Photo by Lisandro Suero, www.chicagotribune.com

On Tuesday 12, at approximately 5:53 PM, Haiti experienced the shock of a 7.0 eartquake. While some tremors were felt here in Santo Domingo, there are no serious reported damages or injuries in the Dominican Republic. Esperanza has worked for 5 years in the north of the country in Tru-du Nord, Haiti. We have been able to confirm with our office there that our associates and employees have been spared from any harm.

As there are few lines of communication to Haiti at this moment, we ask for continued prayers for the families of our Esperanza employees living in Port-au-Prince and for all Haitians affected by the earthquake. We are working with churches and other partner organizations in Haiti as we coordinate immediate relief response.

As an immediate necessity, we would request from our partners abroad, gifts in cash, which will help expedite the arrival of relief to the region. A $40 donation to Esperanza´s Disaster Relief initiatives will provide a family with the basic necessities (food, bottled water, healthcare kits etc.) for ten days.