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Convoy of Hope distributes 1.6 million meals in Haiti

In the two weeks since a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, Springfield, Missouri-based Convoy of Hope (COH) has distributed 1.6 million meals to hungry people in Haiti, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

“The reason we were able to get food to so many people so fast was because we were already feeding thousands of children each day throughout Haiti,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope.

“Long-standing, strategic partnerships such as the one we have with Mission of Hope became pipelines that enabled us to quickly and efficiently get food and supplies to some of the hardest-hit areas.”

Donaldson also notes that Convoy of Hope’s warehouse -- which is located just outside of Port-au-Prince -- had just been restocked with food prior to the earthquake.

Already having food in country, he says, gave Convoy of Hope a head start to begin meeting critical needs almost immediately after the earthquake struck.

COH says that was good news for Evenel St-Vil, a 29-year-old school teacher in Port-au-Prince whose house was destroyed in the earthquake. St-Vil was one of the thousands who turned to Convoy of Hope for food in the days after the earthquake.

“I live in a tent on a soccer field,” he said. “How long will we live there? I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Although two weeks have passed since the earthquake struck, St-Vil’s sentiments are common. Many Haitians just don’t know where or how to begin putting their lives back together.

Donaldson says Convoy of Hope is committed to helping Haiti for the long term.

“We feel privileged to have been in a position to help tens of thousands of families who had no place to turn to for food and water after the earthquake,” he said.

“As Haiti moves toward recovery and rebuilding we will continue to be there providing food, water and supplies through our feeding initiatives and points of distribution we established after the earthquake.”

Getting Food to Victims in Haiti

As children and adults exit the gates at at Quisqueya Chapel -- Convoy of Hope’s main food distribution point in Port-au-Prince -- joy and adulation seem to erupt within them in the form of wide smiles.

“Merci, merci,” says one boy as he runs down a rutted road holding two bags of Feed My Starving Children food -- which Convoy of Hope distributes -- over his head. “Merci.”

In only the first week following the January 12 earthquake, Convoy of Hope distributed more than 294,296 meals and installed 30 water purification units. At least 1 million pounds of food and relief supplies are also in the pipeline for delivery.

“Our relief workers in Port-au-Prince are working tirelessly, and at great risk to themselves, to bring real help to the victims of this disaster,” said Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope.

“Our leaders on the ground are saying that security, fuel shortages, and a scarcity of food and water remain critical concerns.”

Convoy of Hope and its partners have made a long-term commitment to Haiti.

“As we demonstrated with Katrina, the 2004 tsunami, and other disasters, we don’t leave an area once the cameras disappear,” said Donaldson.

“We’ll continue to focus on the relief and recovery effort as long as resources allow. Of course, our ongoing program of feeding 11,000 kids each day will remain a priority.”

Kary Kingsland, vice president of Disaster Relief for Convoy of Hope, said the organization is increasing its fleet of vehicles and personnel on the ground to increase capacity.

“Having worked through many disasters, our team understands the importance of establishing supply lines and methods of transportation,” he said.

“Each disaster is different, but with the magnitude of destruction and devastation in Haiti, Convoy of Hope will be in the country for a long time.”

That’s good news for the people Convoy of Hope aims to help in the coming days, weeks and months.

One Haitian man who now lives on the street with his wife and children after the earthquake destroyed their house, could be speaking for millions of Haitians, “I’m alive and we’re still on the earth,” he said. “So, we’ll do what we can to survive.”

Convoy of Hope will continue to do what it can to help this man, his family and countless others in Haiti not only to survive, but to start rebuilding.

A couple bags of food and clean water is an excellent place to start doing that...Just as the little boy who couldn’t stop smiling and saying, “Merci,” affirms.

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TAGS: Haiti Haiti earthquake Convoy of Hope meals relief help distribution point

[01/30/2010]

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