Response from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP)
to the Haiti Earthquake
(post on behalf of Friends of the World Food Program)
WFP IS APPEALING FOR DONATIONS TO ITS EMERGENCY OPERATION IN HAITI. AMERICANS CAN DONATE ONLINE TO WWW.FRIENDSOFWFP.ORG OR CALL 866-929-1694.
KEY POINTS:
WFP is mobilizing all available resources in the region to address urgent humanitarian needs in Haiti in support of the Government of Haiti’s response efforts.
WFP has food and staff deployed in Haiti as part of its long-running operations in the country and began food distributions with 24 hours of the earthquake.
We are planning on reaching 2 million people in our emergency operation. As part of this we are appealing to donors for 14 million humanitarian daily rations, or ready-to-eat meals that will be used while many of the beneficiaries have no access to their own cooking facilities.
WFP is deeply saddened by the loss of life and tremendous suffering. WFP’s Haiti-based staff members– those normally in the position of providing assistance to those in need – are among those severely affected.
BACKGROUND
In 2008, civil unrest, high food prices, three hurricanes and one tropical storm depleted household incomes and ravaged infrastructure.
Around 55 percent of Haiti’s 9 million people live below the poverty line of $1 a day, 60 percent live in rural areas and 50 percent of urban dwellers live in slums. More than 70 percent of Haiti’s population has no access to health care, and only 50 percent has potable water. Only 40 percent of children are fully covered by vaccinations.
Haiti’s HIV prevalence rate of 2.2 percent is the highest in the Caribbean.
During 2008, high food and fuel prices triggered violent demonstrations and political upheaval. Food assistance served as a social stabilizer, but lack of economic opportunities and limited progress on the political agenda continue.
WFP IS APPEALING FOR DONATIONS TO ITS EMERGENCY OPERATION IN HAITI. AMERICANS CAN DONATE ONLINE TO WWW.FRIENDSOFWFP.ORG OR CALL 866-929-1694.
Please note: the above message is a repost of an e-mail from Friends of the World Food Program which they asked me to post here, I'll put my thoughts and more links in as comments or updates below this line.
Additional information about Friends of the World Food Program, from charitynavigator.org:
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Mission
Established in 1995, Friends of the World Food Program is a U.S.-based organization that is dedicated to building support for the World Food Program (WFP) and other hunger relief efforts. WFP is the largest international food aid organization in the world and the United Nations' frontline agency in the fight against hunger. Friends of WFP increases awareness about global hunger issues; mobilizes support for hunger relief programs and activities; and generates resources for WFP operations and other activities that alleviate hunger. To achieve these goals, Friends of WFP engages in advocacy, outreach, and fundraising activities. In collaboration with other groups, Friends of WFP is also active in building political support for U.S. government food aid programs.