Haiti Earthquake Response

Press Release

March 17, 2022

Episcopal Relief & Development has received two grants totaling $500,000 USD from Trinity Church Wall Street to support disaster response and recovery efforts in Haiti. These grants enable the organization to reach over 40,000 vulnerable people whose homes were destroyed or who lost income as a result of the August 2021 earthquake.

A major 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest of Haiti on Saturday, August 14. The earthquake was followed immediately by Tropical Storm Grace, which triggered mudslides and compounded the damage. Many of the impacted communities had not yet fully recovered from the effects of the Category 4 Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and were simultaneously experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, political and economic instability, gang activity and increasing difficulties in obtaining safe, nutritious food continue to present acute challenges to recovery.

“The situation in Haiti remains highly fluid and our partners are adapting their efforts in order to ensure the safety of all involved,” said Ernest Cajuste, Senior Program Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We are grateful to Trinity Church Wall Street for their generous support of the relief and recovery programs that will help create lasting change in Haiti.”

An initial $100,000 grant from Trinity Church Wall Street in September 2021 supported a rapid response project designed to provide immediate relief in the aftermath of the quake. Working through a network of Haiti-based organizations, Episcopal Relief & Development provided emergency assistance to over 25,000 people in the Grand’Anse, Nippes and Sud departments. This aid included cash transfers, psychological and pastoral care and tents to provide shelter for people whose homes were damaged or destroyed. The project also supported the establishment of mobile health clinics which assisted over 9,000 patients.

Trinity Church Wall Street has granted Episcopal Relief & Development an additional $400,000 for continued recovery work in Haiti. This second phase of the project will reach over 14,000 people, meeting the basic needs of 600 vulnerable families and strengthening the long-term resilience of an additional 3,000 families in 20 communities. The project will build on the cash grants of the first phase of the project by establishing Savings with Education groups. These groups equip people with financial literacy, small business skills and disaster risk reduction strategies to enable them to prepare for and recover from future emergencies without the need for outside assistance. 

“Amid the continued devastation and need among our brothers and sisters in Haiti, Episcopal Relief & Development is doing important, on-the-ground work,” said The Rev. Phillip A. Jackson, Rector of Trinity Church Wall Street.  “It is our Christian responsibility to help the suffering, and we are pleased to partner once again to support Episcopal Relief & Development’s efforts to serve the Haitian people as they recover and rebuild.”

With the ongoing support of Trinity Church Wall Street and donations from individuals and churches, Episcopal Relief & Development’s earthquake recovery work in Haiti is conducted in collaboration with Food for the Poor and Church World Service. The organization is also partnering with several local and community-rooted organizations and actors including local clergy, trauma and resilience counselors and youth mobilizers. Learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development’s work in Haiti and around the world.

For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for close to 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.

Web Statement

December 2, 2021

Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti as it continues to provide aid to communities impacted by the August earthquake.

On Saturday, August 14, a major 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest of Haiti, followed immediately by Tropical Storm Grace on August 16 and 17, bringing heavy rains to many of the same communities. The storm triggered mudslides and compounded the earthquake’s damage, further hampering relief efforts.

With the support of Episcopal Relief & Development, the Diocese of Haiti worked with local parishes in the southern peninsula to carry out an initial assessment. The Church selected 400 families in 21 communities for the first phase of the disaster relief response.

Three months after the earthquake, people who left initially for better opportunities to some Latin American countries and the United States are being sent back to Haiti, adding stress to an already strained infrastructure. Food prices have risen. There are long lines to purchase gasoline. Schools have reopened, many in temporary facilities, to provide a sense of consistency and normalcy to children. Most roads have reopened, making it easier to get needed supplies to remote communities. However, crime and gang activity present challenges.

The diocese has selected an additional 800 individuals and families to receive cash assistance. With Episcopal Relief & Development’s support, the diocese is providing funds to the affected families so that they can meet basic needs while maintaining their dignity. The recipients include pregnant women, mothers with children under five years old, people with disabilities, the elderly and people whose homes were completely destroyed.

Episcopal Relief & Development is also working with Food For The Poor, Church World Service and other local partners to provide emergency assistance such as direct support, tents, medical care and other aid after the August earthquake. Episcopal Relief & Development’s work in Haiti is funded, in part, by Trinity Church Wall Street.

“Rebuilding after compounded disasters such as COVID-19, the earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace will take time,” said Ernest Cajuste, Senior Program Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We remain committed to supporting our partners and marginalized communities in Haiti.”

For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.

Photo courtesy of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti

Episcopal Relief & Development Supports Food For The Poor’s Response to the Earthquake in Haiti

Press Release

October 4, 2021

Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with Food For The Poor to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in Haiti that were impacted by the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

With the support of Episcopal Relief & Development and other partners, Food For The Poor has designed a multi-step response that will support marginalized communities both in the short term and over time.

The August 14 earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace destroyed nearly 61,000 homes and damaged another 76,000 in the Grand’Anse, Nippes and Sud departments. In response, Episcopal Relief & Development, through Food For The Poor, is sending tents that will provide shelter. The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti will distribute the tents to vulnerable groups such as families led by women or those with young children in hard-to-reach communities.

Food For The Poor is also shipping parcels of food for immediate distribution. Over the long term, the organization is planning to build schools and houses.

“For many Haitians, the recent earthquake was a vivid reminder of the trauma of the 2010 earthquake,” said Nagulan Nesiah, Senior Program Officer, Disaster Response and Risk Reduction, Episcopal Relief & Development. “Through this partnership with Food for the Poor, we are leveraging our extensive network of churches and community partners to meet the basic need for shelter, so vulnerable Haitians can begin to recover in dignity.”

