American Red Cross Gives Update on 2010 Haiti Earthquake Efforts

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Four years after the 2010 earthquake, the American Red Cross is helping Haiti rebuild and recover with projects that enable Haitians to be safer, healthier and more resilient thanks to the generosity of donors. 

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In its four-year report, the American Red Cross describes the ongoing process to ensure Haiti's recovery is permanent, including improving neighborhoods and investing in safer homes, improved access to water and sanitation, better healthcare, and education on disaster preparedness and hygiene. Thanks to generous donations, more than 4.3 million Haitians have benefited from services from the American Red Cross since the January 12, 2010 earthquake. The report can be found at www.redcross.org/Haiti.

"The American Red Cross has supported the wide range of ongoing needs over the past four years with programs that include the relocation of vulnerable camp residents to safer homes, construction of hospitals and clinics, and economic programs to help people earn money and rebuild businesses," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "Recovery from such a devastating disaster takes time, so our programs have evolved to address changing community needs. The American Red Cross continues to utilize the generous donations wisely, efficiently and thoughtfully to help Haitians recover and rebuild their lives."

As the American Red Cross continues to help people move out of camps through a variety of programs including housing repair and rental subsidies, people still living in camps are receiving support including improved sanitation services.  In addition, the Red Cross continues its work to improve access to healthcare, which has included funding for construction, repair, and operating expenses for eight medical facilities – including the state-of-the-art, energy efficient teaching hospital run by Partners In Health which opened in 2013.

Since the earthquake struck, American Red Cross programs in Haiti have:

• Spent and committed $144 million on shelter programs, ensuring that nearly 109,000 people, to date,  have a safer place to live;
• Provided clean water and sanitation services for more than 556,000 people;
• Reached 3.2 million people with cholera response and prevention activities, including the country's first cholera vaccination campaign;
• Provided more than 383,000 people with livelihoods assistance, including grants, job training, cash-for-work and other help;
• Invested more than $65.8 million in health services and infrastructure, including construction or operational funding for several hospitals;
• Spent and committed more than $44 million to enable residents to be better prepared for disasters like Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Sandy;

Virtually all of the $486 million donated to the American Red Cross following the earthquake has been spent, committed or allocated to meet the needs of people affected and to build their capacity to respond to future disasters. Haiti donations will be spent on Haiti programs, and American Red Cross projects will continue to provide the people of Haiti with long-term healthcare, neighborhood recovery, improved access to clean water and sanitation, livelihoods and disaster preparedness, even as the organization remains flexible and prepared to respond to health and disaster emergencies that may arise.

The American Red Cross continues to work with community members, the Haitian government and partner organizations to ensure that its work in Haiti meets community needs and is sustainable well into the future. On average, 91 cents of every dollar spent by the American Red Cross goes directly to humanitarian services and programs.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross