charity: water

While our friends in NYC have been bringing in crates and crates of donations to send out on Tuesday (keep ‘em coming until 5p.m. today!), we’ve also been keeping up with the events on the ground from our partners in Haiti. Here’s what we’re hearing:

From Partners In Health:
Yesterday, Partners In Health got five planes into Haiti — supplies are getting in. But the situation is beyond what any agency could have prepared for. In Port-au-Prince, at the request of World Health Organization, PIH is supporting the Haitian Ministry of Health in coordinating NGO emergency medical relief efforts at University Hospital. Their rural health clinics are still witnessing an overwhelming flood of patients. Ten rural hospitals are still up and operating; PIH is asking for volunteer surgeons, orthopedic supplies, surgical consumables (sutures, bandages, non-powdered sterile gloves, syringes, etc), blankets, tents, satellite phones with minutes and large unopened boxes of medication. (We are collecting as many of these as you’d like to bring in at the charity: water office. Please see our earlier post.)

These photos are coming from PIH’s Dr. David Walton in Cange:

From Concern Worldwide:
Concern has an emergency response team in the capital, still distributing water, food and medical supplies from their warehouse. UNICEF asked Concern to be one of the three main implementers of water systems here. Today, they’re setting up a water filtration system for 50,000 people, providing 135,000 liters per day. The local team continues to work to provide relief despite knowing that some of their family members and co-workers are still unaccounted for. We’re blown away by their resolve.

Financial contributions give our partners the most flexibility during this time of crisis, but donations of ready-to-ship equipment and large quantities of medicines and supplies will also go a long way to help.

Our partners doing the best they can — and have saved hundreds of lives — but they desperately need support. They have reported an eerie quiet and calm as hundreds of thousands of people affected by the earthquake wait patiently for surgeries, supplies and water. At University Hospital alone, more than 1,000 patients are waiting for surgeries; machines and instruments are lacking.

Click here to donate to Partners In Health.
Click here to donate to Concern Worldwide.

It’s amazing to see a coordinated effort on the behalf of non-profits and UN agencies in Haiti right now. Other water organizations are calling our office and saying, “Hey, I’ve got these water systems, do you think your partners would like them?” Partners are working together to fill planes with equipment and supplies. At the same time, our offices are filling with donations from individuals, families, schools and companies. Everywhere we turn, people are stepping up to help.

“The time for massive humanitarian effort is now,” Andrew Marx from PIH told us. “I don’t have to tell you, but water, water, water. That’s what we need.”