Sleeping under tarps and in stables, drinking the same dirty water given to animals, and far from their families and out of reach of official inspectors, the people of Nova Conquista found themselves indebted for their food, travel, equipment and accommodations, which is often nothing more than a shack with no electricity or running water.

But it’s no longer the experience of slavery that ties the people of Nova Conquista together. It’s the five-year fight to demand that the Brazilian government compensate them for their lost time. Under Brazilian law, they are entitled to back pay, but the bureaucratic process often drags on and becomes such a financial drain that many workers give up. Not the families of Nova Conquista.

With the help of Catholic Relief Services’ partner Pastoral Land Commission, the Nova Conquista group organized, demanded and received 2,670 acres of land and material to build more than 30 houses in their hometown of Monsenhor Gil in northeastern Brazil.

January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Join Catholic Relief Services in the fight against slavery and human trafficking, and meet the people who went from slave to successful homeowner.

Can you please explain exactly what constitutes a famine?

Jennifer Norman: Death and malnutrition rates and people’s access to food are the criteria used to declare a famine. Famine is declared when: acute malnutrition rates among children under 5 are greater than 30 percent; at least 20 percent of the population is unable to meet the minimum 2,100 calorie requirement per day for proper nutrition and there are more than 2 deaths per day per 10,000 people.

Who are the most vulnerable in this type of crisis? Why?

Norman: Children under five years of age and women (especially pregnant and lactating women) are the most vulnerable during a crisis such as this. For all children under five, malnutrition weakens their immune system, making them much more susceptible to dying from illnesses such as measles, malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea. There is also a reciprocal relationship between illness (especially diarrhea) and malnutrition whereby a malnourished child is more at risk for becoming ill and a sick child is more at risk for becoming malnourished. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also vulnerable as they require more calories and nutrients during these times both for themselves and for the proper growth and development of their babies. In cases of severe maternal malnutrition, a mother won’t produce enough breast milk. Also, because of gender inequality, women are often the last to receive food. In Somalia there were already high levels of child and maternal malnutrition when the famine was declared.

UNOCHA reports that around 450,000 children in Somalia are malnourished, of which 190,000 are severely malnourished. What is the long-term impact of childhood malnutrition?

Norman: Under-nutrition in expectant mothers and young children is estimated to contribute to 35 percent of all deaths in children five and under. Malnutrition can be acute and/or chronic. The immediate effects of acute malnutrition, also known as wasting, puts children 5 years of age and under at a substantially higher risk of death. Inadequate nutrition over a longer period can lead to chronic malnutrition; children who suffer from chronic malnutrition do not have enough nutrients to grow and develop to their full potential. Children under two are especially vulnerable because this is the time of most rapid growth. Without optimal nutrition during what is called the ‘window of opportunity’ (from conception until two years of age – or referred to the first 1,000 days of development), a child is placed at risk for irreversible impact on both physical and cognitive development. This often results in shorter stature (stunting), poor performance in school, lower productivity and less earning potential, which makes it more difficult to rise out of poverty.

There are also inter-generational effects of chronic malnutrition, whereby a chronically malnourished women is more likely to give birth to an underweight baby.

How can a child’s nutrition before the age of five impact his or her adult life?

Norman: Healthy nutrition requires diverse foods to ensure that key macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are consumed. Good nutrition is essential for a child to grow and develop to their ideal potential and it is also essential for them in developing a strong immune system.

What type of emotional and mental trauma can acute malnutrition cause?

Norman: There are various situations that can result in acute malnutrition. Very often, such as in the case of Somalia, the causes for acute malnutrition are very complex and have been overshadowed by long-term insecurity and conflict. Children and adults exposed to the level of insecurity and conflict that has been ongoing in Somalia for decades are already at risk for emotional and mental trauma from the atrocities they have witnessed. Based on my own experience working in Somalia over 18 years ago, a crisis such as this forces mothers, in particular, to make very difficult decisions one should never have to make. When faced with a situation so dire, women sometimes have to choose which child to feed because there is not enough for everyone to survive. This undoubtedly affects them in the longer-term.

Is food assistance enough to help these communities? If not, what other types of help are required to meet the needs of an affected population?

