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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE Jan 27-Feb. 2, 2010 Page A-2
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Help pouring in for Haitians as death count grows
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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
479 LEDYARD • DETROIT MI 48201
By Pharoh Martin and
ments that calls out for Ameri- even more damaging than the Said Gary Flowers, execu- and service organizations that (313) 963-5522 • FAX (313) 963-8788
Kendra Desrosiers
can leadership,’’ Obama said. storms of 2008. As much as tive director of the Black Lead- make up the Black Leader-
OFFICE HOURS:
NNPA National and
Not even a week before the
one can be at this time, I am ership Forum, “When disasters ship Forum, come together to
Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
disaster, USAID swore in new
encouraged by statements of like this occur, organizations, assist in the relief effort and
Special Correspondents
For general, local ............ Ext. 232
administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah
support and solidarity from like the more than 30 national provide support to those in
Entertainment news ........ Ext. 241
WASHINGTON (NNPA) — It’s
and its mission director for
President Obama, Secretary of African-American civil rights dire need.’’
Haiti, Dr. Careene Dei, two
State Clinton, and the interna- Homefront ....................... Ext. 248
been described as “The world’s
officials who will likely be re-
tional community. I urge the United States Community (religion, fashion,
Katrina.” The 7.0 magnitude
sponsible for spearheading the
U.S. government, the interna- weddings, etc) ................ Ext. 243
earthquake that completely
United States relief efforts.
tional community, nonprofit Subscriptions .................. Ext. 227
devastated and uprooted the
organizations and even indi-
CENSUS
E-commerce ................... Ext. 255
Black island nation of Haiti, According to USAID, the
vidual people to take all appro-
leaving an estimated 100,000 federal government’s agency
priate actions to respond to
–DEADLINE –
dead and millions more home- that is responsible for admin-
this earthquake and help the
2010
less, injured and in despair. istering civilian foreign aid will
Haitian people recover from
IT’S IN OUR HANDS
Classified: 3 p.m Friday. Copy,
provide 14,550 tons of food aid this terrible tragedy.’’
corrections and cancellations, pre-
Government officials are
that consists of rice, corn soy
ceding the Wed nesday publica-
predicting that the death toll tion.
could eventually rise to half a
blend and vegetable oil, which
Public and corporate do-
they hope will help feed 1.2
nations and resources have
Display: 12 p.m. Friday preced-
million, making it one of the
poured in hard and heavily as
The U.S. Census Bureau is
ing the Wednesday pub lication.
most destructive natural di-
sasters ever.
RECRUITING FOR:
For all news and calendar items:
Deadline is two weeks prior to
Already reeling from a
Crew Leader event.
string of recent national set-
backs, including political up-
Assistant Crew Leader
Weeks that contain holidays, dead-
line is Thursday prior to publication
heavals and an overwhelming
date.
series of hurricanes in 2008,
Enumerator
one of the poorest nations in
Office Clerk
the Western Hemisphere now
has to deal with this tragedy. THE MICHIGAN
“Port-au-Prince is de-
stroyed. We have a lot death,
Call TOLL FREE
CHRONICLE
a lot of casualties, human ca-
to be scheduled for a basic skills test:
sualties, material casualties,
PUBLISHING
we are dead,’’ said Cassandra
Valbrun in a phone interview
1-866-861-2010
COMPANY
from Haiti. The 34-year-old
Publication No.: USPS 344-820
married mother of two works
in the Pout-au-Prince suburb
YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR FREE EDUCATION 479 Ledyard Street
of Pétionville. She was still
AT
Detroit, MI 48201
at work when the earthquake
struck Jan. 12. TAYLOR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Phone: (313) 963-5522
“We need water, medica-
8690 GRINNELL DET MI 48213
OFFICE HOURS:
tion and tents because people
Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
are sleeping outside of their
COME LEARN: Closed Sat. and Sun.
house,’’ she said. “We are HEATING COOLING REFRIGERATION & A/C
The Michigan Chronicle is published
sleeping on the street, in
ALSO HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE REPAIR every Wednesday. Periodical
yards, in open fields and it’s
HOT WATER TANKS
Postage, paid at Detroit, MI. Price
cold at night. It’s like 21 Cel-
sius. It’s cold. I’m sleeping in
WASHERS & DRYERS, GAS & ELECTRIC STOVES
$1.00 and other post office.
a neighbor’s backyard. We are A MICHIGAN WORKS VENDER
MEMBER OF AUDIT BUREAU
OF CIRCULATION
surviving. We are on our own
E-MAIL taylortechofdetroit@yahoo.com
with food we’ve had at home.
POSTMASTER:
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Conveniently located near
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tried to give some cereal to the
DETROIT CITY AIRPORT.
MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
kids. We adults eat once in the
day to make the food last, so
Classes are six months long,
479 LEDYARD
we don’t spoil it. And I don’t
four hours a day Mon - Thur
DETROIT, MI 48201
know how long we can keep Morning & Evening classes available
doing that.’’
High school diploma or GED required
Howard University interna-
tional student Roberte Exan-
We offer classes year round
tus is also from the Haitian FREE TRAINING IF YOU QUALIFY !!!
suburb of Pétionville. The 20-
year-old was in Washington, CALL 313-822-6300 FOR INFORMATION
D.C. when the earthquake hit
and while she was fortunate
enough to hear from her par-
ents she still has heard no
news from other members of
her family.
