FFTP Works With Partners to Provide Immediate Relief, Long-Term Aid to Haiti

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Aug. 24, 2021) Food For The Poor is working with multiple partners to secure critically needed food, water, medicines and other essential aid to support the ongoing relief effort in Haiti.

More than 2,200 people and counting were killed following the August 14 earthquake, which upended the lives of 1.5 million in Haiti’s southern peninsula. More than 12,000 are injured and an estimated 75,000 families are without homes. Almost 53,000 homes were destroyed. Torrential rains from Tropical Storm Grace brought even more misery.

To date, FFTP-Haiti has dispatched 40 truckloads of aid into the affected area. Two more containers of food and aid loaded in FFTP’s Coconut Creek warehouse sailed Friday from Miami.

FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine said the charity wants to be the catalyst for permanent change in Haiti.

Raine will provide a briefing on the charity’s Haiti relief efforts during a virtual town hall from 4 to 5 p.m. EDT Wednesday. To watch, go to: www.FoodForThePoor.org/haititownhall

“We are working extremely hard to understand the situation on a daily basis and what our strategic response should be long-term,” Raine said. “We’re looking at all of our partnerships and new partners to go as big as we can possibly go to make sure we’re using our extraordinary distribution and logistics capability to the best extent possible.”

There are 87 containers in route or already at the port in Haiti. Fifty-seven of those containers contain food, primarily rice from Taiwan and MannaPack rice meals from Feed My Starving Children.

In addition to securing additional food, FFTP is securing containers of zinc and lumber to repair homes damaged in the quake.

Some of those left homeless were moved immediately to shelter in 48 newly finished FFTP homes. A technical team from FFTP-Haiti visited the southern area last week to assess housing built by the charity, old and new.

Haiti already was in an extreme crisis before the earthquake, due to civil unrest and gang violence, the assassination of the president and a surge in COVID-19. The charity now is anticipating even greater needs for months to come.

Shortly after the earthquake, local officials negotiated with gangs blocking the southern outskirts of the capital to allow humanitarian convoys to pass.

On Friday, four of FFTP-Haiti’s trucks were attacked en route to delivering critical aid. Five other trucks were able to arrive safely.

A fifth truck was looted on Monday. FFTP-Haiti is providing security with all trucks transporting relief items until they reach their final destinations.

On Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. EDT, the charity will host a special Haiti Prayer Service on FFTP’s Facebook and YouTube channels. Bishop Oge Beauvoir, FFTP-Haiti’s Executive Director, will provide an update. Pastor Bill Mitchell, of Boca Raton Community Church, and Pastor Evens Jules, President of the Florida Baptist Convention Haitian Fellowship, will speak, in addition to other pastors who will offer prayers.

Locally, residents in South Florida are doing their part to help their destitute brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Bravo Supermarkets, longtime supporters of FFTP, is hosting a collection drive with FFTP-branded boxes beginning Friday to help families in Haiti.

Locations include:

Coral Springs – 10301 Royal Palm Blvd.
Hollywood – Key Foods, 3025 Johnson St.
Lake Worth – 1206 S. Dixie Highway and 1337 N. Dixie Highway
Lauderhill – 1621 N. State Road 7
Miami – 10400 NW 7th Ave. and 1701 NW 119th St.
Miramar – 6819 Miramar Pkwy.
North Lauderdale – 6039A Kimberly Blvd.
Pembroke Pines – 6767 Pembroke Road
Sunrise – 8251 Sunset Strip and 15860 W. State Road 84
West Park – 4000 SW 40th Ave.

Habitat for Humanity of Broward County also is collecting goods on behalf of FFTP at 505 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

FFTP, meanwhile, is accepting canned goods and first-aid items at its Coconut Creek warehouse, 6401 Lyons Road, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in addition to the regular drop-off hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

For more information on the specific items accepted, please go to www.FoodForThePoor.org/haitiaid

Donors also can help FFTP deliver aid to Haiti in two more ways:

In addition to the collection drive, the charity is hosting a special Help Haiti – Community Day on Friday, September 10. The event aims to bring the community together to help provide critically needed essential items for Haiti earthquake victims, to engage local businesses, churches and schools. Items can be dropped off from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, September 10, at the charity’s Coconut Creek warehouse, 6401 Lyons Road.

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry children and families living in poverty primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicine, educational materials, homes, support for vulnerable children, care for the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Kathy Skipper

Director of Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6614
[email protected]

Michael Turnbell

Public Relations
954-427-2222 x 6054
[email protected]

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