AJWS to Assist Victims of the Haiti Earthquake

New York, NY; January 12, 2010—AJWS is collecting donations in response to this afternoon’s massive earthquake in Haiti, which registered a 7.0 on the Richter scale. Donations to AJWS’s “Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund,” which can be made at www.ajws.org/haitiearthquake, will enable AJWS’s network of grantees in Haiti to meet the urgent needs of the population based on real-time, on-the-ground assessments.

With a per capita income of $3.60 per day, Haiti is the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere. Thus, its population is especially vulnerable to natural disasters, such as today’s earthquake. Based on initial reports of widespread devastation and a high number of casualties, AJWS anticipates that the immediate and long-term needs will be profound and is coordinating with its in-country representatives to respond immediately.

“We are assessing where the gaps in service are and putting a process in place to help specific communities that might not be immediately served otherwise,” said AJWS’s vice president for programs, Aaron Dorfman. “Because of the economic and political situation in Haiti, disasters like this have devastating consequences throughout the country. Our long-standing partnerships with grassroots organizations in Haiti allow us to reach the poorest and most remote populations with the speed necessary to save lives.”

Founded in 1985, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) earned its eighth four-star rating from Charity Navigator in 2009 as well as an “A” rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy.