How you're helping in Haiti

Tell us how your congregation or group is helping with the Church World Service response to emergency needs in Haiti and around the world.  Please send us your photos (and photo credits), captions and thoughts. Thanks for all you're doing!

Troop 194 Bedford MA members Kevin Criscione and Austin O’Connor.  Photo: Amy Porter

Bedford, Massachusetts

Bedford MA junior Kevin Criscione decided that he wanted to do an Eagle Scout project that involved charity and his church, the First Congregational Church of Christ in Bedford.  After a visit to the church from CWS New England Director, Rev. Bert Marshall, Kevin saw information on his church's bulletin board about Church World Service Kits, and he decided to make them his project.

Kevin asked for donations at his church, listing the items needed for hygiene kits.  He received both supplies and donations to buy them.  Earlier in the year, the senior high group in the church, led by Christian Educational Director Julie Brashchler, had collected 50 hygiene kits in response to the Haiti appeal.  Kevin’s goal was to make 80 more.

On Saturday, June 5, Kevin and fellow BSA Troop 194 Bedford and youth group members gathered at the church to assemble the Kits, and learn more about Church World Service’s disaster response program.  Kevin said, "Part of my project is spreading awareness about disaster relief, and describing how the kits get to where they need to be."

Auburn, Indiana

The members of the Christian Women's Fellowship of First Christian Church in Auburn, Indiana, put their caring into action in a big way recently.  They worked with their congregation to assemble CWS Hygiene Kits.  And, then 12 of them took road trip to deliver the 51 kits -- along with $102 in processing/ shipping funds -- to Church World Service in Elkhart, Indiana. Members of the group, during their visit at Church World Service. Photo: Ronda Hughes/CWS

Organizers Betty Lou Stomm and Eileen Holley, of Auburn, Indiana, inspect their delivery. Photo: Ronda Hughes/CWS

As a final stop on their road trip, after their delivery and visit at Church World Service, the Christian Women's Fellowship of First Chrisitian Church, Auburn, headed to lunch in nearby Middlebury. Photo: Ronda Hughes/CWS

Saugerties, New York

Pastor Edward Schreiber writes,  "I thought you'd like to know that three local Lutheran churches in the Hudson Valley- Christ's Lutheran Church in Woodstock, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in West Camp, and Atonement Lutheran Church in Saugerties, had a skating party at the local rink in Saugerties on Saturday, March 20. We reserved a room at the rink where we skated, and in that room, we assembled about 60 Hygiene Kits, which will be sent to Church World Service. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is covering the cost of shipping them to you. Our churches donated the items for the most part, and we also had donations from other churches and at least one local pharmacy.

We have a number of items, such as soap and washcloths remaining, and once we get matching items for more Hygiene Kits we'll be sending them along as well. We appreciate your help in getting these Hygiene Kits to people in need, in Haiti, in Chile, and where needed elsewhere."

Seymour, Indiana

Central Christian Church, Seymour, has been personally involved in assuring that the people of Haiti have their needs met.  For approximately ten years, CCC has sent a mission team to Haiti.  These teams have mostly been medical and dental personnel.  "Over the past six weeks, we have had ongoing teams of about fifteen a week, which includes other nearby churches that have joined our efforts," reports CCC member Paula Kemp.  "Recently we sent 339 Hygiene Kits to help replenish the supply that have been handed out through the Dominican Republic.  We are now taking diapers and diaper pins for our Baby Care  Kits.  We have continually supported CWS in their wonderful efforts they make to provide humanitarian needs for those recovering after disaster."

Jasper, Indiana

Jill Hutslar writes about her daughter, Kendra:  
"After watching news about the earthquake in Haiti, seeing and hearing all about the suffering that is happening there, Kendra felt moved to take action. She asked me and my husband, Scott, if it was okay if she figured something out to help the people there. We told her that we would support her effort. She said she did not want to collect money because she felt few would trust donating money through an effort being led by a 14-year-old. She also felt suspicious of how the money would be used after hearing so much about the fraud and corruption that has taken place in Haiti. She felt called to provide some sort of tangible help, something those who might not contribute cash would and/or could do that would help those in need. With the help of Pastor Gretchen Enoch, our pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church, she found your website and the Hygiene and Baby Care Kits. This would be what she felt she could do.
 
