Disaster Services

Aid workers open boxes of food provided by Numana in which warnings against human trafficking are provided to raise awareness of vulnerable Haitians.

While Salvation Army aid workers and volunteers have loaded, unloaded, and handed out millions of meals to combat the rampant hunger plaguing Haitians, these boxes of food contain another form of aid less obvious than the nourishing beans and rice they hold.

Haiti is a nation chronically plagued by extreme poverty and lack of just law enforcement, leaving citizens vulnerable to all sorts of threats both physical and abstract. But with these existing circumstances being further exacerbated by last month’s earthquake, conditions are ripe for Haiti’s already substantial human trafficking problem to increase exponentially. To combat the issue, The Salvation Army is mounting an anti-trafficking awareness campaign advertised even on the food Haitians are eating! Through food labels and fliers, we are trying to educate as many people as possible on the dangers of and ways to prevent human trafficking from breeding during the earthquake’s aftermath and in their communities long term. Though trafficking may be a less visible threat than starvation or dehydration, it is certainly no less dangerous.

The Salvation Army has actually been working for years to educate Haitians against trafficking, teaching prevention awareness to the 14,000 students enrolled in our schools across the country, to families to help them prevent losing their children, to young adults so that they are not deceived by scams luring them with false promises of lucrative work abroad.

In fact, Haiti’s human trafficking problem is so serious that the U.S. State Department denoted the country as a ‘special’ case in their 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report. Though some estimates report a quarter million children are trafficked every year in the country, accurate numbers are difficult to pinpoint. The Report discusses factors that contribute to Haiti’s inability to address the issue (for more detailed background, read about Haiti in the 2009 Trafficking Report here):

“The Government of Haiti’s ability to provide basic services and security for citizens, and to control rampant crime in the capital, Port-au-Prince, continues to be compromised by limited resources, an untrained and poorly equipped police force, entrenched government corruption, and perennially weak government institutions… Haiti remains a Special Case for the fourth consecutive year as the new government formed in September 2008 has not yet been able to address the significant challenges facing the country, including human trafficking. .. Haitian law also does not specifically prohibit trafficking in persons, which limits its ability to punish traffickers and protect victims.”

But after working with Sri Lankan communities devastated by the 2005 tsunami, Director of Special Projects for The Salvation Army World Service Office’s (SAWSO) Lt. Col. Helen Starrett said The Salvation Army realized there needed to be an immediate response following catastrophic disasters to prevent human trafficking. From this conviction came the idea to print and attach warning labels on food for Haitians, a sure way to spread information to as many people as possible. With the help of American volunteers, 500,000 labels printed in English and Creole have been placed on distributed meals provided by Numana and packaging of beans and rice rations. The human-trafficking alert has also been printed on 5,000 fliers that are displayed in clinics, schools, and shelters around Port-au-Prince, and large posters are brandished on Salvation Army water towers. They read:

BE ALERT! WATCH FOR SCAMS!

NO ONE can force you to work or have sex.

1. Beware of people offering jobs in foreign countries.
2. Beware of people offering money, food, shelter, or drugs in exchange for sex.
3. Know where your children are.
4. Know who your children are with.
5. Be cautious of sending your children away. Be sure a VERY trusted relative or friend goes with them.
6. If you are threatened or being controlled seek help from the nearest Salvation Army Comfort Center.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

Numana will begin printing the warning messages directly on food packaging starting with the next meal distribution so that labels will not need to be added.

Lt. Col. Starrett says Salvation Army personnel in Haiti also have a one page sheet of information regarding signs of and prevention tools for human trafficking so that they may remain vigilant among the population of Haitians with which they work every day. Serving as lead agency for some 20,000 displaced Haitians temporarily housed in a soccer arena and plaza in Port-au-Prince, The Salvation Army is tasked with registering the occupants. Not only does this help with receiving food and aid supplies from the UN, it also enables disaster workers to keep track of children and vulnerable individuals, helping to ensure that they are accounted for.

