Delivering food, shelter, and hope to the poorest of the poor
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( Image from Overture International )
Families Rescued. Needs Met.
A 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti on Aug. 14. Cross Catholic Outreach took immediate action.
When the 2021 Haiti earthquake rocked the country’s Sud, Grand’Anse and Nippes departments, we quickly reached out to local partners and U.S. donors to aid affected families. Bolstered by our generous donors and decades of experience working in this economically troubled Caribbean country, Cross Catholic Outreach implemented a three-stage action plan.
• STAGE 1: Address immediate needs for food, medical care and temporary shelter.
• STAGE 2: Continue supporting communities with food and medical care.
• STAGE 3: Help families rebuild their lives by expanding programs to build safe concrete block homes.
Your Impact
Thanks to the gifts and prayers from our compassionate donors, we are now in Stage 3 of recovery. Your support has enabled us to send critical cash grants and also ship, airlift, procure or repurpose 18 massive shipping containers filled with food, disaster relief supplies, roofing materials and beds — with an approximate value of $2.1 million.
Within days of the quake, one local partner distributed tarps for temporary shelters. Other programs that depended on our help included a feeding program reaching 800 people per day, a hospital in dire need of surgical supplies, and 17 rural health clinics.
In the current stage, the focus is on continuing to build solid, earthquake-resistant homes for families in need of safe shelter. These houses are a wonderful demonstration of the Catholic Church’s commitment to compassionate social action that alleviates the suffering of the poor.
Aid Provided
2.4 million meals are being distributed to fight the threat of malnutrition.
3,200 pounds of relief supplies, including critical medicines and medical supplies, were airlifted into the country.
62 homes are being built, and 20 repaired, for families whose dwellings were damaged by the quake.
( Images from Overture International )
Saved From Disaster
Before
After
Monique and her family were blessed with a sturdy new home thanks to the gifts from friends like you. (Overture International)
Meet Monique
Monique Francois, 70, had been living with three adult children and three grandchildren in a two-room house that — like many Haitian houses — was built below reasonable standards. As a result, the weak structure did not withstand the stresses of the earthquake’s impact, and multiple walls collapsed. This left the remaining structure even weaker and the interior exposed.
Although Monique’s three children work (one is a mason, another a farmer and the third a chicken vendor), even their combined income fell short of what would be needed to rebuild a house, leaving all of them feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. It was the support from our generous donors that turned their sorrow into joy. Our local partner, Espwa, saw Monique’s desperate situation and blessed her family with a sturdy, beautiful home. Now they can sleep without fear of the next quake or storm!
Junie’s beautiful new home. (Overture International)
Meet Junie
Junie Jean Denis is one example of the impact you can have in the lives of earthquake survivors. This single mother of three was already coping with the stress of living in a dilapidated shelter before the quake struck. Then what little she had became rubble, and she was forced to move with her children into her mother’s tiny home. Nights became sleepless and painful as a total of 10 occupants struggled for adequate space.
With an income of a little over $2 a day and no education or job prospects, Junie had no means of rebuilding her house. Seeing her desperate situation, our local Haitian ministry partner offered to help.
Junie was filled with joy at the prospect of not, getting her house back but, getting a better house. Then our local ministry partner got to work. During the process, Junie cooked meals for the construction crew and helped with the actual labor, in keeping with our partner’s philosophy that beneficiary participation preserves their dignity and gives them a sense of empowerment.
Now, as you can see, Junie is raising her children in a home that is not only big enough and sturdy enough but also aesthetically pleasing!
Learn More About Cross Catholic Outreach’s Disaster Relief Efforts
(Overture International)
Share God’s Love in Haiti
The Church calls us to stand in solidarity with the poor, especially in times of despair. With your support, we can bring material and spiritual hope to Haiti’s most vulnerable families, helping them weather the storms and trials that come their way.
Support Cross Catholic Outreach’s ongoing efforts to bless Haitian families with food, shelter, medical care and other basic needs.
Proceeds from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures incurred through June 30, 2024, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.