonite Valley. We don’t yet know the extent of the damage in the Artibonite Valley but I have attached a report from the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, 4 miles from Verrettes to give some idea. When we know more, we will let you know.
Hal
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: le seisme
Cher Lorson.
Nous avons profondément apprécié la réception de ton courrier électronique. C’était un grand relief pour le recevoir. Nos coeurs sont lourds comme nous suivons les nouvelles de cette catastrophe qui a frappé notre Haïti chéri et nous prions pour tous qui sont si profondément affectés, mais nous louons Dieu que tu et ton famille êtes sauf. Nous prions aussi pour que nous soyons fidèles à ce que nous appelons pour répondre efficacement à ce temps d’une telle souffrance et d’une consternation.
Nous louons Dieu pour toi. Nous sommes si reconnaissants que Dieu l’a rendu possible pour toi de passer le temps avec nous à Boston. Nous ferons tout que nous pouvons ici à Boston pour soutenir votre efforts là comme vous travaillez avec Pierre et les autres membres de votre équipe. Nous prions pour que cette fois qui soit si difficile sera aussi un temps de la bénédiction spéciale de Dieu pour Haïti.
Nous tu aimons et nous prions pour que Dieu tu bénisse richement,
Votre frère,
Hal May
From: Lorson Ovilmar
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 9:52 PM
Subject: le seisme
Comme vous l’avez entendu, Haiti est severement touchee par un tremblement de terre qui s’est produit aujourd’hui aux environs de 4:30h pm. Beaucoup d’imeubles ont ete effondres surtout a Port -au Prince.C’est la consternation totale!
Moi aussi j’ai ete severement touche car la maison que je viens de construire il y a a peu pres un ana ete completement effondree avec tout ce qu’il y a dedans. Mais heureusement ,grace a rendu a Dieu, les gens qui etaient a l’interieur etaient deja sortis quand l’accident s’est prodduit.
Je vous en prie, ne vous affolez pas. Au contraire aidez -moi à remercier Dieu le fait qu’il a donne la chance à ma femme et sa consine d’etre encore là.
A present les telephones des compagnies Digicel et Voilà ne fonctionnent pas.Je ne peux meme pas avoir les nouvelles des autres.
Vous pouvez nous rejoindre ce soir a partir du numero de Louna Duversonne: 35871654
Ovilmar Lorson
Program Invitation Haiti: Philanthropic Response
Luncheon Discussion
New England International Donors (NEID) is inviting any individual donors, grantmakers and philanthropic advisors who fund in Haiti or who are contemplating giving now to attend an informal lunch discussion, Haiti: Philanthropic Responses, on January 19 from 12 noon-1:00pm at The Philanthropic Institute in Boston.
Sandwiches and drinks will be provided and donations for food will be welcome! For this meeting, donors and advisors may choose to bring one staff person of an organization working in Haiti to enlighten the group about current conditions and their work there.
Please RSVP directly to Karen Ansara by Friday, Jan 16.
From Kristen Lynch:
Thank you to all staff who have pulled together in this difficult time for everyone as a result of the terrible events in Haiti. Especially for those in our community who are Haitian, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Below I have included 5 things you can do right away in response to this tragedy.
1. CSHC has decided to support Partners in Health (who have an office right across from 637 Washington St in Codman Square) in their relief efforts. Already they are leveraging 120 doctors and 500 nurses in emergency ‘hospital field sites’. CSHC will be collecting cash and checks in Finance before noon tomorrow, to be brought over to Partners in Health tomorrow afternoon. You can also donate online at http://www.pih.org.
2. Continue to participate in daily Sharing Sessions from 12:30-1:30 and the Online Blog: http://www.codmanhealth.wordpress.com We already have over 400 hits. I have changed the organization to make making comments easier by categorizing them better and easing the process (now all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of whatever you want to comment on). I am in the process of transferring comments already made to this new system.
3. We are looking into having onsite support through EAP or otherwise, but in the meantime you or your immediate family can call 1-800-854-1446 to talk.
4. Text ‘HAITI’ to 90999 to automatically donate to the Red Cross. Well over $1 million has already been donated in this fashion.
5. Await further news as we determine if we can conduct a food/clothing/water drive. For now, please dont bring materials in as we do not have the space, however we are continue to look for opportunities to conduct such a drive.
Below are some resources locally:
Referral and Support Center: at the SEIU Local 1199 Bayside Office Center, 150 Mount Vernon St, Dorchester
open 9am-9pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
offering phone lines and computer access to help in locating family and friends.
translators available along with counseling and assistance linking with needed services.
