More than a million people are homeless in the wake of Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city, which destroyed about three-quarters of the city's houses. The Red Cross estimates the quake claimed 50,000 human lives. Hundreds of thousands of people are roaming the streets desperately searching for their missing relatives and loved ones.
PWS&D Responds
Presbyterian World Service & Development is assisting victims of the earthquake through the Action by Churches Together Alliance. PWS&D sent $50,000 as a first response to support ACT members in Haiti as they assess the needs of survivors and transport equipment to build water purification systems and latrines to avoid the outbreak of disease.
Canadian Government Matching Donations from Individual Canadians
The Canadian International Development Agency is matching donations from individual Canadians at a ratio of 1:1 for earthquake recovery and reconstruction activities in Haiti until February 12, 2010, up to $50 million dollars across the country.
Congregations can send PWS&D one cheque for the sum of all the donations they have collected for Haiti relief, but they must attach a letter or list to identify the names and amounts of the individual donations that make up the total to ensure these funds are eligible for matching.