W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Every Child Thrives
At 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the southern peninsula of Haiti. It was a shallow temblor (only 10 km deep), and therefore all the more destructive, bringing down large parts of nearby towns and cities. As of Aug. 18, authorities were reporting more than 2,100 killed and more than 12,200 injured. More than 37,000 homes were destroyed and tens of thousands of residents displaced.
Ever since the 2010 earthquake that devastated the capital region, we have been supporting community-led initiatives and the development of strong alliances among organizations in central and southern Haiti. Eleven years later, in the aftermath of another devastating earthquake, many of our grantees have been using those alliances in a strong, local-led response.
The organizations that can best respond at this urgent moment are those with a long-term commitment to the children and families of local communities. We call on those wanting to help Haiti to support the local networks collaborating to meet the immediate needs of those most affected by this terrible disaster.