The campaign is also intended to educate Haitians so they are empowered to police and protect themselves. Lt. Col. Starrett says that while other organizations are working to combat human trafficking in Haiti, she believes The Salvation Army’s long standing history and involvement in the area (we’ve been present in Haiti since 1950 and have 700 personnel permanently stationed there) has given us a “great capacity to have eyes that other organizations might not have,” meaning in addition to our first hand experience with the country, there is also a trust held by Haitians through their relationship with The Salvation Army that allows them to feel more comfortable bringing forth information about suspicious circumstances possibly related to human trafficking.

In addition to increasing awareness, providing alternative solutions is also integral in the fight against trafficking since desperation for survival may sometimes overshadow what is moral. And The Salvation Army does provide a positive alternative through the millions of meals that we have and will continue to distribute in order to sustain individuals and families, as well as other forms of aid and services that are provided through our disaster workers and full time personnel living in Haiti. This includes offering education in our schools, providing medical assistance in our clinics, and giving guidance through spiritual counseling and worship services.

Lt. Col. Starrett recognized that the problem is not a simple open and closed case, saying, “As long as there is evil in the world, we are going to have human trafficking…” Of course, her observation was not one of defeat, but rather a reason to persevere all the harder in the mission to combat the problem.  She  continued, “But we’re going to do our very best to help as many people as we possibly can.”

For more information on what The Salvation Army is doing to prevent human trafficking, visit our national website.

Major Kelly Pontsler holds the newest baby girl born in The Salvation Army clinic in Haiti.

Major Kelly Pontsler, Public Information Officer for the Haiti Incident Command Team, delivered another updated, personal account of The Salvation Army’s ongoing aid efforts yesterday in the Port-au-Prince area that included new workers transitioning in and the arrival of a newborn girl!

Major Pontsler described part of her job focus as consolidating key information, such as contacts, resources, and many other details, since the urgency in the time immediately following the disaster required a lot of “shooting from the hip.” As personnel leave or move about in Haiti, her efforts will help prevent important information from being lost in the shuffle and centralize it for all those continuing to work over the long term.

With internal and external communication still being difficult in Haiti due to the damaged infrastructure and other unmet needs, even simple emails from Salvation Army officers such as Major Pontsler provide a unique, intimate look into the relief work and state of Haiti (rather than the broad stories run on every news network) that we would not otherwise have.

Below are excerpts of her most recent correspondence:

“ These have been two very busy days.  Yesterday we saw the arrival of five new people – and the departure of three of the medical doctors.  I must say, the doctors did truly amazing service for two weeks!  Major (Dr) Cindy Lou Drummond, Col. (Dr) Herb Rader and Dr Steve Fischer are truly missed.  They have been in the ‘war zone’….landing in so quickly after the earthquake to treat people with all kinds of ailments and physical conditions.  They certainly have the respect of this command team!

But change is change – so it has been a day for getting the new people up to speed, perhaps more sitting and waiting than they were hoping for on the first day.  But a day to transition in is good – they will all hit the ground running tomorrow…”

“I had a chance for a quick walk through the camp which sits adjacent to the current Division Headquarters (DHQ) property, for which we are responsible.  About 3100 families reside there, in conditions that are difficult to describe.  The spaces are small, the clusters of people very dense, throw in the smells of cooking food, poor sanitation and humanity in general, and mix it together with heat and humidity…and you have just a hint of the reality.

…

There really is no room for tents in there.  These are more like what we’ve probably call lean-to dwellings.  We are still waiting for proper toilets to get installed – but they were able to arrange for some showers.  Mind you, a few blocks of showers and toilets don’t go far when there are some 16,000+ people in the camp.  I read today that Port au Prince (PAP) will need at least 7,000 toilets to begin to deal with the sanitation and reduce the risk of disease.  That’s a lot of toilets!  And I think for the first go around we are getting help to set up something like a dozen.  It is going to take some time.

…

“The highlight of the day was saying hello to newborn #5 at the Army clinic here.  A little baby girl made her way into the world about 8 am this morning, in the compound outside the clinic.  Her mom and family are now living in the camp.  But she is a gorgeous little baby.  She didn’t have a name yet when I went to visit, but her mom gave us permission to take a photo.”

Major Pontsler also said DHQ was damaged beyond repair and is renting offices in a building where the Incident Command office has also been moved. Despite these setbacks, she reports, “The ministry of the Haiti Division has not stopped.”

