Donate to Haiti With Rotary!

January 22, 2010

Canadians now have a great opportunity to Help Haiti, doubling your donation through Rotary, ShelterBox and the Canadian Government Matching Grant Initiative.

The Rotary Club of Belleville’s World Community Service Committee was among the early responders to the call for help for Haiti. Our contribution was sent to ShelterBox of Canada, a Rotary based organization, and completed in time for the first shipment of ShelterBoxes to reach Haiti and hundreds more ShelterBoxes  are due to arrive this week.

This is the time for Canadians to step up.  We want to make sure that over 1000 of those boxes come from Canada.  You can help by donating now and spreading the word.

Double Your Donation
Donate before February 12th
ShelterBox will qualify for participation in the Canadian Government $50,000,000.00 matching grants.  All monies we collect between now and February 12th will be eligible to apply for a matching amount.

The actual application process has not been released yet and cannot be made before the 12th of February. Please understand the government "grants" do not come directly to ShelterBox. The government will simply put the equivalent amount into Haiti.

All Funds Donated Go Directly To Haiti Relief
All money donated now will go towards Haiti relief and should now qualify under the Canadian Government’s conditions of participation.  Each ShelterBox is $1000 US Funds. All donations are greatly appreciated. Charitable Receipts will be issued for donations over $20.

ShelterBox Building Emergency Field Hospital
Every $1000 collected provides shelter for a family of 10 for up to 6 months. Over 10,000 ShelterBoxes will be sent within the next two weeks to the people of Haiti and to build an emergency hospital.

The ShelterBox Response Team of David Eby (US), Wayne Robinson (US) and Mark Pearson (UK), who have been in Haiti's capital since Thursday, took delivery of the first ShelterBoxes at Port au Prince Airport January 19th.

Never before in the history of ShelterBox Canada have they been so inundated with offers of support and financial assistance.  It makes one proud to be a Rotarian and to see how in these times of dire need for the people of Haiti that Rotary Clubs, their friends and members, Churches, schools, other service organizations, scouts and everyday Canadian Citizens are stepping up and helping out.

The ShelterBox team will be using 12 boxes to build an emergency field hospital at the airport. 'We are helping build a field hospital with these tents at the airport,' said Mark Pearson of ShelterBox. 'These are desperate conditions, amputations are happening every half hour. There's an urgent need for tents at hospitals and this is our first priority.'

What’s in a ShelterBox?

Each ShelterBox is a large, rugged, green plastic container that holds a 10-person tent and a range of other equipment. In general, typical box contents could include:

• Thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets
• Waterproof ponchos and bin bags
• A multi-fuel stove that can burn anything from diesel to old paint!
• Cooking pans, utensils, bowls and mugs
• Collapsible water containers and water purification tablets
• A basic tool kit – hammer, axe, saw, pliers, hoe head, trenching shovel, rope etc
• A small, children’s pack containing drawing books, crayons, pens etc.

However, a range of equipment is kept in stock. This allows ShelterBox to be flexible and adjust the contents of the box according to local conditions and what is most urgently needed. Sometimes – particularly if other resources are available locally and the overwhelming need is for shelter – they will just send tents and pack two in each box. Once assembled, boxes will be banded and sealed ready for transit. They are also individually numbered so each box can be tracked and donors can know its final destination.

Visit: www.shelterboxcanada.blogspot.com to learn more and sign on as a follower.

It makes one proud to be a Rotarian and to see how in these times of dire need for the people of Haiti. On behalf of the people of Haiti whom you will never know or never meet but whose lives you will save and change... Thank you..................

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