Norman: The importance of sufficient and safe water and basic sanitation cannot be underscored enough. A person requires a minimum of approximately 2.5 – 3 liters per day to survive, and water must be safe for drinking or it can lead to diarrheal disease. The most common reason for unsafe water in emergency settings is improper sanitation, which leads to the contamination of water sources. In crowded settings with unsafe water and poor sanitation, diarrheal epidemics (such as cholera) can quickly spread to already weakened children and adults, rapidly increasing their risk of death. Basic hygiene practices such as hand washing – ideally with soap- can prevent transmission of pathogens that cause diarrhea, but this requires access to additional water, over and above what is required for survival. Access to basic medical care is equally important as the leading causes of death in young children are either preventable or easily treatable. A sick child is at a higher risk for becoming malnourished and a malnourished child is more susceptible to illness. In crowded settings, the risk of a measles outbreak is also increased particularly in populations with low levels of immunization coverage.

What is the Catholic Church’s role in Benin?

People tend to think of the Church in terms of its spiritual role but in Benin, it’s much more than that. The service to the poor is really important. The Church is playing an important part in the education sector, running formal and informal schools, as well as in the health sector, running health care centers and hospitals. The Church is also playing a really important role during elections when they act as peacekeepers.

What is the main focus of CRS and Caritas in Benin?

CRS is in Benin at the invitation of the Episcopal Conference of Benin and our main partner is the national and diocesan Caritas. Currently we have several important emergency operations with Caritas. One of our projects is to address the effects of the flooding that took place last year. We’re helping affected people to find their way back to normal life. We’re providing them with food, safe water and are helping them with shelter.

We also have an important health program with two main components: One is working on alleviating the effects of HIV through the local Church, and the second one is an anti-malaria program, in which we are reaching the poorest through the community network in Benin. We’re working out of the health center at the community level to reach young boys and girls as well as pregnant women.

What does the Pope’s visit mean for a small country like Benin?

Africa is one of the most dynamic continents in terms of the Catholic Church, and the Church has an important role in Africa. And the Pope’s visit really reinforces the action of the Church in Africa. For Benin, a small country with nine million citizens, the Pope’s visit is really symbolic. The recent election in Benin went well and the transition between different presidents was done in a peaceful way. And I think that’s a strong message for Africa where that’s not always the case.

More so, different communities in Benin are living together in harmony. There are Muslims, animists, Christians, and other religions, and everybody is living peacefully together. And I think the Pope’s visit is recognizing the importance Benin had in the past in the Vatican. Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, who died in 2008, was one of the key persons in the Vatican. Benedict’s visit also recognizes the importance of African bishops and priests inside the Church.

Read more about CRS’ work in Benin.

Fajardo: What are the main obstacles to food security?

McGlinchy: Food security has three components: availability, access, and utilization. Problems with availability mean that there is not enough food to meet the needs of a particular area. This might happen when there is a flood or drought which decreases the amount of food that is produced locally or regionally and inefficiencies in the market do not attract food imports to fill the gap.

Food access is the household’s ability to acquire sufficient amounts of food, either through their own production, market purchases, or other means such as gifts, barter, or aid. Often, there is plenty of food available but people don’t have enough money to purchase it, resulting in a lack of access at the household level.

The third pillar is utilization, and this is tied directly to health. A person may be eating sufficient amounts of foods, but poor sanitation and health issues, such as amoebas, affect a person’s ability to retain vital nutrients leading to malnutrition. Other problems with food utilization result from poor feeding practices (due to lack of knowledge or cultural practices), food storage and preparation, and how food is shared within the household.

How do food prices affect food security?

Food prices affect food security by influencing the amount and quality of food that consumers are able to buy. When food prices increase, poor households can either: buy less food, switch to cheaper and potentially less nutritious foods, and/or increase their food budget. Increasing their food budget means that less money is available for other essential expenses, such as education and healthcare.

Rising food prices result from both supply- and demand-side issues. Food prices, in part, are driven by supply shortages caused by recent climatic conditions and poor harvests in Russia, Australia, China, and the US. When there is a decrease in available supply, prices go up.

