Trudno ogarnąć rozmiary tragicznego trzęsienia ziemi na Haiti. Współczujemy serdecznie wszystkim ludziom, których dotknęły jego skutki. Z pomocą docierają do nich lokalne organizacje United Way.

United Way Response in Haiti

System Update 1.15.10

Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti on February 12, our United Way system has rallied to support those in need. Because there is not a United Way in Haiti, United Way Worldwide is working in collaboration with the Caribbean Council to assess needs and opportunities to begin the long-term recovery, as well as to ensure that donations are invested in the most effective nonprofit agencies providing services in Haiti. The Caribbean Council is a regional group that comprises United Ways in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas / St. John), and Trinidad and Tobago.

Some examples of work already under way:

• Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico is receiving cash donations from corporations for urgent needs and is coordinating in-kind contributions that will be channeled to Haiti via the Dominican Republic, partnering with companies to coordinate necessary paperwork and to transport goods safely from Puerto Rico through the Dominican Republic and then to Haiti. They are also working with faith-based organizations in Puerto Rico that have capacity to store large quantities of donated goods and will help distribute to the 187 churches in Haiti.
• United Way Jamaica set up a relief fund and made a  $50,000 lead gift.
• United Way Brasil is working with local corporations interested in giving and is helping to connect in-kind donors such as Procter & Gamble with Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico.
• United Way of Trinidad and Tobago is collecting goods that will be channeled through Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico.
• United Way of St. Thomas / St. John is organizing a  concert for long-term recovery. 
  

LOCAL UNITED WAY RESPONSE IN THE USA

Examples of United Way-sponsored activities under way across the USA:

• United Way of Tampa Bay
• Sent an e-blast to 26,000 United Way of Tampa Bay stakeholders providing talking points on how to provide in-kind support or financial donations and how to volunteer.
• Operated an information and donation phone bank at Tampa's Channel 8 (NBC) during a 5-6 PM newscast. Eighteen phone operators wore LIVE UNITED shirts and answered phone calls to provide 'how to' information and accept donations. The text-to-give number was provided.
• Updated 'how to' information was forwarded on Facebook, Twitter, and the United Way of Tampa Bay blog. Utilizing the technology 'HootSuite ', they will continue to schedule messaging in the upcoming days.
• Contacted Workplace Campaign Coordinators with a  request for support.
• United Way of Miami-Dade
• Activated Operation Helping Hands, a partnership with The Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald that was created in 1998 in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes Mitch and Georges. It gives South Floridians a way to help their neighbors when disaster strikes.

MEDIA REPORT

The United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund is listed on the following web sites (and where indicated has been included in a print story):

USA Today: Web and print
Washington Post – Web and print
CNN
FOX
ABC
NBC 
Huffington Post – Web (text-to-give only)
Comcast.net
InterAction

More than 100 regional media markets have mentioned the Fund, including Boston, St. Louis, Oakland, Lexington, Detroit, Brownsville, Denver and Philadelphia.