Locating American citizens in Haiti through the State Dept: 1-888-407-4747, press ’0′
General information about the earthquake and US relief efforts: http://www.whitehouse.gov
January 14, 2010
Dear Boston Foundation Donors and Friends:
In response to the tragedies unfolding in Haiti, we announce the creation of The Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation. All contributions to this fund will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $1 million, by the Ansara Family Fund at the Boston Foundation. Jim and Karen Ansara, together with the Board of the Boston Foundation, are creating this fund to focus on longer-term human rights and reconstruction issues in Haiti. As part of this effort, we plan to help coordinate the Boston philanthropic response to the Haiti crisis and convene a community of donors to work on the issues over the long term.
The Haiti Fund, which will be spent down over the course of five years, will devote 25% of its resources to immediate disaster relief and remaining funds will be dedicated to long term efforts such as human rights training and organizing, reconstruction of infrastructure and livelihoods with an emphasis on grassroots approaches.
The Haiti Fund will be advised by a small committee including the Ansaras and leaders from the Boston Haitian American community. It will be staffed and administered by the Boston Foundation.
The Board of Directors and all of us here at the Foundation are deeply moved at both the generous response by the Ansara family and thoughtful plan that has been put together. We are thrilled to be a part of an effort which can help the people of Haiti in their time of dire need and in the difficult years to come.
Please call Kate Guedj (617-338-2670) or Diane Elenbaas (617-338-2608) with any questions regarding the fund.
Contributions can be made in the following ways:
1. Fund advisors can login to Advisor Xpress and recommend a grant to the Boston Foundation with the grant to be used for the Haiti Fund.
2. Make check payable to the Boston Foundation with Haiti Fund in the memo line. Checks should be sent to Fund Administration, The Boston Foundation, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116.
3. Donate by credit card. Click here to access our secure site. Select Haiti Fund in the drop down menu.
Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.
From Partners In Health (our partner in HIV and diabetes services)
Over the past 18 hours, Partners In Health staff in Boston and Haiti have been working to collect as much information as possible about the conditions on the ground, the relief efforts taking shape, and all relevant logistics issues in order to respond efficiently and effectively to the most urgent needs in the field. At the moment, PIH’s Chief Medical Officer is on her way to Haiti, where she will meet with Zanmi Lasante leadership and head physicians, who are already working to ensure PIH’s coordinated relief efforts leveraging the skills of more than 120 doctors and nearly 500 nurses and nursing assistants who work at Zanmi Lasante’s sites.
We have already begun to implement a two-part strategy to address the immediate need for emergency medical care in Port-au-Prince. First, we are organizing the logistics to get the medical staff and supplies needed for setting up field hospital sites in Port-au-Prince where we can triage patients, provide emergency care, and send those who need surgery or more complex treatment to our functioning hospitals and surgical facilities. To do this, we are creating a supply chain through the Dominican Republic. Second, we are ensuring that our facilities in the Central Plateau are ready to serve the flow of patients from Port-au-Prince. Operating and procedure rooms are staffed, supplied, and equipped for surgeries and we have converted a church in Cange into a large triage area. Already our sites in Cange and Hinche are reporting a steady flow of people coming with medical needs from the capital city. In the days that come we will need to make sure our pharmacies and supplies stay stocked and our staff continue to be able to respond.
Currently, our greatest need is financial support . Haiti is facing a crisis worse than it has seen in years, and it is a country that has faced years of crisis, both natural disaster and otherwise. The country is in need of millions of dollars right now to meet the needs of the communities hardest hit by the earthquake. Our facilities are strategically placed just two hours outside of Port-au-Prince and will inevitably absorb the flow of patients out of the city. In addition, we need cash on-hand to quickly procure emergency medical supplies, basic living necessities, as well as transportation and logistics support for the tens of thousands of people that will be seeking care at mobile field hospitals in the capital city. Any and all support that will help us respond to the immediate needs and continue our mission of strengthening the public health system in Haiti is greatly appreciated. Help us stand up for Haiti now .
If you are not in a position to make a financial contribution, you can help us raise awareness of the earthquake tragedy. Please alert your friends to the situation and direct them to http://www.pih.org for updates and ways to help.
Thank you for your solidarity during this crisis,
Ophelia Dahl
Executive Director
From Riche Zamour:
Hi All,
I do not remember if I sent this email, I am sending it again.
—–Original Message—–
From: Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti
Sent: 01/13/2010 4:56:51 PM
To: richezamor@gmail.com
Subject: Earthquake Update #2 from Deschapelles
January 13, 2010
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Quick Links
Please donate now [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102939774528&s=2950&e=001s-LFTJ7OEfktT5shKZ8CU0zadGXAo0h21W1hkYSDkNhOjunjrIuI52A5VWl6N46P65Ki0g9qa4pxvNutwHHo1lmMB-VaASLsgo_XxzUyfhvAWFrebqGMYs4_OMsKmwbv]
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Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti is Making a Difference
Afternoon Report Wednesday, 13 Jan 2009
As we have all heard many reports of the terrible disaster—a 7.0 earthquake in
Haiti, the worst in 200 years. Up to 3 million people may have been affected.