She closes with an important request. If you’ve been wondering how you can support our workers in the field, this one’s for you:

“Your prayers and thoughts for everyone serving here are much appreciated!  The Salvation Army is serving phenomenally well – and we sense God’s hand every day.  Please pray for good health for the team, for quick assimilation of the newest team members…. and for wisdom for the command leadership, as they start to think further done the road now.”

For more information on what The Salvation Army is doing in Haiti, visit our  Haiti website at www.salvationarmyhaiti.org.

You can also stay updated on our efforts by visiting our national website at www.salvationarmyusa.org or following us on  Facebook and Twitter.

Video: Salvation Army Food Distribution in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

The Salvation Army’s Major Kelly Pontsler, who is currently working in Haiti providing disaster relief, sent us the following detailed, firsthand account of worker and volunteer efforts to distribute desperately needed food to thousands of displaced earthquake victims.  This gives a wonderfully personal insight into the everyday, ongoing work and small victories experienced by The Salvation Army team amidst trying to meet the overwhelming need of Haitians:

“At 2:00 pm local time today, the convoy of trucks arrived.  Escorted by four vehicles carrying approximately 40 members of the US 82^nd Airborne Division, The Salvation Army quickly took command of the access road which bisects its properties in the Delmas 2 district in Port-Au-Prince.

Within minutes of their arrival, the container trucks were in place, the Salvation Army and military personnel had taken their places, the doors were opened and food began to move.   For the dozens of staff and volunteers on-site for this 4^th food distribution, this was about service.   For the thousands of displaced people gathered on that dusty road this afternoon, this was about continued survival.

As smoke billowed from the ravine of smoldering rubbish which runs along the narrow road, family members followed in turn to present their food ration card for a stamp.   As the line inched forward, each bearer of a card received food.  The packages (containing rice, beans, and vegetables) provide a family of 5 with a week’s worth of nutrition.   An estimated 552,000 meals were distributed this afternoon in less than four hours.

Hunger and fatigue are evident on the faces of those going through the line.  Life in the camp surrounding the Salvation Army property is not easy.  Sanitation remains an ongoing concern and the emergency response continues to unfold day by day.

It would be easy to think that there are no signs of hope amidst the rubble of the neighborhood.    And yet today there were small gestures which made the difference.  A group of three young volunteers, doing their best to keep the distribution line moving quickly, spotted an elderly woman who appeared to be a bit unsure of the process.  They paused long enough to help her close the box and lift her food to her head to carry it to the camp.  It took only 10 seconds, but it mattered.  In the midst of chaos and despair, there is still a place for respect.”

Major Kelly Pontsler

Public information Officer

Haiti Incident Command Team

Haitians gather to receive food and water distributed by The Salvation Army.

While the situation in Haiti continues to be very serious, The Salvation Army Relief Team is providing massive amounts of food, water and other relief materials to the people affected by the earthquake.

Our team received two shipments of food and water over Saturday and Sunday, totaling almost 630,000 meals, more than over 5,100 individual water bottles, and 1,300 gallon jugs of water.

Team members were also coordinating with the US Army 82^nd Airborne to arrange a food delivery of more than 174,000 meals to a particularly hard hit neighborhood in Port-au-Prince which has not received any major food distributions before now.

In the United States, massive community packaging events are being held around the country.  These volunteer services have been crucial in helping The Salvation Army to deliver well over 1.3 million meals already and will ensure that these life-saving deliveries continue until local systems can be restored.

Early estimates are that The Salvation Army will be required to supply over 1 million meals per week for at least the next six weeks in order to sustain displaced families until regular and sustainable UN deliveries of food can be put into place.

Meanwhile, as The Salvation Army carries out its role as lead agency in caring for some 20,000 displaced Haitians, our workers continued to hold meetings and forge partnerships in order to address the devastated Delmas 2 neighborhood. Critically important issues being addressed is water and sanitation, the provision of medium-term shelter, and regular and reliable deliveries of food.  On-going medical services and the timely restoration of education programs for displaced children are also priorities.

