DLA Piper Donates $140,000 to CHF International to Help Haitian Communities Recovering from Earthquake

SILVER SPRING, Md., April 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CHF International (CHF), the Silver Spring-MD based international development and humanitarian assistance organization, today announced details regarding a generous donation from DLA Piper, which will go toward helping the people of Haiti recover from the devastating January 12 earthquake. Together, DLA Piper and its attorneys and staff donated $140,000 to CHF's work in Haiti, helping to provide safe and sanitary shelter for thousands of homeless Haitians in the country's capital and other regions.

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Michael E. Doyle, President and CEO of CHF International said: "Not only will DLA Piper's generous donation enable us to safely house hundreds of Haitian families, the method by which we work – involving the community at every step in prioritization and construction – will mean that the people we house learn construction techniques for life that will result in buildings that stand up to earthquakes and adverse weather, and that will improve their chances of employment. So the donation will help us provide immediate relief while also making a long-term difference to the people of Haiti. CHF International thanks DLA Piper for its continued generosity in helping communities in need around the world."

CHF is currently undertaking rubble removal and shelter projects in earthquake struck Haiti. The organization is employing thousands of Haitians in cash for work projects to remove debris from key roads, public buildings and drainage canals – a high priority with the rainy season underway. CHF is also working to provide over 5,600 Haitian families with temporary homes that are earthquake and hurricane resistant, where they can live for up to two years while permanent housing is built. DLA Piper's donation is vital to helping provide that safe and sanitary shelter to hundreds of Haitian families.

"At DLA Piper we are committed to working to improve health care, hunger, economic development, law reform and human rights worldwide," said Sheldon Krantz, Partner of DLA Piper and New Perimeter Director.  "We are pleased to partner with CHF International in Haiti because of its impressive record of responding quickly and effectively to disaster relief needs. We also strongly support CHF International's priority of providing shelter and employment for Haiti's earthquake struck communities."

DLA Piper is a long-term partner of CHF, generously supporting the organization's Tsunami response in Indonesia and providing pro bono legal advice for CHF's micro and SME finance activities that help entrepreneurs in Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. DLA Piper and CHF will also explore ways that they can work together to assist Haiti in its longer term recovery effort.

ABOUT CHF INTERNATIONAL:

CHF International is an international development organization founded in 1952 that works in post-conflict, unstable and developing countries.  CHF partners with communities around the world to help them to improve and direct their lives and livelihoods.  The organization believes that those best suited to decide what a community needs are the community itself.  CHF is a politically neutral, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.  For more information, visit www.chfinternational.org.  

ABOUT DLA PIPER:

DLA Piper has 3,500 lawyers in 29 countries and 67 offices throughout the US, UK, Continental Europe, Middle East, Latin America and Asia.  For more information, visit: www.dlapiper.com.

SOURCE CHF International