Community Organized Relief Effort

It started on the evening of January 12, 2010. Just before 5 p.m., 15 miles outside of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, the Earth trembled. A violent 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck, sending tremors across the Caribbean. In 35 seconds, Haiti was forever changed. 220,000 people lost their lives, countless more were injured, and 1.5 million people were instantly homeless.

Within hours, Sean Penn assembled a team and mobilized a dynamic network of doctors, emergency workers, and government officials to take immediate action. It was supposed to be a two-week aid mission to drop off supplies and help doctors provide urgent medical care. Not long after those two weeks has passed, Penn had formed the beginnings of what would become CORE to manage the largest displaced persons camp in all of Haiti.

Over the years, CORE (then known as J/P Haitian Relief Organization) remained in Haiti, coordinating relief efforts fueled by local Haitians to recover, rebuild back better than before, and empower communities to be prepared for future disaster. Our work continues in Haiti today with local Haitian staff working to rebuild and reimagine communities every day.