This weekend was also a transition time for the team as some members left Haiti and new team members arrived in their place.  International emergency personnel continue to provide support and assistance for our Haitian Salvation Army Officers and staff who have been working heroically and self-sacrificially ever since the earthquake.

Critical medical services continued this weekend as well as the arrival of a new team of doctors, nurses, and support staff replaced outgoing medical personnel.

As a result of Haiti’s recent earthquake, there are many obvious threats survivors must face in the aftermath, such as malnutrition, dehydration, lack of shelter, and rampant disease.

But there is another enemy less obvious to the naked eye far that’s far more sinister than these afflictions – human trafficking.

In the wake of natural disasters, the breakdown of rule of law, extreme poverty, and increased vulnerability all contribute to a surge in human trafficking, especially targeted towards young children who are the most vulnerable of the population.

Haiti is no exception. Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told CNN in an interview that child trafficking is one of the country’s most significant problems, even without the added stresses caused by the earthquake. It is estimated that every year a quarter million children are reported trafficked within the country.

Now, as the country struggles to rebuild, children face an even greater risk of being sold for sex, slave labor, or their organs.

Prime Minister Bellerive says many culprits pose as organizations falsely claiming to want to save children from the streets and send them to the United States. He is working to register displaced children in Haiti so that the government can account for the children and return them to their relatives if they have any or place them with new families. Trafficking dangers are another reason why Haiti is thoroughly verifying adoption papers before orphans leave the country.

The Salvation Army has been named the lead agency of some 20,000 homeless Haitians living in make-shift shelters and tents near our main compound in Port-au-Prince. As a part of serving as lead agency, we are registering individuals and families settled in this area, in part, to help battle the exploitation of children and vulnerable individuals. The Salvation Army is also rapidly dispensing food, water, supplies, and medical treatment; re-opening schools closed by the earthquake; and offering church-related activities and services in a safe setting in efforts to rebuild and secure the devastated communities.

For more information on how The Salvation Army is working specifically to eradicate human trafficking, visit our national website at www.salvationarmyusa.org/trafficking.

A Salvation Army volunteer helps a woman with food and water at a food distribution.

While The Salvation Army continues to provide support and assistance to the approximately 20,000 displaced families taking shelter near our compound in Port-au-Prince, the Haiti Relief Team in the field continues to reach out and extend help and hope to even more victims in the country.

The Salvation Army Relief Team, supported by the US Army 82^nd Airborne, delivered more than 174,000 meals to the coastal community of Petit Goave (Little Gulf) that lies on the north coast of Haiti’s peninsula.  To our knowledge, this was the very first major delivery of food to earthquake survivors in this affected area!

The city of Petite Goave, with an estimated population of 200,000, is expected to have lost 1,500 lives in the earthquake with 3,000 others  injured. Within a 6 mile radius, 6,000 people are living in temporary make-shift  shelters.

Assessment visits are being organized to the coastal communities of Leogane and Jacmel as well to investigate the level of need and the logistics of extending relief operations to these communities.

The Salvation Army has also been paying significant attention to the children of the country.

Infants from a Port-au-Prince orphanage.

An assessment team visit to the Le Bon Samaritan orphanage in Port-au-Prince resulted in a delivery of 20 tents and seven cases of food.  Our team has committed to continue weekly deliveries of food to the 130 children there and continues to visit other orphanages in the area to assess their needs.

Also, despite receiving significant damage to the building, the ‘College Verena’ school located in the Salvation Army compound has developed a daily feeding program that serves 600 children per day.

Children enjoy returning to school, which helps them escape from the trauma of the earthquake.

As The Salvation Army expands its outreach, we continue to work with partner agencies to provide for the many needs of victims in Port-au-Prince, providing food water, medical treatment, education, and other services.

To stay updated on our efforts, visit our national website at www.salvationarmyusa.org or follow us on  Facebook and Twitter.

You can also find more on-the-ground updates from our team in Haiti through  www.salvationarmyhaiti.org or The Salvation Army’s  Haiti Facebook page.

Do you remember when we told you Congress was considering a bill that would allow you to claim deductions on your 2009 tax return if you make a monetary donation to earthquake relief in Haiti?

Well guess what – the bill passed!