"Kendra, being 14 years old, decided her friends were the first place she wanted to start. She spoke with her close friend, Sarah Jasper, about her idea and Sarah asked if she could help. They both approached Mr. Hubster, the Jasper Middle School (JMS) Assistant Principal, with the idea of collecting the Hygiene Kits from each homeroom class and providing a 'prize' for each grade's homeroom class with the most Kits. He agreed this was a project the school could support and gave them the okay to kickoff the effort at JMS. The homerooms with the most completed Kits would get to throw a 'pie in the face' of any teacher who would participate. This got the kids very excited! Most all the teachers, the vice principal, and the principal agreed to participate. Six teachers were selected by the winning classes to 'take a pie for Haiti.'
 
"Our local newspaper ran a couple of articles about the two girls and their project. The girls asked other churches and members of the community to pitch in and donate Hygiene and Baby Care Kits. The paper even published the Kits' contents and instructions along with a picture of the two girls putting together the first batch of donated Kits. Kendra spent every evening and Saturday morning, for three weeks, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, putting together the donations coming in from our congregation, the Jasper Middle School, the Ireland Elementary School, other churches and the community-at-large.
 
"Kendra's goal was to collect 100 Kits. The community has donated a total of 291 Kits. They have put together 24 Baby Care Kits and 267 Hygiene Kits. Never did we dream that she'd get this many! Kimball International, a local business, agreed to take them to the Maryland warehouse for free. An anonymous donor also stepped forward and donated most, if not all, of the $2 per kit shipping costs. I am SO PROUD of Kendra and our community!"

Ada, Oklahoma

Jill Acree from First Presyterian Church, Ada, reports that one of the 8-year-old girls from her church came up with the idea of having a baby shower for the babies in Haiti.  The church put it on and advertised to bring all supplies needed for CWS Baby Kits.  They were able to put together 21 Baby Kits and collected donations to send for shipping.

Ogdensburg, New York

Hard times can't stop the love in New York's north country.

With an economy on the ropes and people suffering from joblessness and hunger, you might think that the people of hard hit towns in Northern New York would have more than enough of their own problems of survival to worry about anyone else.

But when the spirit of love and sharing is alive hard times is not enough to dampen it.  That's why the people of Ogdensburg and other North Country communities of upstate New York are putting their own troubles aside and going all out to help survivors of the devastating Haiti quake.  

"We Are the World: Haiti Relief Concert" to be held at Ogdensburg Free Academy Auditorium on Saturday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. is their effort to give the people of surrounding towns in the north country a way to support their brothers and sisters in the struggling island nation.

Proceeds from the evening of entertainment by North Country talent will go to Church World Service to support the agency's ongoing work in Haiti.  CWS Regional Director Doug Anderson, who will address the gathering, says he is thrilled that "that Northern New Yorkers, who have been through extremely hard times themselves are coming out in the cold of winter to bring out the warmth of the human spirit.  

"This concert will bring together people of goodwill who want to make a difference by bringing health and hope to the people of Haiti.  Church World Service is grateful to each of the organizers and to each of the musical groups for your contributions!"

Franklin, Wisconsin

Deb Bergeson Graham writes: "Our 110 member congregation, Faith Presbyterian, donated $950 through the denomination, going to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and provided 87 Hygiene Kits and 11 Baby Care Kits. We put out the plea to fill the box and folks did. Some of our Kits came from a graduate nurse who was stressing over her boards – so to relieve stress, she went shopping and made 3 Baby Care Kits and 10 Hygiene Kits. (She is now a registered nurse!)"

Horseheads, New York

Ellen Benedict, Mission Committee Chair, Horseheads First Presbyterian Church, writes:  "Yesterday, February 25, our church sent 51 Hygiene Kits to the warehouse in Maryland.  We will send a check to Elkhart, Indiana, for shipping/handling."

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Photo: Ronda Hughes/CWS

At North Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Fort Wayne, the great need in Haiti brought forth a joint response from the World Outreach Department and the Christian Women’s Fellowship.  They had a goal of 50 Hygiene Kits, which the congregation graciously accepted and met. Their biggest surprise came, however, when a congregation member, a Mary Kay representative, offered a Ladies Spa Day by Mary Kay. She and her associate donated 100 percent of their proceeds to the Hygiene Kit effort.  A total of $252 was raised.  These funds helped fill 15 more Kits and covered the processing fee for a total of 78 Kits.  Their Hygiene Kits were dedicated during worship on February 21.  The Kits were personally delivered to the CWS office in Elkhart, Indiana, on February 24 by (l-r) Ellen Wilson, Martha Weatherford, and Senior Minister Peggy Edge.

Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Waynesboro Church of the Brethren had a three week donation period to make Hygiene Kits and raise money.  Pastor Amy Messler challenged the church to make 100 Hygiene Kits, and the church responded with a total of 119 Kits made by individuals, families, adults and children.  In addition, members of the church donated a total of $2,614.20.  Some of that money was collected by the church's preschoolers during Sunday School.

East Arlington, Vermont

On Sunday morning, February 7, East Arlington Federated Church presented Church World Service with a gift for CWS Haiti earthquake relief:  $25,000 from their investment fund and another $2,700 from their mission board -- $27,700 in all!  "It was quite a day for all of us," says Bert Marshall, CWS New England Director, who was on hand to gratefully receive the checks.

Springfield, Massachusetts

In a press conference on January 25, the Council of Churches of Greater Springfield, led by Archbishop Timothy Paul of the Basilica of the Holy Apostles, International Communion of the Holy Christian Orthodox Church, launched a city-wide initiative, asking Springfield residents to help Haiti's beleaguered and grieving quake survivors by contributing CWS Hygiene and Baby Care Kits. To date, they have collected 300 Kits, with more groups still making them.  The ecumenical appeal was covered by Springfield's Reminder newspaper and the region's WWLP-TV, WQQB-TV and WSHM-TV.

See the WWLP-TV story at
http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/churches-ban-together-to-help-haiti

East Syracuse Minoa School students and CWS's Amy Manning proudly display their Kits. Photo: Stevi Wilson

Kids led the way at DeWitt, NY, Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas synagogue, as families gathered to assemble donated supplies for CWS Hygiene Kits for Haiti earthquake survivors. Photo: Amy Manning/CWS

Syracuse, New York

A recent multi-church and community group Martin Luther King Day of Service project in Syracuse, New York, collected nearly $22,000 worth of CWS Hygiene and Baby Care Kits. And the city's spirit of compassion and generosity toward survivors of Haiti's earthquake hasn't slowed, nearly a month after the disaster.

Under the direction of Rabbi Rachel Ain and Erica Bern, Director of Youth and Family Programming, youth volunteers at Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas in DeWitt assembled a collection of the personal-sized CWS emergency kits on January 31. The synagogue intends to collect more during February.

"When young people at the synagogue asked me where CWS gets all of its Kits, I told them, 'From people just like you," says Amy Bobbette Manning, Assistant Director of CWS's Upstate New York Region.

Manning says, "Adults in the congregation asked how Church World Service works to make sure that relief items actually get into the hands of the people who need them." Manning shared photos of CWS Kits and Blankets being distributed. "They were glad to see the pictures recently taken in Haiti as they could see Church World Service relief supplies getting into people's hands."

At East Syracuse Minoa High School, Manning worked with students from the school's French and Spanish Clubs, who completed a Kits collection and assembly project.

A youth group at St. David's Episcopal Church in DeWitt began a CWS Haiti Kits project and now the project is continuing with the whole congregation, reports Interim Pastor James C. Bresnahan. The group will be approaching area businesses to contribute, as well.

Huntsville, Texas

Sam Houston University is inviting campus groups to come together under the banner "Bearcats for Haiti" in a campus-wide effort to organize a Hygiene Kits drive for Haitian earthquake relief. Rick Carpenter of the Sam Houston Press, one of the organizers, said "We think this will be a great way for Sam Houston State University to make a difference for Haitians who are hurting badly now, and a great way for us to make an appearance on the world stage as a responsible academic community.

"We are hoping that representatives of the social, academic, religious and service-oriented student organizations, the Staff Council, and the Faculty Senate attend this preliminary meeting on Feb. 17, where we will present several Kits that have already been collected and assembled by the Wesley Foundation," said Carpenter.  A second planning meeting is scheduled for Feb. 24.  

Organizers say the collection of Kit items will begin soon afterwards and end on April 30, when the kits will be assembled and shipped.

Delaware, Ohio

At Schultz Elementary School in Delaware, Ohio, students and their families donated items for both CWS Hygiene and Baby Care Kits.  At an all-school assembly in January, students were shown pictures of Haiti and Haiti's children, before and after the earthquake. The students learned about the culture, population, foods, language, etc. of Haiti and how people from all over the world were trying to help. Then, they were shown the items that were needed for the Baby Care Kits and Hygiene Kits. Supplies were collected for two weeks, and the collection boxes were overflowing. Student Council members are working now to assemble the Kits. On February 11, 3rd and 4th graders assembled about 40 Hygiene Kits and 12 Baby Kits. "There has been a LOT of snow and days off school, so the progress has been slow, but our hope is to have the Kits in New Windsor by the beginning of March," says Diana Huston.

