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The Haitian Earthquake: Response, Relief & Recovery
Philanthropy New York is currently working to coordinate and list our members’ support efforts and we will continue to track relief and recovery in the wake of this tragedy. Please continue to visit this page in the days ahead for more information.
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit southwest of the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, on January 12, 2010. Government buildings, foreign aid headquarters, hotels, and houses were reduced to rubble throughout the city.
The earthquake has left the country and its infrastructure in a shambles. More than 200,000 people have died, and an estimated 4,000 Haitians have suffered traumatic or disfiguring injuries. Millions of people are homeless, with thousands leaving Port-au-Prince for the surrounding smaller villages, overwhelming their resources. A race against time to create secure shelters is also underway as Haiti's traditionally strong rainy and hurricane seasons begin.
Haitian president René Préval told The Miami Herald that the toll is “unimaginable.” “Parliament has collapsed,” Mr. Préval was quoted as saying. “The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed....It is a catastrophe."
In remarks made on March 10th, President Obama said that a comparable disaster in the United States would have killed 8 million people and left a third of the U.S. population homeless.
Several charitable organizations have received donations and/or are mobilizing directly on the ground in Haiti to provide aid. The following have been previously funded or recommended by one or more Philanthropy New York members:
- Action Against Hunger
- American Red Cross
- American Jewish World Service
- AmeriCares
- CARE
- Catholic Relief Services
- Church World Service
- William J. Clinton Foundation
- Diaspora Community Services
- Doctors Without Borders
- Dwa Famn
- Episcopal Relief & Development
- Fonkoze (assisting with banking and money transfers)
- Global Fund for Women
- Global Links
- Grassroots International
- Haiti Action
- Haiti Liberté
- Haitian-Americans United for Progress
- Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees
- Heart to Heart International
- Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti
- International Medical Corps
- International Rescue Committee
- Konbit Pou Ayiti/KONPAY (first-hand reports from their blog and Twitter page)
- The Lambi Fund of Haiti (first-hand reports from their Facebook and Twitter pages)
- Mercy Corps
- Oxfam
- Partners In Health (Zanmi Lasante)
- Peace Development Fund
- Plan
- Resource Foundation
- Save the Children
- St. Boniface Haiti Foundation
- Stop Hunger Now
- UNICEF
- United Nations World Food Program
- United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund
- World Vision
The New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, Independent Sector, and InterAction have also published lists of aid organizations.
Sources: The New York Times, United Nations
Member Resources
The following organizations / individuals have generously offered to serve as resources for Philanthropy New York members. Please log in and visit our Member Directory for contact information for the following individuals:
- Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors (Eric Kessler, Principal and Managing Director)
- Brooklyn Community Foundation (Marilyn Gelber, President)
- Prospect Hill Foundation (Penny Fujiko Willgerodt, Executive Director)
- Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (Walter Sweet, Director Charitable Giving)
Member Responses
- NYC Hope and Healing Fund Awards $250,000 to Local Nonprofits
The Brooklyn Community Foundation and United Way of New York City have announced that $250,000 from the NYC Haitian Community Hope and Healing Fund will be awarded to twelve New York City nonprofit organizations—many of which are Haitian-led—working in four key issue areas: case management, legal services, healing, and education. The Fund has received additional support from other Philanthropy New York members, including the Altman Foundation, the New York State Health Foundation, and the UJA-Federation of New York. - Aid and Advice
In this section, you can read about how our members are responding to the Haitian earthquake.
Members may send announcements to info@philanthropynewyork.org. - Smart Assets—Philanthropy in Haiti: Don’t Miss Out on the Opportunity
In a post on the Philanthropy New York blog, Smart Assets, Penny Fujiko Willgerodt, Executive Director of the Prospect Hill Foundation, shares her knowledge of the current situation—and her opinions on the role and responsibilities of philanthropy in Haiti going forward.
Materials
- Haitian Earthquake Funders Convening: Talking Points
In response to our members' requests, Philanthropy New York convened an in-person follow-up to our January teleconference for funders to connect with their colleagues. Read a brief summary of the talking points. - Haitian Earthquake Funders Teleconference: Talking Points
Philanthropy New York convened a funders teleconference on January 22nd, and invited several colleagues to share information from the ground in Haiti and funding strategy recommendations. Read a brief summary of the talking points and the list of speakers. - Best Practices in Disaster Grantmaking: Lessons from the Gulf Coast [PDF]
Published by Philanthropy New York (formerly NYRAG), April 2008
This comprehensive report shares the experiences of donors that provided funding following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and offers a blueprint for future philanthropic intervention following such disasters.