President Obama signed the bill into Public Law No. 111-126.  This means if you haven’t already, make your donations for Haiti relief by March 1, 2010 so that you can claim a deduction on your 2009 tax return. If you wait until after the 1st, you won’t be able to claim it until next year.

And for IRS purposes, be sure to keep your cell phone bill as a record if you make a donation via text.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to The Salvation Army’s ongoing relief efforts in Haiti, you can donate through :
•     Online Credit Card Contributions or PayPal
•    Text ‘HAITI’ to 52000
•    Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY
•    Mail a check or money order to:
The Salvation Army World Service Office
International Disaster Relief Fund
PO Box 630728
Baltimore, MD 21263-0728
*Please note that your donation is for Haiti Earthquake relief*

To stay updated on our efforts, visit our national website at www.salvationarmyusa.org or follow us on  Facebook and Twitter.

Richard and Wasnel fly their homemade kites.

Richard Deris and Wasnel Samuel Guirand are living temporarily in a tent outside The Salvation Army Haiti Divisional Headquarters in Port-au-Prince.

It’s a breezy day in Port-au-Prince, and its boring in their tent. For centuries a breeze anywhere in the world has attracted children and their kites, and these kids are no exception. But, Richard and Wasnel had no kite and no money with which to buy one.

So, they made their own.

Using a discarded garbage bag, strips of cloth salvaged from the near-by trash canal and stripping the middle spine of a coconut palm leaf, they fashioned small kites that catch the wind and provide hours of play and relief  from the boredom of their present circumstances.

What a simple, beautiful way to remind oneself that in the wake of a terrible natural disaster, joy and a little fun can still be found in the sun that continues to shine and the breeze that continues to blow.

Richard displays a kite made from trash he collected.

Communications for Life (English translation of Telecoms Sans Front –TSF)   has established a satellite telephone site at the Salvation Army’s Emergency Clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. TSF is the latest of many Non Government Agencies and other groups with whom The Salvation Army is working in the devastated country.

With a completely devastated infrastructure, communication within and outside of Haiti has been minimal and extremely difficult, even for relief workers.  However, thanks to the help of TSF, there are at present two satellite links and more to come as the needs are indicated.

The organization  is providing this service to any Haitian who can get to The Salvation Army clinic. Calls are limited to three minutes and can go to any phone number in the world. The service will be available through the end of February. The Salvation Army clinic site was chosen because there are several hundred Haitians assembled there daily for clinic services.

For Haitians not already in the clinic compound, TSF sends one of their workers with a portable megaphone to alert passers-by to the availability of the service.

Two citizen philanthropists for The Salvation Army’s Haiti relief efforts were featured on NBC Nightly News last night: 9-year-old Connor Howard of Allen, TX, who we recently featured in our blog,  and a hair salon owner in Jackson, MS. These individuals may not have the means to fly to Haiti in their own private plane loaded with supplies like John Travolta, but their creative efforts and contributions are just as meaningful and, in my opinion, even more inspiring.

We may tend to succumb to the mindset that we can only make a difference if we’re wealthy and powerful, but somehow I doubt Connor’s allowance is anything to envy. The little boy’s determined spirit, though, seems to be overly abundant. Armed with a coffee can and a homemade construction paper sign,  he’s raised several hundred dollars for Haiti just by seeking out opportunities to ask for support from friends, family, and anyone he meets along the way.

And who knew a hair stylist could be integral in Haiti relief? Well, instead of thinking, “Why?” we should be thinking “Why not?” That’s exactly what a salon in Jackson, MS decided and opened up shop on a day they were regularly closed. Proceeds from that day’s “Haircuts for Haiti” were donated to The Salvation Army Haiti relief efforts. Sport a hot new hairstyle and help Haiti? Sign me up.

If you would like to support The Salvation Army’s ongoing relief efforts in Haiti, you can make financial contributions by:

• Visiting www.salvationarmyusa.org and via PayPal
• Calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• Texting the word HAITI to 52000 and confirming with the word, “yes.”
• Sending a check or money order to:

The Salvation Army World Service Office
International Disaster Relief Fund
PO Box 630728
Baltimore, MD 21263-0728
*Please note that your donation is for Haiti Earthquake relief*