Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with Food For The Poor to provide humanitarian assistance to communities in Haiti that were impacted by the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

With the support of Episcopal Relief & Development and other partners, Food For The Poor has designed a multi-step response that will support marginalized communities both in the short term and over time.

The August 14 earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace destroyed nearly 61,000 homes and damaged another 76,000 in the Grand’Anse, Nippes and Sud departments. In response, Episcopal Relief & Development, through Food For The Poor, is sending tents that will provide shelter. The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti will distribute the tents to vulnerable groups such as families led by women or those with young children in hard-to-reach communities.

Food For The Poor is also shipping parcels of food for immediate distribution. Over the long term, the organization is planning to build schools and houses.

“For many Haitians, the recent earthquake was a vivid reminder of the trauma of the 2010 earthquake,” said Nagulan Nesiah, Senior Program Officer, Disaster Response and Risk Reduction, Episcopal Relief & Development. “Through this partnership with Food for the Poor, we are leveraging our extensive network of churches and community partners to meet the basic need for shelter, so vulnerable Haitians can begin to recover in dignity.”

Episcopal Relief & Development has a long history of disaster response and community-building in Haiti. Since the recent earthquake, the agency has been working directly with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, Church World Service and other local partners to provide emergency assistance such as medical care, food, clean water and hygiene kits. Donations to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Haiti Fund will support continued response efforts.