Economic growth in populous countries like China and India increases the demand on the global food supply, as households consume greater quantities and more diverse types of food, including meat which in turn diverts food crops to animal feed. The diversion of corn from food markets to ethanol production also increases total demand and increases the prices of corn and other crops. When demand increases without a corresponding increase in supply, prices subsequently increase.

What impact do gasoline prices have on food security?

When gas prices increase the price of food also increases due to the higher costs of agricultural inputs, processing and transportation. Oil, for example, is used to make fertilizer, and gas fuels tractors and other farm machinery, as well as the trucks and boats which transport food from the field to consumers.

When gas prices increase, there is a corresponding increase in the demand for ethanol for bio-fuels. Ethanol is derived from corn; therefore, the demand for corn for ethanol production directly competes with corn for food. When more corn shifts towards ethanol, less is available in food markets, resulting in higher food prices.

What are some of the consequences of food insecurity?

Impacts of food insecurity include malnutrition, health problems, and lower work productivity. When people have insufficient quantities of food they develop coping strategies, such as decreased number of meals per day or consuming cheaper, less nutritious foods. More serious coping strategies can compromise longer-term income generation and food security. Examples of negative coping strategies include selling female goats that provide milk and offspring for household consumption and/or income, selling land or seeds that could be planted to produce a future harvest, and pulling children from school so they can work and contribute to household income. In all these cases, the household is sacrificing their longer-term food security to meet their immediate food needs.

Food insecurity also results in the commonly known negative consequences associated with malnutrition; stunted growth, learning disabilities, and lower work productivity.

There can also be negative environmental impacts such as people cultivating lands not well suited for agriculture production or clear-cutting forests to produce charcoal for sale.

How does urban and rural food security differ?

Rural communities depend both on local production and markets for their food security. Many households will consume the food they produce for part of the year and purchase food when they run out – often during the lean season when food prices are highest. Food security in rural areas is routinely impacted by local conditions including: drought, floods, insects and plant disease. Poor harvests decrease a household’s production and increase prices in the markets. This is particularly true where markets do not function well.

In urban areas, people are much more dependent on markets to meet their household food needs and food insecurity is almost exclusively an access issue. Food is available in the markets but people do not have sufficient resources to buy it. Improving food security in urban areas is largely a function of improving people’s ability to earn an income. Where markets and food distribution systems are inefficient, food prices can be decreased by improving local infrastructure, market competition, and policies.

The market has a way of compensating for local production fluctuations. In Nairobi, Kenya, for example, when there is a decrease in locally produced food coming into the markets, traders can fill the food gap by importing food from other surplus areas like South Africa; although not necessarily at the same price. In rural areas, however, it’s going to depend on how well markets are integrated with other markets.

In an integrated market, a shock such as drought that decreases the availability of food will cause prices to increase. This will in turn attract traders from other markets who want to sell at the higher price. As more food enters the market, prices will go down. However, if the market is not well integrated, information about local prices may not be transmitted to other markets or the costs of transporting the food to the market might be too costly. In this case, there is no economic incentive for the traders to move food into the area.

What is the U.S. connection to global food security?

The rise of global food prices is generally felt less by US consumers than those in developing countries. U.S. consumers typically spend 10-15 percent of their budgets on food, so price rises can be absorbed with fewer consequences. By contrast, households in Africa and other developing countries may spend 50-80 percent of their budgets on food. Any increase in prices will therefore require greater sacrifices of other essentials such as healthcare, education or items that would help generate future income such as livestock, machinery, and seeds.

Decisions that we make in the U.S., both as individuals and as a government, can impact food security in other countries. One important factor in recent high food prices is increased demand for foodstuffs as wealthier countries switch to a higher protein diet. The consumption of one pound of meat can require up to 16 pounds of grains to produce. Another contributor is speculation in food commodity markets that result in volatile food prices. Similarly, policies concerning bio-fuels and agricultural subsidies can impact prices and production in other countries.