Articles and Resources
- U.S.-sponsored conference pledged billions to rebuild Haiti, but little paid out
Three months after donors at a U.S.-sponsored conference pledged more than $5.3 billion to rebuild Haiti, only a fraction of the money has been disbursed, and a special reconstruction commission has barely started to function, reports The Washington Post. - Haitians Press On Amid Slow Pace Of Quake Recovery
The second in a two-part NPR article examining relief and recovery efforts in Haiti six months after the earthquake disaster. - Huge Sums Raised, Much Unspent, After Haiti Quake
The first of a two-part NPR article examining relief and recovery efforts in Haiti six months after the earthquake disaster. - 6 Months After Earthquake, Haiti Struggles to Rebuild
According to a new Chronicle of Philanthropy tally, U.S. relief groups have received $1.3 billion to aid earthquake survivors—but critics say some charities are hampering the recovery efforts. - Sexual Assaults Add to Miseries of Haiti’s Ruins
Officials and women's groups say that violence against women has escalated following the Jan. 12th earthquake, reports The New York Times. - Clinton-led commission starts up in Haiti
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton officially inaugurated the commission overseeing Haiti's post-earthquake reconstruction, pledging to accelerate and organize a process that has raised less than 1 percent of the money promised by international donors, reports the Associated Press. - How Foreign Aid Hurts Haitian Farmers
National Public Radio reports on L'Artibonite, a Haitian town that wasn't damaged in the earthquake. Most of the people there earn their living by growing and selling rice, Haiti's staple food. But the influx of foreign food aid has meant that many Haitians can now get rice for free. As a result, the price of rice in Haiti has plummeted. - Haiti’s Displaced See Their Stories on TV
All over Port-au-Prince, outdoor screens are popping up as a handful of organizations race to produce programming that entertains and informs the hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in camps without televisions or radios, reports the New York Times. - Gates Foundation, USAID offer prizes to help Haiti
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is using its financial clout to push the Haitian marketplace toward change by offering $10 million in prizes to the first companies to help Haitians send and receive money with their cell phones, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. - Bill Clinton returns to Haiti on recovery mission
The former president has also pledged $2 million from his personal foundation for recovery ($1 million for disaster preparedness and the rest to fund the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission's work), reports the Washington Post. - $1.1-Billion Donated for Haiti Relief: Updated Tally (May 11)
The Chronicle of Philanthropy offers details on the money raised by several charities for the Haitian relief effort. - State Department's Cheryl Mills on rebuilding Haiti
The Washington Post interviews Cheryl Mills, the State Department's point person on Haiti, about the current challenges and situations on the ground. - Months After Haiti’s Earthquake, Aid Workers Still Under Stress
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports on relief organizations seeking ways to protect their workers from burnout as they face continued overwhelming demand to provide basic services to earthquake survivors. - Earthquake survivor puts the spotlight on Red Cross' spending in Haiti
This Miami Herald article details some of the questions critics have about how the American Red Cross is spending the $430 million raised by donors. The group, in turn, says that it's shifting to a long-term recovery plan after an initial flurry of spending. - U.S. pledges $1.2 billion in aid to Haiti
The pledge is part of an ambitious yet controversial rebuilding plan that would give Haiti's government more control than in previous aid efforts, reports The Los Angeles Times. Including the United States, donor countries have pledged a total of $9.9 billion for the new effort, according to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. - International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti
59 countries and international organizations pledged $9.9 billion over the next three years and beyond at this March 31st, 2010 United Nations-hosted conference to mobilize support and lay the foundation for Haiti’s long-term recovery. Available resources from the conference include webcast video, the Government of Haiti's action plan, and more. - As Haiti’s Rainy Season Begins, Relief Groups Work to Provide Shelter to Quake Victims
Relief organizations are drawing on lessons from past disasters as they struggle to provide shelter in Haiti. The challenge is daunting: January’s deadly earthquake left an estimated 1.3 million people homeless, and the rainy season has begun, reports The Chronicle of Philanthropy. (Subscription required to read this article.) - Immigration Offer Draws Few Haitians
Within days of the Haitian earthquake, the U.S. government declared that the estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Haitians living illegally in the United States were eligible for temporary protected status (TPS), a special immigration designation that temporarily allows them to work here legally. As the July deadline to file for TPS approaches, only about 34,000 Haitians have applied, reports The New York Times. Charitable groups blame the lag on the costly TPS application fees. - Rural Haiti Struggles to Absorb Displaced
After the Haitian earthquake, more than 600,000 people have returned to the countryside, putting a serious strain on desperately poor communities that have received little emergency assistance, reports The New York Times. - Billions for Haiti, a criticism for every dollar
As a crucial March 31th post-earthquake donors conference in New York approaches, many Haitian leaders are increasing their criticism of how aid money is being delivered, reports the Associated Press. - Obama Pledges U.S. Aid to Haiti
President Obama has said that the United States will remain committed to providing financial assistance and humanitarian relief to help Haitians rebuild and recover from their devastating earthquake two months ago, reports The New York Times. - Emergency Doctors Leave Haiti
Doctors in Port-au-Prince are bracing for another onslaught of patients, as emergency medical groups from around the world leave Haiti and thousands of surgeries performed after the earthquake need to be redone, The Wall Street Journal reports. - As new leaders emerge from the camps in Haiti, will their voices be heard?
