How Can I Help Haiti?

In the wake of the devastating 7.0 earthquake in Haiti many of us are asking, “How can I help Haiti?”. Unfortunately there are almost as many relief scams out there as there are legitimate relief agencies. I know money is tight and it is hard to give but, if we all give something, even a little, it will help.

Hatian Flag

Annually our church partners with a missionary in Haiti and last month we collected money for hundreds of pounds of rice as well as bags upon bags of gently used clothing. Those supplies are needed more now than ever. This Sunday we are taking up an offering for a wonderful organization- Convoy of Hope. If you aren’t sure where to donate so that your donation goes to help the most people I highly recommend Convoy of Hope.

If you are in Florida, Agape Flights is an organization that weekly flies supplies into the Dominican Republic and Haiti bringing supplies to the hundreds of missionaries in those countries. Their website has a list of items they are collecting (their website has been down a lot due to the overwhelming response). We are huge fans of Agape flights. Our friend Jeff Yanucciello is one of their pilots and my son Aaron went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with Agape Flights 3 years ago.

Here is the most recent update from Agape Flights:

Locally, Agape Flights has already sent in supplies:        http://www.agapeflights.com/
Haiti Disaster        Relief
Hotline phone#  941-584-8078 or 488-0990
Contributions: Click above Make Secure Online        donation   http://www.agapeflights.com/
Choose: HAITI RELIEF 2010
Donations will be used for Disaster Relief supplies and extra flights to Haiti over the next weeks.
Working on your behalf and as a ministry ready to respond to disasters, we are busy today coordinating information and the status of the 130 missionary families Agape Flights serves in Port au Prince, Haiti.  Agape is also coordinating emergency and medical supplies that can be sent from our base of operations in Venice, FL.

Our plane touched down in the Bahamas Thursday morning at 9am to wait for clearance for PAP.  The 1st load of       critical medical supplies and food is scheduled to land 2:30.  The next stop for the plane is in the DR  to pickup up Water and food.  Then they will head back to PAP to drop it off.  A 2nd plane left this morning from West Palm with Agape Pilots to deliver a medical crew to PAP.  It will be returning with Barbara Lataillade ( a  missionary)  who needs leg surgery after her house collapsed.  The next flight of emergency supplies will leave on Saturday.

Click Here for more Haiti/Missionary Updates
For a list of current supplies        needed.
http://www.agapeflights.com/Haitiupdates.asp
NEEDS:
Pilots with planes to make extra emergency flights to Haiti.
Medical Supplies Needed:

• First Aid supplies
• Band Aids, Gauze, Bandages, Tape, Sutures, ACE
• Water purification tablets
• Neosporin, Alcohol swabs, Hydrogen Peroxide
• Suture stuff
• Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol
• IV Tubing and Fluids, Angiocaths
• Plaster for casts, Splints, brace adhesive
• Antibiotics
• Betadine
• Analgesics
• Gloves
• Diabetic and hypertensive medications
• Vitamins
• Syringes, needles,glucometers and strips,thermometers, blood pressure cuffs
• Stethoscopes, rechargable otoscopes
• Iodine
• acid reflux meds

Other Items

• Bedding, towels, clothing
• Soap
• Flashlights w/batteries or cranking
• Plastic tablecloths, tarps for makeshift shelter
• Matches and candles

Food Needs

• Canned meats, vienna sausages, spam
• Peanut butter
• Pork and beans
• Bread
• Self-rising flour
• Snacks such as protein bars or granola or Protein powder
• Powdered milk
• Baby formula and baby food, bottles
• Water

If you cannot donate money or supplies, please at least pray. Pray for the people of Haiti, the church and missionaries in Haiti and for the emergency workers in and heading to Haiti.