Megan McGlinchy is Catholic Relief Services’ Markets and Urban Food Security Advisor. She is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The U.S. food aid effort, known officially as the PL 480 Title II Food for Peace program (often called Title II for short), is the longest-running and largest U.S. government international humanitarian assistance program. It has been an important part of international assistance to the poor of India, and Catholic Relief Services has played a major role in carrying it out over these decades. Food aid is ending in India due to the country’s increased economic growth and increased food security.

At the peak of the food aid program, CRS worked with more than 2,500 partner organizations spread over 26 states and five Union territories in India, reaching millions of people. The breadth of CRS work in India supported by food aid included health initiatives for mothers and children; education programs that increased opportunities for disadvantaged children, especially girls, to participate in quality primary education; food assistance for the most vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those suffering from long-term illnesses; agriculture programs designed to strengthen active participation in watershed management; and emergency food assistance after disasters, mainly floods.

The CRS staff in India received a note of appreciation for their years of work last week from Ramesh Babu, an official with the health department of the U.S. Agency for International Development in India:

Today is the last day of the 50 years of Title II program in India. On this day, I thought of writing a few lines to convey my deep sense of appreciation to CRS staff in India and staff in Baltimore for their valuable and untiring support for successful implementation of the Title II program in India. Despite all the odds and difficult situations, CRS ensured that all the commodities imported during the [current food aid program] are optimally and effectively used up to the last gram. I recognize how difficult it is to closeout such a big and old program with no pending actions and major observations. The CRS staff under your leadership, once again demonstrated that they can turn every difficult and challenging situation in their favor as an opportunity to serve the most needy.

CRS faced many challenging situations in the journey of Title II program implementation in India. CRS started the program in barren lands, built it brick-by-brick and penetrated into the vulnerable communities, who are deprived from receiving the government services. The credit goes to the CRS staff in the field, who stood like rock; negotiated and nurtured the partnerships with a big fleet of Counterparts and Operating Partners, built their capacities for quality service delivery by them and through the formal system. I admire the successful efforts of CRS in keeping the diverse group of partners spread across in most states and Union Territories of the country united. CRS and USAID are lucky to have associated with Mother Teresa and Dalai Lama and their organizations in realizing their dreams with Title II food aid.

When Mother Teresa asked them why they no longer wished to go with her, they replied that there was a baby, an orphaned girl, they had been caring for since her mother died in the prison. They were concerned about what would happen to the child if they left. Without hesitation Mother Teresa decided to take the orphan as well.

Though Julie Brown is only 20 years old, she has already lived a remarkable life. Born in Alipore Jail to a mother who died of tuberculosis shortly after giving birth, Julie never knew her parents. The story of her rescue by Mother Teresa is legendary among the sisters. Julie was transferred from the jail to a CRS-assisted Missionaries of Charity home for women called Shanti Dan, which means “peace-giving.”

With one kind gesture from Mother Teresa, the infant suddenly had not only a shot at surviving past her first birthday, but also a chance to make a real future for herself. It was an opportunity that the tenacious young woman would grab with both hands, as she worked hard at school and strove to chase her grand dreams.

Catholic Relief Services has been involved with the Missionaries of Charity and its work from our humble beginnings in 1943. Through partner organizations, CRS has supported 230 Sishu Bhawan (children’s centers) and 121 food distribution sites with food from U.S. government programs. This food has provided countless orphans like Julie, along with hundreds of thousands of desperately poor children, with meals during their formative years.

Julie’s school career began when a generous Australian woman, Mary Helen Brown, sponsored her to attend Loreto Convent Kolkata: the same school that Mother Teresa had been principal of five decades before. Subsequently, Mary went on to formally adopt Julie. Three times Mary offered the young girl the chance to immigrate to Australia and embark on a new life of opportunity. However, three times Julie declined as she steadfastly refused to abandon her many “mothers” and the only home she had ever known.

In April 2010, Julie’s studies culminated with her graduation from the prestigious Loreto College. While she has been a part-time employee of a CRS-supported food program since October 2009, she will become a full-time employee upon successful completion of her studies. Her new job will take advantage of her fluency in English, Hindi and Bangla (the local Bengali language), as she oversees the program’s many food distribution sites across West Bengal.

Rajshree Das, CRS representative in Kolkata, shares her impression of Julie. “She is a calm, quiet girl and very intelligent; a keen observer and quick learner. She is an excellent employee and we are extremely happy to have her working with CRS.”

Julie talks about her new job in her soft-spoken voice. “It is very nice getting to work in a CRS office and at the same time being able to work for the Missionaries of Charity.

“CRS has provided me with a laptop computer and a cell phone for my work, which involves tracking, reviewing and verifying data as part of overseeing the food distribution program,” she says.

Another benefit of Julie’s new job is that she will get to travel extensively among the food distribution sites scattered throughout India. Ultimately, she hopes that her work will allow her to travel overseas. “I am very grateful to CRS for these opportunities,” she says.

When asked where she wants to travel outside of India in the future, her answer reveals a youthful sense of adventure. “It is my desire to travel all over the world and see everywhere! Everyone tells me I should go to Africa first. I realize that there is need there, but, before I go anywhere else, I want to visit America and see Disneyland!”

As the longstanding U.S. government-supported food program in India comes to an end in September 2011, CRS will shift away from food aid to projects that help people become more self-sufficient.

When asked what she thinks about this shift, Julie replies, “When I was small, all my breakfasts and many dinners came from the food CRS provided. Although that program is finishing, over time I hope to become more involved with assisting and training under the new CRS Early Childhood Development program.”

For Julie Brown, the prison orphan, the tables have certainly turned.

[By Steve Cunliffe, freelance writer and photographer in India.]

Even as Catholic Relief Services continues to deliver relief supplies to the Haitian people, our staff is working on long-term recovery plans for this country, which was devastated by the January 12 earthquake that killed over 200,000.

“We are working with the Haitian people now and will be for years to come,” says CRS President Ken Hackett. “Our fundraising for Haiti has passed the $90-million mark. We are grateful for such generosity, and our donors should know that we will spend all of this money, and much more, helping the people of this devastated country.”

Emergency Recovery in Three Phases

Annemarie Reilly, CRS’ vice president for overseas operations, explained that planning focuses on three phases—the acute relief effort that is ongoing, an intermediate transitional phase that will last most of 2010, and a longer-term recovery phase that will last several years. In practice, there will be a fair amount of overlap among the phases.

“When an acute disaster like an earthquake strikes, you respond as quickly as you can with immediate lifesaving activities to alleviate suffering and protect human dignity,” Reilly says. “But this is a relatively short phase, and as we move into the recovery phase, we need to make sure we are thinking along with our Haitian partners about how what we are doing lays a foundation for longer-term sustainability and the rebuilding of livelihoods.”

As the rainy season approaches, the focus of CRS’ relief effort is moving from food—CRS has fed some 600,000 people—to transitional shelter. Many Port-au-Prince residents, their homes either destroyed or unstable, are living beneath sheets and curtains that provide no protection against inclement weather.

CRS has distributed emergency shelter kits—two waterproof tarpaulins, 80 nails, 100 feet of rope, and one rubber inner tube—to 12,000 families. The material will be used to construct temporary structures that should give 60,000 people protection from the rain. The inner tube is cut into squares that reinforce tarps at the points where they’re fastened to frames by nails.

Plans call for distributing several thousand more of these kits plus a second wave of emergency shelter materials—woolen blankets, bedsheets and insecticide-treated mosquito nets—in the coming weeks.

Shelter Challenges

CRS personnel recognize that such shelters are really temporary, good only for a month or so at most. So plans are being drawn up for transitional shelters: small, sturdy houses that can be used by families for several months while the capital city is being reconstructed.

The challenges in providing transitional housing are many—from designing a structure that is not too costly but still strong enough to withstand hurricanes, to finding a source for lumber (Haiti is heavily deforested). Building material also has to fit conditions in Haiti. For instance, a roof made from a single piece of metal that would be fine in another locale could turn into a deadly projectile during hurricanes, which are common in Haiti.

But the main challenge is finding a place to build the houses. The Haitian government is working to identify sites both in Port-au-Prince and in the surrounding areas that then must be cleared and prepared with proper drainage and sanitation measures before construction can begin. The desires of Haitians—many of whom want to remain near their current homes and employment—must be a major part of any decision.

