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This is a news piece from Rotary International’s  Site for the UK and Ireland

RIBI launches Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) is launching an appeal for donations to help rebuild the thousands of lives shattered by the Haitian earthquake.

RIBI President, David Fowler is calling for contributions, which have so far helped victims of the Australia bush fire, the 2007 Flood Appeal and the Boxing Day Tsunami. The gifts will be used to provide long-term and sustainable support for the earthquake survivors.

David said: “700 ShelterBoxes* have already been despatched to the disaster zone, providing tents, clothing, blankets and cooking utensils to the victims.

“To keep this relief effort going, Rotary members are mobilising to raise funds, make donations and help in any way that they can. We are receiving offerings which will support the relief effort and enable victims to reclaim their lives.

“It is too early to tell just how long it will take to recover from this natural disaster. Haiti has been battered by storms previously and much of the population is impoverished. Rotary members from the six Rotary clubs in Haiti are working together and, in some cases, providing shelter for others in their damaged homes. This is where Rotary plays to its strengths.”

(*Click to see Sky News video about ShelterBox’s response.)

Any donations should be sent to:
RIBI Donations Trust
c/o Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland
Kinwarton Road
Alcester
B49 6PB

Please make cheques payable to RIBI Donations Trust and clearly mark your envelope with Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

If you would like to Gift Aid your donation, please download the Gift Aid Form.

A press release from ShelterBox:

First ShelterBoxes arrive in Port au Prince

The first ShelterBoxes have arrived in Port au Prince and hundreds more are due to arrive later today.

The ShelterBox Response Team of David Eby (US), Wayne Robinson (US) and Mark Pearson (UK), who have been in Haiti’s capital since Thursday, took delivery of the first ShelterBoxes at Port au Prince airport yesterday.

The team say twelve of these boxes will be used to build an emergency field hospital at the airport.

‘We are helping build a field hospital with these tents at the airport,’ said Mark Pearson. ‘These are desperate conditions, amputations are happening every half hour. There’s an urgent need for tents at hospitals and this is our first priority.’

ShelterBox Head of Operations John Leach said: ‘The safety of our staff in Haiti is of paramount importance.

‘We are working with the agencies on the ground to ensure that ShelterBoxes are not only distributed speedily and efficiently, but that our team on the ground is able to work in a safe environment.’

Hundreds more boxes are due to arrive into Port au Prince later today from Miami on a chartered aircraft. Thousands more ShelterBoxes are being packed and shipped from ShelterBox HQ in the UK.

ShelterBox Founder and CEO Tom Henderson said: ‘The devastation in Haiti has moved everyone here. We now have our boxes on the ground and it’s a privilege to help. The scale of devastation is huge.

‘By the sheer grit and determination of our staff and volunteers we have been able to respond in record time. Our thanks go to the teams of volunteers, as well as to our donors, who have allowed us to do this.

‘ShelterBox relies entirely on public donations and people’s generosity. We receive no institutional funding and no DEC money. I’d urge, if you can, to help us.’

Public donations are vital to ShelterBox’s continuing work around the world. To make a donation please ring 0300 0300 500 or go to www.shelterbox.org to donate online and get the latest updates on the charity’s response to the Haiti earthquake.

Now that the money is in, someone has to count it.

The money was banked early this morning.

But as you can see, it does mount up.