Helping in Haiti

In the wake of the devastating earthquake that occurred Jan. 12 in Haiti, the ADA Division of Global Affairs and the ADA Foundation are assisting member dentists and other individuals and organizations who want to make a financial contribution toward relief efforts or volunteer their services at the disaster site.

“The ADA Division of Global Affairs is working with major nongovernmental dental organizations that work in Haiti to respond to the disaster with both short-term assistance to meet immediate needs of victims as well as long-term recovery plans that will be developed to help rebuild dental infrastructure in Haiti,” said Dr. Ron Tankersley, ADA president. “The ADA will be happy to assist concerned individuals and groups that want to make financial donations to the ADA Foundation International Disaster Assistance Fund. We will also try to help match volunteers who want to work in Haiti with responding organizations as and when appropriate.”

To make a donation to the ADAF International Disaster Assistance Fund to bring relief to Haiti, log on to www.adafoundation.org and click on “Donate Now.” Or call toll-free, Ext. 2547 or 1-312-440-2547 and specify that your donation is for disaster assistance in Haiti. (Master Card, Visa and American Express are accepted online or by phone).

The ADA is also in contact with several major NGOs that are requesting donations and volunteers. The list, revised Jan. 22, includes:

• American Jewish World Service鈥擜JWS is collecting donations in response to the earthquake. Donations to AJWS鈥檚 Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund can be made at www.ajws.org/haitiearthquake.
• Cap Haitien Dental Institute鈥擟HDI is organizing volunteer teams to travel monthly beginning in March 2010. 聽E-mail dr.suszko@centurytel.net.
• Forward Edge International鈥擣EI has a volunteer medical team traveling to Haiti Jan. 27 and is focused on Phase II relief efforts and recruiting future medical teams. Log on to www.forwardedge.org and click on the link “Volunteers Called to Action for Immediate and Secondary Disaster Response.”
• Global Outreach Mission鈥擥lobal Outreach Mission is collecting financial donations at www.missiongo.org.
• International Medical Relief鈥擨MR currently has four medical clinics up and running, with the nearest clinic three miles from ground zero in Port au Prince. IMR is activating and recruiting volunteer teams immediately for travel beginning the week of Jan. 18. IMR is also accepting financial donations. Log on to www.imrhq.org for details on how to volunteer or to donate.
• Project Cure鈥擯roject Cure is mobilizing volunteers and collecting donations. Log on to www.projectcure.org and click on the link under the Help for Haiti section, “Learn how you can help.”
• Flying Doctors of America鈥擲everal medical teams have already traveled to Haiti. Teams will be working in a clinic about an hour outside Port au Prince, providing urgent medical care. FDOA hopes to be able to maintain the clinic for some time, rotating doctors and support personnel every few days. Contact Dan Bailey at 1-770-973-3683 or dan@danbailey.com to be placed on a list to be contacted with updated info. The Web site is www.fdoamerica.org.
• Partners in Development鈥擯artners In Development learned that its medical clinic in Haiti is standing and is in the process of having someone on the ground coordinate activities so teams can be brought in. Multiple teams will be going, but no dates or details are set at this time. Those interested in traveling with PID should complete the relief trip application on the relief section of the Web site, www.pidonline.org/Haitian_Earthquake.html. Applications will be reviewed and volunteers will be contacted as more information becomes available.
• Causes for Change鈥揅auses for Change is joining NuSkin Force For Good Foundation to help the children of Haiti by providing nutritional VitaMeals. Interested individuals should log on to www.nuskin.com/nuskin/us/en/products/donate.html to donate. A donation of $22.00 feeds 30 children, $44.00 feeds 60 children, $110.00 feeds 150 children. Use log in “CCI” and Password “America.”

Contact the Division of Global Affairs for updates on the disaster response effort by calling toll-free, Ext. 2726 or 1-312-440-2726, e-mailing聽international@ada.org or logging on to the ADA International Volunteer Web site: http://internationalvolunteer.ada.org.