Ve’ahavta’s report On Allocation of Haiti Funds

Summary of Haiti Crisis Fund Allocations

Ve’ahavta to date, we have received approximately $240,000 for its Haiti Crisis Relief Fund. An additional $214,000 was requested from The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for matching funds for the disaster response

More than 50% of the total funds were allocated within 30 days of the disaster the remaining funds will be distributed to our partners pending field reports.

Total funds have designated in the following manner

House of Hope Orphanage- $88 000

Ve’ahavta has committed to providing crisis relief and rehabilitation support to the House of Hope Orphanage, located in Gressier, Haiti.  Thankfully, all residents of the orphanage survived the disaster.  The orphanage is currently caring for 200 and suffered structural damage from the earthquake.  In addition, Alice Barthole, Director of the Orphanage, has been struggling to source supplies- food, water, fuel, cooking supplies- as well as temporary shelter for the children of HOH.  Ve’ahavta has allocated $88,000 to the orphanage.  To date, we have transferred $30,000 to the House of Hope through our local Canadian Partner, Canadian Feed the Children.  We are waiting for a report from CFTC detailing how this first transfer of funds was used before we release the next phase of funding.

Magen David Adom- $50 000

Ve’ahavta had designated $50 000 through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee towards supporting the efforts of the Israelis in Haiti.  Originally, Ve’ahavta intended these funds to support the IDF-run field hospital located in Port Au Prince, but the IDF decided not to extend its operations in Haiti.  Magen David Adom took over the field hospital, and Ve’ahavta’s funds were redirected to support that effort.  Ve’ahavta is waiting for a report from the JDC on how the funds were spent through MADA.

Humanitarian Aid Shipment- $30 000

Ve’ahavta has allocated $30 000 towards a container of humanitarian aid and Kinder Kits to be shipped to Haiti in July, 2010.

Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief- $25 000

Ve’ahavta is the sole Canadian member of the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief.  We contributed $25 000 towards the JCDR.  As of our last conference call, the JCDR had collected approximated $190,000 from its members and through its general mailbox.

Collectively, JCDR members supported Chabad of the Dominican Republic in the financing of two shipments of emergency supplies into Haiti.  Goods were distributed through Surfuturo, a local NGO with the logistical support of United Nations Security.

The JCDR also supported the Afya Foundation in shipping mattresses, blankets, and medical supplies to Partners in Health, an NGO based in Haiti.

The JCDR also supported the International Rescue Committee by working with its local partners to provide food, water, shelter, and emergency health care.

The JCDR supported YOUTHAITI, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit based in Milwaukee, WI has been working in rural Haiti for the last 3 years on projects of Ecological Sanitation and Sustainable Agricultural development.  YOUTHAITI is a partner agency of Mazon International.

The JCDR also supported EarthSpark International, a partner of AJWS, who purchase, transport and distribute solar lamps to the Haitian community for immediate earthquake relief.  EarthSpark also promotes post-disaster development by conducting clean energy capacity building activities with Haitian communities, including working with partners to develop local infrastructure for clean, efficient energy technologies, providing technical education and training to students and small and micro-enterprise owners and mitigating local environmental damage caused by energy poverty.

Israel- $16 000

Ve’ahavta would like to continue to support Israeli NGOs in their efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Haiti.  The Director of the International Department is currently finalizing partnerships.

Health Partners International of Canada- $5,000

Ve’ahavta allocated $5,000 to HPIC which operates a Mississauga-based distribution center.  HPIC facilitates the shipment of medical supplies via container shipments and its Physician Travel Pack program via its local NGO partners who operate in Haiti. In the last two months (January and February), HPIC has delivered 110 PTPs (approx. WSV $55,000.00)and they anticipate to ship 90 more for a total of 200 PTPs (approx. $100,000.00) to Haiti.

HPIC have worked and continue to work with about a dozen or so NGO partners, including Ve’ahavta. These partners have field offices in Haiti or are working in collaboration with other NGOs in the field. They have shipped approximately 2.2 Million WSV of essential medicines, vaccines and medical supplies. We continue to work with these partners in the second phase response and anticipate to ship several more containers in the next few months totaling 5 million in WSV.

Ve’ahavta Volunteer Support and Scholarship Fund- $5,000

Ve’ahavta has designated $5000 of its Haiti Crisis Relief Fund towards supporting the air travel and volunteer expenses associated with volunteer placements with NGOs operating in Haiti.  This fund was created with the intention of supporting volunteers who are affiliated with Ve’ahavta who are providing crisis response services in Haiti.  To date, we have supported two volunteers (at approximately $800 USD/person)- Dr. Mark Fenig and Shawna Novak.  We have received written reports from the former and are awaiting a report from the latter.

Needs Assessment to determine rebuilding infrastructure options – $4 000

Ve’ahavta has allocated $4 000 towards a needs assessment in Haiti.  We anticipate sending a volunteer team of up to 4 people to Haiti at the end of April to visit the House of Hope, conduct a needs assessment, and create a forward plan for Ve’ahavta’s future support of the orphanage.

Administration- 7%

Ve’ahavta has designated 7% of all funds raised through the Haiti Crisis Relief Fund to Admin.