Hurricane Matthew - 2nd Update

October 13, 2016 Dear Friends It’s hard to know where to start but it’s always good to start with thanks. Together you have contributed over $9,500 to hurricane relief for which we are very grateful. Thanks to improved communication and visits to the affected area, we are getting a better idea of what the needs are and how we can best respond in the short and longer term. To give you some sense of the force of the hurricane, an atmospheric scientist I met last weekend told me that most building codes in Florida require structures to withstand winds of 130mph. Matthew hit Haiti at 145mph. And I heard that a weather station in southern Haiti recorded 24 inches of rain in a 48 hour period. As a result colleagues’ family members suffered death, injury and loss. Wilkins Jean Gilles (HELP ’13) lost his grandfather when the roof blew off their house. Mario Bonvoisin’s 88 year old mother was riding out the storm in her home when the roof came off in the middle of the night and she was left exposed to the storm until she could seek shelter at daybreak. Two of Marie Louise Delusca’s relatives were injured as their house collapsed around them. The included photo is what is left of Yonise Senate’s family home in Cavaillon. It is, unfortunately, fairly typical. In addition to staff, a total of 32 students come from the affected area. Many of these students will be returning home this weekend. With your generous donations we have been able to offer affected staff and students immediate funds for their families and we will also help them access medical care to the extent that we can. Staff and students will also be thinking about effective ways that HELP can assist over the weeks and months ahead. After the earthquake in 2010, we were able to integrate over 90% of our students into the relief efforts. Universities reopened on Monday of this week so any major effort, beyond assistance to family members, will likely have to wait until Christmas vacation. One idea, proposed by a Grand’Anse student, is for HELP students to offer tutoring over the Christmas break to students who are out of school as a result of Matthew. As many of you know, we are holding a 20th anniversary celebration on November 12th & 13th in Port-au-Prince. We have decided that all proceeds will be put towards a scholarship for a student from the regions most affected by Matthew.  As always, donations are welcome and will be put to good use. If you would like to contribute directly to relief efforts, please note “hurricane relief” in the memo of the check or online donation. Again, thank you for your concern, your generosity, your thoughts and prayers. We are grateful to be able to provide immediate assistance to our friends and family in need thanks to you.  Mesi anpil, Conor