Episcopal Relief & Development has a long history of disaster response and community-building in Haiti. Since the recent earthquake, the agency has been working directly with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, Church World Service and other local partners to provide emergency assistance such as medical care, food, clean water and hygiene kits. Donations to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti Fund will support continued response efforts.

For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.

Episcopal Relief & Development Partners with Church World Service in Haiti

Press Release

August 24, 2021

Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with Church World Service (CWS) to provide assistance in Pestel, Haiti, after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake earlier this month. The program will include medical care, shelter, clean water, hygiene kits and educational services.

On Saturday, August 14, a major earthquake struck the southwest of Haiti (Nippes, South and Grand´Anse departments). Then, on Monday and Tuesday, August 16 and 17, Tropical Storm Grace brought heavy rains to many of the same communities. The storm triggered mudslides and compounded the earthquake’s damage, further hampering relief efforts. According to the humanitarian mapping organization MapAction, the impact of the earthquake on the commune of Pestel, Grand´ Anse department was “very strong.” Pestel had not yet recovered from the effects of the Category 4 Hurricane Matthew in 2016. 

In the wake of the earthquake, the local government reported that 30% of the houses in the community had been destroyed and another 60 percent had been impacted. Nearly all of the village’s water cisterns have been damaged, making clean water scarce. Centre de Sante de Pestel, the local health center, has seen an average of 200 patients per day since the quake. Additionally, the psychological trauma of the successive disasters to the community and individuals is a concern for CWS leaders.

The partnership between Church World Service and Episcopal Relief & Development in Pestel will provide assistance in several key areas, including medical care, psychosocial support and direct relief. All assistance will be carried out with appropriate COVID-19 protocols and guidelines to maintain the safety of participants, staff and volunteers. The program will enable the local health care center to provide primary medical care to over 10,000 people. Children and adult community members will be given community-based psychosocial support through existing Wozo clubs. The word wozo is a Haitian reed that symbolizes resilience and tenacity. These clubs were established by a local organization, Wozo Haiti, after the 2010 earthquake, and later expanded through a partnership with Episcopal Relief & Development to help Haitians reconstruct the social fabric of the country and build richer, resilient and socially cohesive communities.

In addition, the most vulnerable families whose homes were impacted by the earthquake will be given direct assistance such as tents, clean water and hygiene kits.

“CWS’ established and trusted relationships with the community and local governing agencies enabled our partners to begin damage and needs assessments the day after the earthquake,” said Nagulan Nesiah, Senior Program Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “The combined networks of Episcopal Relief & Development’s partners allow us to truly work together to swiftly respond to safely meet needs that are not being addressed by other organizations.”

Episcopal Relief & Development continues to partner with local organizations such as Church World Service, the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and others to respond to the devastating earthquake. The organization remains committed to its long-term partnerships to create lasting change in Haiti. Please consider a donation to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti Fund to support this important work.

For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.

Episcopal Relief & Development Responds to the Earthquake in Haiti 

Press Release

August 18, 2021

Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and other partners in response to the devastating earthquake that struck on Saturday, August 14, 2021. The organization’s first grant is through the diocese and will support 400 vulnerable households in 21 isolated communities.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti’s southern peninsula and, as of Wednesday, August 18, it had caused nearly 2,000 deaths and injured more than 9,000 people, according to the United Nations. The UN also said the quake impacted more than 1.2 million people. The quake destroyed buildings and infrastructure, including nearly 61,000 homes, and damaged more than 76,000 more.

Thousands of families are in need of humanitarian assistance. The Haitian Civil Protection General Directorate says 137,000 families have been affected in the Sud, Grand’Anse and Nippes departments. About 500,000 people – 40 percent of the total population in the affected departments – are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. Rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy rains and winds from Tropical Storm Grace and the full extent of the damage has yet to be determined.

The Diocese of Haiti, in collaboration with its congregations on the southern peninsula, quickly assessed the most urgent needs of vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, mothers with young children, the elderly and people whose homes were damaged or destroyed. The diocese selected 400 families in hard-to-reach areas that have been affected by the earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace. With Episcopal Relief & Development’s support, these families will receive direct assistance so that they can meet basic needs such as food, medicine and housing.

“For marginalized groups, the combined impact of COVID-19, the earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace has the potential to be devastating,” said Ernest Cajuste, Senior Program Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “Episcopal Relief & Development is working with partners such as the Diocese of Haiti to support these individuals and families as they maintain their livelihoods, assets and dignity.”

Episcopal Relief & Development remains in close contact with the diocese and other partner organizations on the ground in Haiti as leaders assess needs in their communities. Please continue to pray for those who have been affected by the earthquake, tropical storm and COVID-19. Donations to the Haiti Fund will help the organization to continue to respond to this disaster.

For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.

Supporting Partners in Haiti After the August 2021 Earthquake

Web Statement

August 16, 2021

Episcopal Relief & Development is in close contact with long-term development partners in Haiti after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the country on Saturday, August 14, 2021. The earthquake killed over a thousand people, caused structures to collapse and triggered landslides and flooding in the western part of the nation.

Our partners, including the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, have been assessing damage and checking in on the status of priests, parishes and community members. While the full extent of the damage has yet to be determined, initial reports are of over one thousand dead and over five thousand injured, centered in the departments of Grand Anse, Sud and Nippes. The US State Department has estimated over 1.6 million people have been affected. 

“We are deeply saddened by the reports coming from our friends and partners in Haiti,” said Abagail Nelson, Executive Vice President, Episcopal Relief & Development. “We pray for their safety as Tropical Storm Grace approaches the country. We are currently mobilizing to work with an array of development partners to meet the immediate and long-term needs of affected communities.”  

Please pray for our siblings in Haiti and all those affected by this earthquake. Donations to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti Fund will support the organization’s continued emergency response efforts in Haiti.

For 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.