Every dollar donated to ERDO by February 12, 2010 for Haiti Earthquake victims will qualify for the matching dollars by the Canadian government. To date ERDO has received over $100,000 from our PAOC churches and many individual donors. Your generous support is needed to help meet the staggering needs for basic necessities and then for recovery and reconstruction activities.

A magnitude – 7.0 earthquake devastated the capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. This is the strongest earthquake to hit the nation of Haiti in more than 200 years and has crushed thousands of structures, from schools and homes to the National Palace and the U.N. peacekeeping headquarters. The death toll is currently estimated at 200,000 with 250,000 injured and 1.5 million left homeless.

We are grateful for the safety of PAOC missionaries Michel and Louise Charbonneau as well as other Canadian personnel Tami Goslow and Bob Thornley. We are grieved to learn of the death of Pastor Gandy St-Hilarie who worked closely with Charbonneau’s. Pastor St-Hilarie was in charge of the weekly feeding program and was also involved in the ChildCare Plus sponsorship program. We are also saddened to learn of the confirmed death of one of our CCP sponsored children. It will be several weeks before we can confirm the whereabouts of all our sponsored children, as many families have fled Port au Prince and the rescue and recovery efforts are on-going

ERDO (Emergency Relief and Development Oversees) is responding as the humanitarian agency of the PAOC with practical help for the victims. Last night January 20th an Emergency Medical Response team arrived together with a truckload of food, water, gas and medical supplies. They will be working the Charbonneaus to treat the many wounded who are in the ‘tent city’ just outside the Ministry Centre. ERDO is now planning for major food relief response through the Canadian Food Grains Bank and other relief aid in partnership with Canadian Churches in Action. We are focusing on the many thousands living in the tent cities that straddle the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

There is still a critical need for funding to help ERDO respond to basic human needs and help with recovery and reconstruction in the months to come. Please send your donation to ERDO’s “Haiti Earthquake Response”

Mail to: ERDO

2450 Milltower Court

Mississauga, ON L5N 5Z6

To give online chick here: http://www.paoc.org/donate/HaitiEarthquake

Contact ERDO to donate by phone 905-542-7400 ex 3009