Income, Health and Safety

Markets are reappearing throughout Port-au-Prince and other areas affected by the earthquake, often out on the streets in front of destroyed buildings. With food coming into the city—from the countryside, from the Dominican Republic, from other sources—CRS does not want to disrupt markets with too many additional food distributions. The challenge is to see that people have money to shop in the markets, so the focus now is on cash-for-work projects that pay people to clear rubble and help with other activities.

CRS is supporting the employment of scores of Haitians to clean out one of the main canals in Port-au-Prince, which became cluttered with rubble and other trash in the weeks after the quake. The canal needs to be cleared both to help restore sanitation and to avoid flooding when the heavy rains come.

Providing decent health care remains an ongoing challenge. Teams from the University of Maryland continue to rotate in and out of the St. Francois de Sales Hospital. CRS helped to get the hospital up and running in the days after the earthquake though most of its buildings were destroyed. Now operation of St. Francois—taking place mainly under tents—must be moved to another site so the destroyed buildings can be cleared and plans for reconstruction can be drawn up. CRS is looking for a site suitable for patients and hospital equipment so that this crucial health care facility can continue to provide its lifesaving services without interruption.

Life in the impromptu camps that now house tens of thousands of Haitians also comes with health risks. CRS is employing a number of measures to get information about proper hygiene to displaced people, including hiring a famous Haitian street artist who paints health and hygiene messages on public walls around Port-au-Prince.

Another ongoing concern is the safety and security of children. Even as CRS sets up safe spaces for children in the camps, we are working with the many orphanages we supported before the earthquake, assessing their needs as they return to providing care. Plans call for continued work to ensure the safety of children—including reuniting those separated from their families as the transitional housing communities are set up.

Michael Hill is CRS’ communications officer for sub-Saharan Africa. He is based at the agency’s headquarters in Baltimore.

While roads are starting to clear and food and aid are reaching hundreds of thousands of people, the needs are still enormous in Haiti. Toppled buildings, sprawling camps and tented homes set up on the roadside are sobering reminders of the long road ahead.

New fears loom about the oncoming rainy season and the critical needs for emergency shelter and sanitation. “It’s going to turn into Woodstock out there,” says Lane Hartill of Catholic Relief Services, as he explains that the grass has all but worn away under the tents in Pétionville at the former golf course turned into a CRS-led organized camp that attracts as many as 50,000 people during the day and up to 80,000 at night. To help prepare for the coming rains, CRS and our partner, Caritas Haiti, have ordered materials for 20,000 temporary shelter kits, and are planning for more.

Nevertheless, we are making strides daily and reaching more people than ever. CRS and Caritas Haiti are distributing an average of 62 metric tons of food per day. In addition to Pétionville, CRS has been designated as lead agency for coordinating relief efforts in the town of Léogâne, as well as for serving around 50 smaller church-identified sites. As a result, CRS and Caritas are anticipating helping hundreds of thousands of people in the next few months.

CRS and Caritas Haiti medical teams are treating an estimated 300 people per day. They are seeing a gradual change in needs from acute wounds to more waterborne illnesses, such as diarrhea and typhoid, so a public health campaign has been created to encourage better sanitary health practices to limit these outbreaks. Additionally, CRS is working with a team from the University of Maryland shock trauma unit, which will be performing round-the-clock surgeries and saving many more lives. The 22-person team brought 8,000 pounds of donated and purchased medical supplies, equipment and medications.

CRS is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support we have received in response to this terrible crisis.

However, the unprecedented level of destruction in Haiti leaves us anticipating that many millions more dollars will be needed. CRS had been working in Haiti for 55 years and we will be there responding for years to come, long after the media spotlight fades. Please donate today to help CRS’ response in Haiti.

Catholic Relief Services began turning a Port-au-Prince golf course into one of the first formal camps for the displaced as other staff delivered medical supplies to St. Francois de Sales hospital, getting that heavily damaged facility up and running, among the many relief efforts by CRS in this devastated city.

As CRS works to get more aid into the country-via air, sea and overland from the Dominican Republic-staff are setting up primary medical care facilities and delivering hygiene kits and plastic sheeting, along with limited amounts of food and water, to a number of informal camps that have sprung up around the city.