Ames, Iowa

Challenged by its students from nearby Iowa State University, First Baptist Church of Ames responded to the earthquake in Haiti by assembling and shipping 375 CWS Hygiene Kits. The children's Sunday School class put together 15 Kits, and members gave funds to purchase materials and pay shipping for 360 more. Completed Kits and materials were brought to the front of the sanctuary as part of the offering during worship on Super Bowl Sunday, and that afternoon members ran two pre-assembly stations, two assembly lines, and a shipping department to complete the Kits and prepare for shipping. (They finished in time to watch the Super Bowl!)

State College, Pennsylvania

Rev. Deacon Alexander Cadman, Director of Campus and Youth Ministries, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, writes:  "The parishioners of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in State College, Pennsylvania, sent more than 115 Hygiene Kits--filled with such basics as soap, towels, toothbrushes and Band-aids--to Church World Service and donated more than $1,600 in cash to support the people of Haiti and those in need in other places around the world.

"Members of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University, a ministry of Holy Trinity, coordinated the collection effort in our community. Then in place of Sunday School on January 24, more than two dozen children volunteers aged 3-18 worked together to form an assembly line to create the Kits."

Scituate, Massachusetts

Shirley Southworth, First Trinitarian Congregational United Church of Christ, tells us: "It happened that our Mission and Outreach Board met the day after the earthquake in Haiti, and we immediately voted to send $1,000 from our budget. Since then, we've been collecting and sending Kits. As of February 12, we've sent 44 Hygiene Kits and 9 Baby Care Kits. The Church School is deeply involved, and the Board will join them in a couple of Sundays to put together their Kits.  The Red Hat Society from the church is also gathering kits, and so are the many men and women from within and outside the church who exercise in the church hall three times a week. We'll continue with the collection of Kits until Easter Sunday."

Columbia, Missouri

A large shipment of CWS Hygiene Kits and Baby Care Kits from the Office of Creative Ministries (UMC) in Columbia, Missouri, is arriving today at Ferncliff Center, Little Rock, AR.  There has been an incredible response from across Missouri and they were able to send 14,818 Hygiene Kits and 791 Baby Care Kits!

Rev. June Cooper, head of Boston's historic City Mission Society, was a guiding force along with the Boston CROP Hunger Walk committee, in bringing together a dozen-plus churches for January 26 Emergency Kits for Haiti event.

Boston area, Massachusetts

 When church groups from Roxbury to suburban Stoughton, Massachusetts, joined together on January 26 to assemble donated items for CWS Hygiene and Baby Care Kits for Haiti, they left that evening tallying some 600 Hygiene Kits and about 200 Baby Care Kits assembled, plus a donation from the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ to help cover costs for shipping the Kits to CWS's warehouse in New Windsor, Maryland.

But the group also left Roxbury's St. Mark's Congregational Church that night with more -- more  items still to be assembled-- and more fire to keep the momentum going. They scheduled another Kits event on February 11 in suburban Stoughton.

Building traction as the group continues, although nearly a month after the devastating Haiti quake, the Boston-area Kits effort is a collaborative outpouring of some 13 different churches, including Boston's City Mission Society, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Union United Methodist Church in Boston's South End and UCC congregation participants from the  First Congregational Church, Stoughton; United Church of Christ, Medfield; First Church, Congregational, Cambridge; Boston's Old South Church; Hope Church UCC/Disciples of Christ, Jamaica Plain; St Mark's Congregational Church, Roxbury; Pilgrim Congregational Church, Dorchester; Brighton-Allston Congregational Church; Hope Central Church, Jamaica Plain; Eliot Church, Congregational/UCC, in Newton; and Plymouth Congregational Church, Belmont.

The effort is co-sponsored by the Boston CROP Hunger Walk Planning Committee and Boston's City Mission Society.

Wilson, North Carolina

Rev. Hollie Woodruff, Chaplain, Barton College, Wilson, NC, writes:
"Last week Barton College sent 159 Hygiene and 33 Baby Care Kits to Church World Service. We hope you have received those Kits and pray they make a small dent in replenishing your stock.  

"Barton put together a video of our 'packing event.' Check it out!"

