Red dot holds disaster relief drive to benefit haiti earthquake survivors in wake of tragedy

Thanks to all in the Red Dot family who stepped up and donated hundreds of disaster relief items during our 100X Disaster Relief Drive for Haiti.  With only a few days notice a total of over $2000 worth of items were given such as tents, cases of water, blankets, food, toiletries, baby formula, and clothes.

Fulfilling its promise to match the value of what was donated, Red Dot 100X purchased $1100 worth of grout which a severely damaged hospital in Port-Au-Prince will use in their rebuilding efforts.  Additionally, Red Dot is shipping ten large 14' X 10' tents valued at $1100 to the House of Hope orphanage in Haiti (see photo at right).  Sixty orphans in this home will use our tents to sleep in since their orphanage building is now deemed too unsafe to occupy. 

On Thursday, February 4th Buckner International will ship all of Red Dot's donations to Haiti to be distributed by their trusted contacts in Port-Au-Prince in order to ensure that those most in need will receive our help.  Please know that your contributions in a very real sense will help alleviate suffering of many who are now injured, homeless, widowed, and orphaned.

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100X Disaster Relief Drive for Haiti

January 15, 2010

Red Dot family,

As I'm sure you have heard the country of Haiti has been devastated by an earthquake on Tuesday.  Tens of thousands of people have been killed and the country is in chaos with literally hundreds of thousands of Haitians being made homeless.  And Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere BEFORE this tragedy.  Now I've heard someone there describe it as worse than being in a war zone.  There is a song that I have quoted before on our 100X website that says, "Now that we have seen, we are responsible.  Faith without deeds is dead."  We see the devastation on television so certainly Red Dot cannot turn a blind eye to this disaster.  It is in our culture here to reach out to love, help, and care for people in crisis and right now that means doing what we can to alleviate their suffering. 

I have spoken to my contact with Buckner International.  He runs their humanitarian aid warehouse.  Buckner will be shipping a disaster relief container to Haiti within a week or so.  They are partnering with Global Aid Network (www.gainusa.org), a very experienced humanitarian aid organization who will be on the ground in Haiti distributing all the disaster relief items to where they are needed most.   Buckner sent me a list of the items they know will need to be shipped 1 week from now to Haiti.  They are:

1. new clothes (shirts, shorts, pants, underwear, etc.) - NO USED CLOTHING
2. new socks
3. new tents
4. new blankets
5. new toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, deodorant)
6. Un-opened First Aid Kits
7. New cases of bottled water (no loose bottles)

Beginning Monday, Red Dot will hold a 100X Disaster Relief Drive for Haiti.  Because of the immediate need for these items we will only have 5 days to collect as many of them as we can.  RED DOT 100X WILL ONCE AGAIN MATCH WHATEVER OUR RED DOT FAMILY DONATES.  Feel free to ask your extended family, friends, schools, and/or your church to donate these relief items to our drive.

I will take them to Buckner next Friday afternoon to be shipped.  There will be a blue collection barrel placed in the break room.  Another container will be placed near the south staircase.  Disaster relief items will need to be in these containers by next Friday at lunch. 

I know these are tough economic times for everyone.  But the truth remains that we are tremendously blessed compared to most of the world and especially now to those in Haiti.  The help we give now WILL make a difference.  So let us all meet this challenge head on and do what we can to alleviate the suffering of these earthquake victims.

Blessings,

Tod Bush
Director of Red Dot 100X
www.reddot100x.com