BALTIMORE, Maryland, JUNE 15, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Catholic Relief Services is targeting 5,000 families in the Fonds Verrettes and Mapou regions as part of its ongoing relief efforts in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
CRS delivered 50 metric tons of food, potable water and emergency items in the Pichon area west of Mapou last weekend as part of the agency’s relief efforts in Caribbean nations.
Mudslides and flooding, the result of torrential rains in late May, killed thousands and left more than 50,000 people in need of assistance. Missing persons still number in the hundreds.
The destruction of roads and other infrastructure has further complicated relief efforts, but «we are getting to people however and wherever we can,» said Sheyla Biamby, an official for CRS/Haiti.
In the southwestern Dominican Republic, the border district of Jimani was hardest hit. In addition to assisting with relief efforts in Jimani, CRS and local church partners are focusing attention on the more remote rural villages in the districts of Arenoso and Villa Riva in the northeast.
CRS has allocated an initial $222,000 in private funds for relief and rehabilitation efforts in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The funds are being used to buy relief items, including food, potable water, materials for shelter and medicine.
CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. To contribute to CRS, send donations to:
Catholic Relief Services
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
1-877-HELPCRS
The memo line of donation checks should read «DR/Haiti flood relief.»
Also, CRS staffer Brian Shields in Baltimore may be contacted at bshields@catholicrelief.org.
