Help the Haitian Relief Effort Through AFYA

"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here is a letter to you from Danielle Butin, founder of Afya who is organizing relief for Haitians and wants to let you know how you can help:
 
When we heard the news of Haiti's earthquake, the Afya team connected with Partners in Health with whom we have steadily collaborated for the past two years. We then strategically reached out to donor organizations and hospitals for relief supplies. Today we acquired 300 mattresses from Jewish Home Lifecare in Manhattan to be used in makeshift shelters on the island. Afya has spent the day responding to the incredible outpouring of concern, people calling and asking worriedly, "How can I help? What can I do?"

The news we hear is tragic, the aftermath destruction of a 7.3 earthquake and the resonating series of aftershocks has proved disasterous. Thousands are dead, hundreds of thousands are injured, homeless and starving. Haiti, an underserved and poverty stricken nation, is now faced with a natural catastrophe. It is imperative that we respond as quickly as possible with life supporting supplies.
 
Each of you reading this letter can help:

1. We need financial support to send urgently needed supplies to Haiti. Our goal is to load and ship as much as possible from our warehouse in Yonkers to Port au Prince, Haiti. Please visit our donation page on our website: http://afyafoundation.org/index-5.html. The sooner we raise the necessary capital, the more quickly Afya can get supplies to those in need.

2. Begin a supply donation drive and drop it off at Afya's Warehouse at 510 Nepperhan Ave Yonkers, NY 10701.

Urgently needed supplies for Haiti:
• Water Purification Tablets
• Electrolyte Tablets
• Water
• Small Water Buckets
• Ensure (or any liquid food supplement)
• Respiratory Masks
• Personal Care Items
• Gauze
• Bandages
• IV Starter Kits
• Syringes
• Gloves
• Needles
• Ringers
• Hand Sanitizer
• Topical Antiseptic
• Casting Materials
• Cotton
Additional supplies needed for survivors of this tragedy are the following:
• Sheets
• Blankets
• Sleeping Bags
• Towels
• Closed Toed Shoes
• Clothing

Please note: Afya cannot accept supplies which are expired or less than 5 months from expiration.

3. Volunteer and sort at AFYA. Clothes need to be sorted and boxed by size, supplies must be organized carefully to minimize additional work for clinicians receiving the goods in Haiti. Please email sarah.schuyler@afyafoundation.org to set up times to come in to help. We need you! We need your commitment and your energy.

4. SPREAD THE WORD by sharing this email with friends, family and colleagues. Each person's interest, efforts and caring will make a difference.

Let's work together to initiate an active relief effort for Haitians in this time of darkness and despair. Afya has a history of providing purpose and well-being to vulnerable populations and we do it well. We need your help to bring health benefits to a country in crisis. Help Afya deliver significant donated supplies from New York to Haiti. We have served Haitian clinics and hospitals purposefully over the past two years. They need us more than ever and we are prepared to fulfill on this humanitarian effort. We need you to make it a powerful and worthy reality.

With gratitude,
Danielle Butin, MPH, OTR
Founder, Executive Director