This two-part article on the Oxfam America blog argues that young Haitians who have become civic leaders in the wake of the earthquake should be an integral part of the decision-making that lies ahead. - Helping Haitian amputees a long-term effort for Seattle foundation
The Seattle Times reports on the Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, which is working with a dozen other international relief agencies to help an estimated 4,000 Haitians who lost limbs in the earthquake. - Local doctors bring their knowledge gained from Katrina to hard-hit Haiti
This New Orleans Times-Picayune article talks about the Louisiana-Haiti Sustainable Village Project, a consortium of 41 city organizations which has sent teams with experience working in the Lower 9th Ward to Haiti. - Florida facilities shoulder heavy load from Haiti
Florida schools, hospitals, and charity groups have been helping care for more Haitians than all other states after Haiti's devastating earthquake, and they worry about how the influx will affect them, reports USA TODAY. - U.S. Charities Turn Their Attention and Their Funds Toward Haiti’s Long-Term Needs
American charities have raised more than three-quarters of a billion dollars for Haiti relief but plan to seek far more as they turn to the long-term challenges ahead, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. (Registration required to view article.) - Web Sites Hope to Enlist People in Haiti to Monitor Quality of Relief Efforts
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that a growing number of websites hope to enlist Haitians, aid workers, and others to assess how well charities provide aid to the earthquake-ravaged country. (Registration required to view article.) - Foundation Center—Focus on Haiti: Earthquake Relief and Recovery
The Center's dedicated webpage for the Haitian earthquake includes grant tracking, best practices resources, and their research advisory on U.S. foundation response to the crisis. - Council on Foundations: Haiti Disaster Response
CoF's resource page for the Haitian earthquake. - Haiti Relief Donations Qualify for Immediate Tax Relief
People who give to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti can claim these donations on the tax return they are completing this season, according to the Internal Revenue Service. - For Haiti's Countless Amputees, a Hard Road Ahead
This Wall Street Journal article describes the long-term care system that is needed for the thousands of people who have lost limbs in the Haitian earthquake. - Mental Health Disaster Relief Not Always Clear Cut
This National Public Radio story talks about the mental health professionals who will soon come to Haiti to offer their help, and how the science of treating psychological trauma is still very much evolving. - Small Fund-Raisers for Victims Start to Add Up
This New York Times article discusses the thousands of tiny fundraisers to gather donations for Haiti which are taking place in bars, schools, and stores across the country. - FBI tackling rising number of Haiti scams
According to this USA TODAY article, federal law enforcement officials have received more than 170 complaints about fundraising scams tied to Haitian earthquake relief, and they're bracing for more online cons using Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites. - Teaching Americans What Haiti Needs: Money
This New York Times article explains how experiences with wasteful giving—coupled with the ease of speaking out via blogs, Facebook, and Twitter—have led to an unprecedented effort to teach Americans what not to give. - Advice for Donors to Haiti
Philanthropy Action's Laura Starita offers advice for donors culled from lessons learned after other recent natural disasters. - Better Business Bureau Advises Donors on How to Vet Haiti Earthquake Charity Appeals
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance warns that fraudulent charities will likely emerge in the wake of the disaster. - Charity Navigator: Help Survivors of the Earthquake in Haiti
A list of tips for funding Haiti earthquake relief efforts. - United Nations Development Programme: Haiti in Crisis
The UNDP's webpage dedicated to the Haitian disaster and their relief initiatives, including a cash-for-work programme to jumpstart the local economy. - The White House: Haiti Earthquake Relief
The White House's dedicated webpage for the U.S. Government response to the Haitian earthquake. - Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City: Haiti Earthquake Relief Effort
To facilitate the large outpouring of concern by New York City residents and neighbors, the Mayor's Fund is collecting monetary donations to help people impacted by the disaster. - OCHA: Haiti Earthquake
The dedicated webpage for the Haitian earthquake from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. - United Nations Foundation: Haiti Earthquake Response
The UN Foundation's dedicated webpage for the Haitian earthquake. - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The IFRC webpage dedicated to the Haitian earthquake. - Grantmakers Without Borders: Responding to the Earthquake in Haiti
Recommendations and suggestions from Grantmakers Without Borders, a philanthropic network dedicated to increasing funding for international social justice and improving the practice of international grantmaking. - Twitter: Hope for Haiti
The Twitter feed for Hope for Haiti, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing relief and supplies for the Haitian people. - New York Times: The Lede
The New York Times' news blog continues to provide updates on the rescue effort in Haiti. - Twitter: List of Relief Agencies
A Council on Foundations list of tweets from relief agencies that have up-to-date information on Haiti. - Following the Haitian earthquake online
A collection of blog posts and tweets from people who are posting from Haiti. - Center for International Disaster Information
CIDI has established this dedicated page to coordinate Haiti support.