DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE sends staff to Haiti

MONTREAL , Jan. 15 /CNW Telbec/ - DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE is sending two of its emergency staff members to Haiti to join the Caritas relief mission already underway there.

They will assist the team in providing immediate needs such as shelter, food and water, and will assess the situation in order to relay information to Canada and begin to form a response plan for the long reconstruction process that lies ahead.

"Our partners on the ground are exhausted. Many of them have lost close ones and are dealing with this on a very personal level. We want to be there to lend a hand and begin the important task in laying the foundation for our work in assisting to rebuild lives, livelihoods and communities in the stricken country," said Michael Casey , Executive Director of Development and Peace, on the organization's decision to send staff there.

Both Danielle Leblanc and André Charlebois have extensive experience in emergency response situations and their expertise will be a valuable asset to the Caritas team. Currently the team has mobilized volunteers and staff in the Dominican Republic to purchase food and assemble 50, 000 boxes that will be delivered to Port-au-Prince , among many other urgent tasks.

All donations made to DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE contribute to these supplies and efforts, and the organization qualifies to have public donations matched by the Federal Government.

Danielle and André will be flying into the Dominican Republic on Saturday, January 16th and travelling to Port-au-Prince by land. They will be available for interviews while in Haiti and the Dominican Republic .

Donations to DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE for the Haiti crisis can be made by phone [phone]), on our website (www.devp.org) or by sending a cheque made out to Development and Peace (please indicate Haiti Emergency) to the following address:

    
    Development and Peace
    1425 René-Lévesque Blvd. W, 3rd Floor
    Montreal QC H3G 1T7
    

For further information: or interviews: Kelly Di Domenico, Communications Officer, [phone] ext. 365, [email protected]