So far, tens of thousands of people have died.
Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti, located 40 miles NW of Port-Au-Prince was able
to withstand the recent devastating earthquake and is currently operating with full
staff helping victims. With mass casualty protocols in place, the medical staff
is evaluating each patient, performing diagnostic tests and delivering life saving
care. Due to the expertise developed over its 54 year history, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer
Haiti (HAS) is one of the few institutions positioned to provide timely hospital
care for the injured. As the flow of people urgently seeking care increases over
the next few days and weeks, our resources will be pushed to the breaking point.
It is critical that we receive support to help us continue with our mission.
Ever since early this morning, a steady stream of vehicles, mainly the open-back
pickups which serve as public taxis on Haiti’s roads, has come to the front of
the hospital. In the back are one or two people, their legs or arms covered in bandages
or clothes. HAS security staff rush out to the truck with a backboard or gurney,
and bring the patient inside to be triaged by the emergency team.
Now, in early afternoon, a crowd of over 200 people are outside the hospital, friends
or neighbors of injured patients. They rush to the arriving trucks and try to help
to carry the new patients inside. Occasionally, the combination of the person’s
injuries and the truck ride are more than can be sustained by the patient, and the
family members, with great wailing, adapt to the shock of the loss of a loved one.
A sound system has been set up outside, so that family members may be called into
the hospital to meet with doctors.
Each patient is brought into the Observation Unit and quickly evaluated. Some are
sent to for an X-Ray or lab test while others are taken immediately to the holding
area outside surgery, where both operating rooms are being used full time.
All beds have been pressed into use, and still there are patients on benches. Gradually,
some of the early arrivals and less injured are prepared for discharge.
Systems at HAS are working well; preparation and practice have paid off. The greatest
resource, however, is the dignity and grace of people who have suffered a great
shock and sometimes tragedy, and remain calm and show concern not just for the people
with whom they have come here, but for others as well.
This is the most serious challenge ever faced by HAS in its 54-year history, and
while we are currently coping with the onslaught of the injured, we urgently need
support.
At this moment, we don’t have the capability to accept material goods or personnel.
Our greatest and most urgent need is for funds to pay overtime wages to our dedicated
staff, and to buy replacement medicines and supplies.
We will update the http://www.hashaiti.org [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102939774528&s=2950&e=001s-LFTJ7OEfnU3toge5LlrNrA25dImYESvQeXCAgGBdT43EL-t_BzLzzan2WrTEg1Qj4y5DVF5RmBwqjm49BtzHJE-0zMa0MjNKn0gK0RnRjFdWqG06RMTg==]
website with news of relief efforts. To make a donation that will have immediate
impact, please go to http://www.hashaiti.org [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102939774528&s=2950&e=001s-LFTJ7OEfnU3toge5LlrNrA25dImYESvQeXCAgGBdT43EL-t_BzLzzan2WrTEg1Qj4y5DVF5RmBwqjm49BtzHJE-0zMa0MjNKn0gK0RnRjFdWqG06RMTg==].
Thank you again for the many expressions of help and caring that are coming from
around the globe.
Hello everyone,
I want to say Thank You to the Codman Community who have shown concern, and provided support to my Haitian coworkers and myself during this troubling and worrisome time.
I want to share this information with you to reach family members.
Radio Signal FM is accepting calls from the Haitian diaspora to send a message and contact numbers to loved ones in Haiti. The numbers to call are:
1-305-407-2119
1-809-510-2858
509-3453-1306
509-2256-4368
or you can send a message to signalfmhaiti.com.
Also, if you have members of your family who are US citizens, you can send an e-mail to the Embassy in Haiti to register them. The e-mail should include their names, addresses in Haiti and the telephone number where they can be reached. The e-mail address is acspap@state.gov . You can also contact them by phone as follows: 011-50980898322, 011-5098088672 or 011-50922298942.
For non-US citizens you may contact the Haitian Consulate in New York at (212) 697-9767, Fax number (212 681-6991 or email address contact@haitianconsulate-nyc.org or the Haitian Embassy at (202) 332-4090, Fax number (202) 745-7215 or e-mail address embassy@haiti.org.
May God help my people in Haiti, and may He continues to bestow his blessings upon us.
Carole
Can Codman do a payroll deduction for people who want to contribute? This would be easy and clean. Of course it would be up to each individual to determine how much he/she wants to donate. Most people seem to be donating/asking for $5.00 -$10.00 per person.
Statement from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano
Release Date: January 15, 2010
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
“As part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to assist Haiti following Tuesday’s devastating earthquake, I am announcing the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. This is a disaster of historic proportions and this designation will allow eligible Haitian nationals in the United States to continue living and working in our country for the next 18 months. Providing a temporary refuge for Haitian nationals who are currently in the United States and whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti is part of this Administration’s continuing efforts to support Haiti’s recovery.
“At this moment of tragedy in Haiti it is tempting for people suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake to seek refuge elsewhere. But attempting to leave Haiti now will only bring more hardship to the Haitian people and nation. The international community has rallied to deliver relief to Haiti. Much has already arrived and much more is on its way. The Haitians are resilient and determined and their role in addressing this crisis in their homeland will be essential to Haiti’s future.
“It is important to note that TPS will apply only to those individuals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. Those who attempt to travel to the United States after January 12, 2010 will not be eligible for TPS and will be repatriated.
“The Department of Homeland Security continues to extend sympathy to our Haitian neighbors and support the worldwide relief effort underway in every way we can. Four Coast Guard cutters have arrived in Haiti, in addition to a variety of Coast Guard assets that were already in the area to support military air traffic control, conduct damage assessments and rescue people in need of assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to work closely with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department – the lead U.S. federal agencies in the response – while coordinating the deployment of state and local Urban Search and Rescue Teams from across the country to Haiti and standing by to provide food, water and other resources as requested. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has provided aircraft to support response efforts.
“Haitians in the U.S. who are eligible to apply for TPS should go to http://www.uscis.gov or call USCIS toll-free at (800) 375-5283.”
Catholic Charities to provide legal assistance to Haitian Immigrants seeking Temporary Protected Status
(BOSTON) January 20, 2010—For two days, immigration attorneys from Boston law firms will be on-hand to assist in processing requests for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010. This free legal assistance will take place this Friday (1/22) and Saturday (1/23) from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Catholic Charities Haitian Multi-Service Center in Dorchester
A hotline has been established to provide information and gather contact information from those in need of TPS assistance at (617) 464-8004. Callers will hear a recorded message in Haitian Creole and English with the date, location and time of the group processing and are asked to leave their contact information. Immigration attorneys from Mintz Levin, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will volunteer their legal services. Translators will be available if needed.
“We are committed to assist with relief efforts on the ground in Haiti and at home in Boston. It has become clear that among these needs is legal counsel for families looking for Temporary Protected Status during this crisis,” said Marjean Perhot, Director of the Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services. “We encourage anyone who has legal questions or needs assistance filing for TPS call our hotline.”
The Haitian Multi-Service Center supports newly arrived and long-term resident Haitian immigrants and refugees in their quest for educational development and economic self-sufficiency in a culturally and linguistically familiar environment. Approximately 1,500 families are served by the Haitian Multi-Service Center each year mostly from Dorchester, Mattapan, Milton, Roxbury, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Cambridge, Somerville, and other neighborhoods outside of greater Boston.
About Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston
For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities has continued its mission of building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people. The agency provides approximately 140 programs and services throughout Eastern Massachusetts. These services respond to the needs of the poor and working poor, provide supportive services to children and families, and assist refugees and immigrants as they become active participants in their communities. Last year, Catholic Charities served nearly 200,000 people in need of all faiths. To discover more of our work, visit http://www.ccab.org.
International Institute of Boston
Support for Haitian Community
The International Institute of Boston, a local refugee and immigrant service provider, is supporting the Haitian community of Boston with the following services:
January 21, 2010: Information, referral and support session
Supportive/Grief counselors will be available
7:30-9pm
Location: 1 Milk Street – 4th Floor
(Downtown Crossing)
Daily intakes for those seeking supportive counseling and basic needs services. Please call 617-695-9990 for more information.
Legal Services:
The Institute has established a separate phone line to provide services to those in the community who are seeking information regarding Temporary Protective Status (TPS). Please call 617-695-1639 for more information.
Temporary Protective Status filing fee: $85 (waived to $35 based on income)
Legal Services for those interested in filing for TPS will be available at the following times starting on January 25th:
Mondays –Thursdays: 9am to 8pm
Fridays: 9am to 5pm
In addition, our Legal Services department will run information sessions and clinics on Saturdays. At this time, services are as follows:
Saturday, January 30th:
Information Session on Temporary Protective Status
Location: 1 Milk Street, 4th Floor
10am-12pm
Saturday, February 6th:
Forms clinic for filing Temporary Protective Status
Location: 1 Milk Street, 4th Floor
10am-2pm
We are currently working to establish similar services at our office in Lowell, MA. For general information about our Lowell office, please call 978-459-9031.