Greenville, Ohio

Chaplain Todd Reish of the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio, reports that on January 26, the community packed more than 2,200 CWS Hygiene Kits. "We had two different times that the Kits were packed.  At 2 p.m. there were 11 residents who volunteered to help; all are at differing stages of dementia.  They loved the opportunity to 'help someone else in another part of the world' and they packed 125 Kits.
 
"At 6 p.m. about 100 volunteers -- residents and members of Church of the Brethren congregations  of the Southern Ohio district -- put together 1,600 Kits in 30 minutes.  Five hundred Kits were packed by another congregation on Sunday."

Hiawatha, Kansas

Elaine Abramson of Hiawatha, Kansas, writes:
"I would like to share with you the results of the special offering our small Christian (Disciples of Christ) Church received on January 20 for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  The total to date is $1,218!  I read aloud the letter that I received from Church World Service and we used the bulletin inserts, both of which were a great help in promoting the special offering."

Some of the Kits brought forward during worship. Photo: Larry Steele

Middleton, Ohio

Rev. Laureen Roe, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Middletown, OH, writes:  "On Sunday, January 17, the congregation of First Christian Church in Middletown was challenged from the pulpit to put together 100 Hygiene Kits (one for each member in worship).  Throughout the week people were posting requests on Facebook, and asking neighbors and co-workers to join them in our efforts to send 100 Hygiene Kits to Church World Service for Haiti.  On Sunday, January 24, members brought in their Kits.  When all the Kits were gathered, we had 175 Hygiene Kits!"

Second grader Nicholas Lecesse (pictured) helped with the kits. Photo: Dennise Kraus

East Meadow, New York

In East Meadow, NY, the youth of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church spent part of their day off from school on the January 18 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, assembling more than 80 humanitarian aid packets for residents of Haiti affected by the earthquake. The project, organized by the parish's PTA, gave the children an opportunity to spend part of their vacation day helping those in need.

"While it's not possible for us to leave our jobs and families to help in Haiti, we can take time to gather as a community to assemble Hygiene Kits," said Father Kraus, adding, "God has richly blessed the residents of Long Island, and this unfortunate crisis in Haiti reminds us of the importance of sharing those blessings."

Duluth, Minnesota

Rev. Kathryn Nelson,  Lead Pastor of Peace United Church of Christ, Duluth, MN, writes:

"Thank you for all you do for so many people around our world.  Our youth and congregation responded to your request for Hygiene Kits.  On Thursday I shipped to you 135 Kits.   Attached is a photo of our youth assembling them last Wednesday evening, January 20.  

"We will continue to pray for the people of Haiti and send financial contributions as well as Kits. God’s continued blessing on your care."

Castle Rock, Colorado

Betsy Nachand of New Hope Presbyterian Church, Castle Rock, CO, writes: "This week we sent home ziploc bags and letters explaining how to make a hygiene kit with our mid-week elementary-age group at church.  We should have at least 25 hygiene bags ready to ship by next week!  It's a small contribution, but when combined with many small efforts, it can make a huge difference.  We are keeping all of Haiti in our prayers."

Millerstown, Pennsylvania

Nancy McClure writes that the Presbyterian Church of Perry Valley has committed to making as many Hygiene Kits as possible!  "We're praying and seeking God for what else we can do!"

Syracuse, New York

Park Central Presbyterian Church served as a collection point for CWS Kits assembled in the Syracuse, NY, area.  Photos courtesy: J. Andrew McTyre

	Emily Russo, Lyn Carman, Julie Pretzat Merchant, Georgette Schmidt (in background) and Sandi Yingling (in foreground) check donated kits and add needed items on Martin Luther King, Jr., day of national service at Park Central Presbyterian Church in Syracuse, NY. This Cathedral Square Neighborhood Association drop site collected 2,141 kits over 24 hours.
	Three-year-old Park Kammer helps by handing Roy Terry a completed Hygiene Kit to pack into one of the shipping boxes bound for the CWS distribution center later on this Martin Luther King, Jr., national day of service.
	Roy Terry does a final check on the van he and his wife, Sharon, are about to drive to the CWS distribution center in New Windsor, Maryland. Roy and Sharon are members of the Park Central Presbyterian Church (background) in Syracuse, New York, which collected, sorted and packed 2,141 kits on Sunday and Monday of the Martin Luther King, Jr., national weekend of service.

Ways to help: Please contribute online or by phoning 800-297-1516 or by mailing your contribution to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515 (please indicate Haiti Earthquake).  CWS Kits are also urgently needed.  Thank you! 

Haiti Earthquake - information and resources