News from HOPe

Dear Colleagues,

At our recent monthly meeting, a motion was put forth, and unanimously approved, to send a 40 foot container to Haiti to help address the critical needs of the Haitian people. Prior to this motion, a Haiti update was provided to the members in attendance, and during the discussion part of the motion, a dynamic dialogue ensued, which resulted in a unanimous approval of the motion.

For those members who were unable to be at last night's (2/18/10) meeting and also for the benefit of our benefactors and supporters, I would like to share with you the details of this initiative and get your comments and input on it.

The cost to ship the 40 foot container, making use of Afya's expertise in this area, would be approximately $10,000. Afya has already shipped successfully 6 containers in the past month to Haiti. Please google AFYA to see what they have done already in response to the earthquake.

The cost, as indicated above, would be $10,000 for the 40 foot container. Presently, we have approximately $5600.00, specifically earmarked for Haiti relief from our members and other people who specifically sent us money, based on our Haiti earthquake appeal. The land transportation from Port au Prince to Gran Morne is estimated to cost another $6000 - $8,000. Gran Morne is the area that Sister Pat Dillon and her colleagues are based.(approximately 100 miles from Port au Prince PAP). Numerous people have moved from the disaster in PAP to Gran Morne.

The rationale for attempting this initiative is, as one of our members said, a "no brainer!" In the 40 foot container, we would be shipping approximately $250,000 worth of medical and other supplies to Haiti. In short, we would be leveraging the $5600 we presntly have, and additional funds we would raise from other sources, to meet the $10,000 total we need for the container. However, the bonaza would be in terms of the medical supplies and other goods we would be able to ship totaling $250,000. A bonanza indeed! The medical supplies we would get from AFYA, whose sole purpose is providing medical and related supplies to hospitals and clinics in the Third World.

Just yesterday, I spoke to Sister Denise, a colleague of Sister Pat Dillon, who was injured in the earthquake and is now recovering in the United States. She gave me a riveting, compelling, emotional account of her experience there. She said that at this moment, there is a desperate need for wheelchairs, canes, crutches, medical supplies, etc.

This initiative is desperately needed, and I would ask for your support, comments, ideas and prayers to make it a success! Knowing the "Can Do Spirit" of the HOPe membership and our generous supporters I am confident we can make this happen!