“My father, I recently heard
million people for two weeks.
from him, but my friends, my
well.
brother is still there. But I’m
“Food aid will be critical in
hoping, waiting and praying,’’
the coming weeks,’’ said Shah.
Corporations such as Coca-
she said.
“By acting quickly now, we
Cola, Digicel, Lowe’s, Micro-
can help those most affected
soft and UPS have all pledged
When Exantus spoke to her
by this disaster in their time
$1 million or more to organi-
father by phone he seemed to
of need.’’
zations leading on-the-ground
be in a delirious mental state.
relief efforts. Some compa-
He told her to stay strong.
The U.S. Navy will send nies, like FedEx and Wal-Mart,
more than a half dozen ships have sent pallets of supplies
“He was just saying the
to Haiti and the Pentagon will in addition to money.
dead people are everywhere,’’
be sending thousands of Ma-
Exantus said. “Everyone is on
rines to assist with relief and
Relief organizations such
their own right now. A lot talk
security.
as the Red Cross and Yéle
about a lot of the help they are
Haiti Foundation, which was
getting but, according to my
The federal government has founded by popular Haiti-born
dad, they are waiting. Nothing
granted Temporary Protected recording artist Wyclef John,
has gotten there yet. Food is
Status (TPS) to Haitian nation- has seen record amounts of
scarce in Haiti right now so I
als currently in the U.S. This donations coming through
don’t know what the deal is,
designation will provide tem- digital means such as the Web
how he’s getting food, but he
porary refuge to Haitian na- and through mobile phone
doesn’t care about food at the
tionals already in the country texts.
moment; he only cares about
for the 18 months by legally
finding family members.’’
allowing them to live and work
Word spread quickly
in the U.S. living and working
through social networking
The recovery of Haiti in
in the country for the next 18
sites such as Facebook and
the aftermath of the coun-
months.
Twitter that people could
try’s biggest earthquake in
easily donate to the organiza-
200 years is enormous. In
“It is important to note that tion of their choice by simply
fact, the recovery will in-
TPS will apply only to those sending a text message. After
volve one of history’s largest
individuals who were in the urging people to help through
international relief efforts.
United States as of January Twitter messages John was
Americans were just getting
12, 2010. Those who attempt able to raise half a million dol-
over the perceived donor fa-
to travel to the United States lars in less than a day for his
tigue tied to the Gulf Coast
after January 12, 2010 will not nonprofit.
recovery after Hurricane Ka-
be eligible for TPS and will be
repatriated,’’ said Homeland
“Either you can use your Students need solid grade
trina that hit nearly five years
ago. Nevertheless, based on
Security Secretary Janet Na-
cell phone to text ‘Yéle’ to
reports from relief organiza-
politano in a statement.
501501, which will automati-
cally donate $5 to the Yele
tions, the American public
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Ca.), Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will
Students involved in volunteer community
has responded fervently upon
chairwoman of the Congres- be charged to your cell phone
hearing news of Haiti.
service or work experience
sional Black Caucus, released bill), or you can visit Yele.org
President Obama has
a statement giving the support and click on DONATE,’’ John
pledged $100 million in U. S.
of the African-American mem- wrote from his Twitter ac-
aid as and spared no expense
bers of Congress for Haiti. count.
Visit our websites to apply on-line at
in resources for relief for the
“Over the last few years The Red Cross has con- www.bestbuy.com/scholarships or www.at15.com
Caribbean nation.
Haiti has experienced an ex- firmed that it has committed
“At this very moment one
traordinary set of challenges $10 million to relief efforts
of the largest relief efforts in
from high food prices and and that it has raised $3 mil-
our recent history is moving
food shortages to natural di- lion through its text message
towards Haiti,’’ the president
sasters,’’ Lee stated. “Haiti fund raising campaign, which
said. “More American search
will need increased attention had donors text messaging
and rescue teams are coming.
and resources from the inter- the word HAITI to the number
More food. More water. Doc-
national community to help 90999 to donate $10 toward
tors, nurses, paramedics.
it recover during this diffi- relief in Haiti.
More of the people, equipment
cult period. My thoughts and
and capabilities that can make
prayers go out to the Haitian
The NAACP also created
the difference between life and
people and the Haitian Ameri-
its own Haiti relief fund that
death.’’
can community.”
donors could contribute to
through their mobile device
Flanked by former Presi-
Last June, Congresswoman or through the organization’s
dents George W. Bush and
Maxine Waters (D-Ca.), along website.
Bill Clinton, he also an-
with others, was successful
nounced the formation of a
in lobbying multilateral banks
“Now is the time for action.
relief fund under their names,
such as the World Bank and
The NAACP is asking all of our
which can be found at www.
the International Monetary
members to do what they can
ClintonBushHaitiFund.org
Fund to forgive the more than
to assist the people of Haiti
The Department of State,
$1 billion dollar debt. She said
who have lost their homes,
USAID and the United States
that the island can’t seem
businesses, family members,
Southern Command have
catch a break with its history
and livelihoods,” said NAACP
begun working to coordinate
of varied misgivings.
president and CEO Benjamin
Todd Jealous., noting that
an assessment on humanitar-
“I had hoped that this year the NAACP is one of a string of
ian assistance.
would be a year of recovery for nonprofit organizations that
“This is one of those mo-
Haiti,’’ Waters said. “Yet this have set up Haiti relief funds.
earthquake could prove to be
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