Haiti Relief; Our Larger Church's Missions

 

The Earthquake and Aftermath in Haiti: How Can We Help?

 

Action already taken by West Side Mission and Social Concerns Council: We have sent Hope House the $8,159 collected as a part of the Christmas Joy Offering.

 

Gift of the Heart Hygiene Kits and Baby Kits: After each worship service on Sunday, January 24th, youth collected financial donations toward the purchase of materials for Hygiene and Baby Kits to be sent to Haiti. The supply of Hygiene Kits and Baby Kits at Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is rapidly being depleted by the current emergency. Our youth led the assembling of Hygiene and Baby Kits here at West Side in response to this specific request from PDA. A total of $2,286 was raised! The youth who participate in Barn on Tuesdays took care of purchasing the kit contents and planning the "Assembly Party" on Sunday, January 31st. A total of 70 Baby Kits and 80 Hygiene Kits were prepared for shipment to PDA for use in the Haiti Relief effort.

 

Donations Collected:
$5,310 has been donated for Haiti Relief, through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Another $550 has been designated specifically for Hope House.  $2,292 was collected at the special Patron Series Organ Recital on February 2nd. Those gifts are forwarded immediately. Thank you for your generosity and compassion!

 

Helping Haiti: In addition to the funds already sent and the kits just mentioned, you can help in two important ways:

  • First, you can make donations to support our relief efforts by making out a check to West Side Presbyterian Church and marking it “Haiti Assistance” on the memo line.  These funds will be forwarded to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), which is already present in Port-au-Prince. PDA is a professional disaster relief agency with years of experience in responding to humanitarian emergencies world-wide. Money sent to them will have a maximum overall effect. 
  • Secondly, please continually pray for everyone in Haiti: for the victims of the earthquake, for all the workers involved in search and rescue, for the volunteers and organizations providing emergency relief, and for all those involved in the long process of rebuilding from the rubble.

Hope House: Our friends at Hope House were essentially untouched by the earthquake itself.  Their buildings are intact and no one was injured. They are focusing on helping those fleeing Port-au-Prince, donating food and caring for the injured.  Designated gifts to Hope House can be made out to West Side Presbyterian Church with “Hope House” on the memo line. All such funds will be sent to Hope House.

 

Port-au-Prince

Those who need help the most are those in Port-au-Prince, which is completely devastated.  Click here for News updates on Haiti at the Food and Faith website.

 

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is already providing and supporting relief efforts in Port-au-Prince. Details will be posted when they become available.  Click here to visit the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance webpage.

 

PDA Help to Haiti

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) has received $2.8 million in donations for Haiti Relief, of which more than $500,000 has already gone to Haiti to provide water distribution stations, tents and other needed services and supplies.  —The Presbyterian Outlook, April 19, 2010, p.

National Missions

West Side supports many national mission efforts. Among these are Katrina relief trips to New Orleans and youth mission trips to North Carolina. Each Christmas West Side collects an offering in support of minority education at American Indian Presbyterian schools. There is a rebuilding fund, where money is donated to help organizations and families in rebuilding after fires and damages incurred from storms. West Side also donates to the Presbyterian Church (USA) for ongoing national and international missions (churches, seminaries, hospitals), as well as disaster relief.


International Missions

West Side has sent direct financial support to the Good Shepherd Hospital in the Congo, a Presbyterian-established teaching hospital.  Each fall we participate in a fundraising project called the CROP Walk, which supports hunger relief around the world. West Side also supports Hope House in Haiti, an orphanage that cares for thousands of hungry and homeless boys and teaches them job and other life skills.