| January 15,
2010 |
|
Re: |
Update on U. S. Relief
Efforts in Haiti |
Dear Mayor:
This is a follow-up to our letter of January 13.
In response to the devastating hurricane in Haiti, the White
House provided the National League of Cities with an update
on its efforts, which continue to focus on saving lives,
supporting recovery efforts on the ground, and accounting
for the thousands of American citizens who are currently in
Haiti.
In addition, the White House has established a centralized
website,
www.whitehouse.gov/HaitiEarthquake, which will be
updated in coming days with informational tools and
resources for individuals and communities seeking to support
relief efforts. Families of Americans living in Haiti who
are trying to determine the status of loved ones are
encouraged to contact the State Department at
1-888-407-4747.
According to the White House, cash donations are
the most efficient and effective way to help the relief
effort in Haiti right now. They allow
humanitarian organizations to purchase (often within the
affected region itself) the exact type and quantity of items
needed by those affected by the crisis. Read about the
advantages of monetary donations here. You can
immediately donate to the Red Cross to assist the relief
effort.
Contribute online to the Red Cross, or donate $10 to be
charged to your cell phone bill by texting "HAITI" to
"90999." You can also find more ways to help through the
Center for International Disaster Information, or
through
USAID’s interactive website.
Finally, the White House has requested that city officials
keep track of all offers of in-kind services and supplies so
that as needs on the ground are assessed the Administration
can quickly turn around the resources and get them to Haiti.
Through the League, the National League of Cities will
continue to keep us posted as more information becomes
available.
We also encourage you to visit our website at
http://www.njslom.org/Haitian_Earthquake.html where we
will post the most recent information we have on our
response to this humanitarian crisis.
Very truly yours,
William G. Dressel, Jr.
Executive Director
NJLM
222 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608 |
