THE NEED: Hurricane Hanna slammed into Haiti Thursday and Friday, leaving 529 dead, according to the latest reports. Senator Yuri Latortue told the Agence France-Presse that about 200,000 people in Gonaives, Haiti - the now-flooded city he represents - haven't eaten in three days. To add to the destruction of three hurricanes in the past few weeks, Category 3 Hurricane Ike is estimated to hit Haiti this Sunday.
Aid organizations like the U.N. World Food Program are rushing to feed Haitians who've lost everything to the storms. Meanwhile, Hurricane Gustav buried the Hands and Feet Project's Children's Village in four to five feet of mountain rock and destroyed their supplies, including the food, clothes, and diapers that allow them to provide for Haitian orphans. The Hands and Feet Project put up this video of Hurricane Gustav.
THE STORY: When Tropical Storm Noel flooded Haiti last November, the Hands and Feet Project, an organization started by the band Audio Adrenaline to help Haitian orphans, reached out to their online supporters for help.
“Immediately everybody around the world knows about it," said Joel Griffith, director of the Hands and Feet Project, over the phone. "We put up a post and there’s a response. Some say MySpace and Facebook are impersonal, but it gives kids a personal touch to bigger organizations, because they can contribute and someone is going to respond to them. It’s a tangible thing.”
The Hands and Feet Project wrote on their web site that the current destruction is worse than Noel. But once again, they're tapping in to online supporters for help, stressing that every dollar makes a difference.
MEETING THE NEED:
Mark Stuart from the Hands and Feet Project and the band Audio Adrenaline talks about the hurricane havoc - and how you can help.Hold a fundraiser for hurricane and send your funds to the Hands and Feet Project, or donate online below. You can also raise money for the U.N. World Food Program by improving your vocabulary on freerice.com.
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