As we’re writing this, we know that many of you are starting to feel Hurricane Matthew’s imminent impact on the US. Some of you are in the impact zone, or have friends and family there. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this moment. It weighs heavy on us that as we take stock of the situation in Haiti, this storm will now impact so many people we care about in the US. As our office is located in Vero Beach, some of our staff and board have evacuated their homes while others are sheltering in place. 

In Haiti, we are assessing the damage to homes and buildings in the communities we serve, which did not receive the full brunt of the storm. The homes that sustained the most damage belong to the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly those who were not able to fully rebuild after the 2010 earthquake. Once our assessments are finished, we will move forward with a short-term relief & recovery plan that will include likely include aid to vulnerable families and community-wide trainings on critical post-disaster challenges. We will also focus on the role schools & churches can play in preparing their communities for the next natural disaster. You can click here to support these efforts.

Our hearts break as we continue to hear news and see images now coming out of the southwestern peninsula. As of this morning, the official death toll in Haiti stands at 108, and that number will almost certainly rise in the coming days as the hardest hit areas are still being reached. Several major cities have suffered severe devastation, and damage to key bridges and roads is slowing the delivery of aid. 

 Thank you for your heartfelt support, prayers, and encouragement. Again, our thoughts and prayers are with those in the US who will be next to face the coming storm. 

 We will continue to keep you updated as the situation unfolds. Our Facebook page will have the latest updates from the ground, including videos and photos.