At the Petionville Club, CRS is working with United Nations officials and the United States military to turn an informal camp that has attracted 20,000 people during the day and up to 50,000 at night into a formal facility for the displaced, registering residents and delivering buckets of food, sanitation items and water to displaced Haitians waiting in long, orderly lines.

“We are grateful to the 82^nd Airborne for providing security,” said Annemarie Reilly, CRS Vice President for Overseas Operations.  ”This camp at Petionville will provide thousands of Haitians with the relief they so desperately need.”

Other CRS personnel worked to unload a rare sight in Port-au-Prince-a ship that docked at the one working berth in the heavily-damaged harbor. It carried 2,100 metric tons of food from the USAID Food for Peace program. Getting these containers, mainly filled with grain and vegetable oil, off the dock and to warehouses along the city’s devastated roadways is the next challenge.

“It may look to many in the rest of the world that those in need are not receiving any aid, but actually thousands here in Port-au-Prince have gotten help,” said Karel Zelenka, CRS Haiti country representative. “It must be understood that an apocalypse occurred in a place where there was hardly any infrastructure before-hence the huge logistical challenges.

“Whatever those challenges, we know that the destruction of this earthquake was so vast that even if thousands have gotten help, many, many more need assistance,” he added. “We are all working hard to see that they get it.”

CRS, which has worked in Haiti for over 50 years and has a permanent staff of more than 300 there, has committed at least $25 million for relief and recovery. It has received $16.5 million in cash donations and commitments, including $1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and $225,000 from the New York Yankees baseball team.

On the ground, CRS is working with partners from Caritas, the international Catholic aid network, to coordinate its aid response. The agency is also joining aid groups in working with the United Nations as it becomes functional following the destruction of its headquarters and the death of many of its personnel in the 7.0 magnitude quake.

St. Francois de Sales Hospital was familiar to CRS as it had been used to treat people with HIV by the AIDSRelief consortium, which includes CRS. The hospital was heavily damaged in the earthquake, perhaps 70 percent destroyed. It will need reconstruction, but using buildings that remain intact along with tents, doctors have resumed work using supplies from the Catholic Medical Mission Board and others, which CRS delivered. The first operation was one all too common in Port-au-Prince: an amputation.  More operations followed conducted by three medical teams that are now working at St. Francois de Sales: one Haitian, one Italian and one Belgian.

CRS is also setting up primary care centers at sites identified by the Catholic Church. Each will be staffed by a doctor and a nurse. At least three are in Port-au-Prince and one in Leogane, a city to the west that suffered extensive damage. More sites are being identified as CRS reaches out to the AIDSRelief network.

How to Help:

Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS or text RELIEF to 30644

Donate online: www.crs.org

Write a check: Catholic Relief Services

P.O. Box 17090

Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090

Money orders: Make payable to CRS/Haiti

“We are fortunate to have had water in our warehouse,” says Karel Zelenka, country representative for CRS Haiti. “We also trucked in family food kits from Les Cayes.”

CRS has a staff of 313 on the ground, with more personnel arriving daily. CRS Haiti’s headquarters building was damaged but did not collapse. Until its structural integrity is assured, aid workers are working and sleeping outside in tents or cars.

Additional food will arrive soon. “Fifteen hundred metric tons of wheat and oil will arrive in port shortly,” says Schuyler Thorup, Regional Director for CRS Latin America. “We will distribute it immediately.”

In the neighboring Dominican Republic, CRS is preparing food packages to feed 50,000 people. The packages are five-gallon buckets loaded with ready-to-eat foods that don’t need to be cooked. CRS is also readying water storage containers, water purification tablets, hygiene kits, cookware and plastic sheeting in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

But we can’t do this without your help. We are asking you to please support our efforts to feed and shelter the earthquake victims in Haiti. Your help is urgently needed. Please donate now.

“Our staff on the ground say that the needs are beyond belief. Your generosity will help us go even further to reach people who are suffering.”

If you have already given, we thank you so much for your generosity and ask that you consider deepening your support for the people of Haiti with a second gift.