Here are some local resources to help those personally affected by the crisis as well as ways that you can help Haiti. NHS extends our thoughts and prayers to our collegues, customers and neighbors who have been affected by the powerful earthquake and its impact on the people of Haiti.  We encourage you to help the people of Haiti by donating what you can to groups who are currently working to provide aid and relief to the devastated communities in Haiti.

Counseling & Mental Health

American Red Cross in Greater New York:

• ARC/GNY is working with DOE regarding crisis-counseling teams in the NYC School system, with additional teams scheduled for this week.
• ARC/GNY meeting with Haitian community pastors to support a resource center at the First Haitian Church of the Brethren on Flatbush Avenue.

Community Mental Health Sheet:

• There is a list of mental health resources that are available in English, Creole, and French on OEMís website. Click here for more.

Disaster Chaplaincy Services (DCS):

• DCS volunteer chaplains have been providing support to the Haitian community at the request of the American Red Cross in Greater New York DCS chaplains were onsite at four public schools in Brooklyn providing crisis interventions and support to the affected students and staff.
• Throughout the weekend DCS chaplains have given support to the Haitian community and are scheduled at a number of locations in the upcoming week.

Diversity Preparedness at Drexel University:

• National Resource Center has highlighted a number of resources that may be useful and can be found on their homepage. These resources include translated material, toolkits, online training, and guides. Click here for more.

MediSys Health Network:

• MediSys Health Network has established a Resource Center at one of its Family Care Centers and will offer free group and individual counseling to New York residents.

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH):

• Tip sheets regarding coping with disaster are available by clicking here.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network:

• These guides are specific to caregivers and school personnel and provide good information on childrenís reactions to traumatic events. Click here for Caregiver Guide. Click here for School Personnel Guide.

Immigration & Contacting Haiti

Immigration/Repatriation:

• No declaration of the Federal Emergency Repatriation Plan has been made by the US Department of State.  Repatriation is primarily a State and Federal (not a NYC) responsibility.
• For information on immigration issues associated with the Haiti earthquake disaster, click here to see the US Customs and Immigration Services (US CIS) webpage.
• The Office of Temporary and Disability Office Please have set up a toll-free phone number to address immigration related issues and concerns: 1-800-566-7636.  Clcik here for additional information.

Contacting Haiti:

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies:

• The ICRC Family Links Website is aimed at enabling persons in Haiti and abroad to register the names of relatives with whom they are striving to restore contact. It will progressively incorporate information offering responses to those queries. Persons seeking news from their loved ones can therefore register the name of the sought persons directly on the site. Click here for more. The information given on this website is not confidential and can be viewed by anyone. The majority of postings on the FamilyLinks website are from people who are searching for loved ones. As the Red Cross in Haiti is able to collection information on those who are safe and well, we expect to see more "safe and well" postings from Haiti.  We do not know when this will happen, but Tracing specialists are in Haiti, and this is a priority.
• Instructions for using the FamilyLinks website: First search the list.  Try various spellings of the name. If your relative is not on the list, click on  "Register Your Relative" Family members should search The List regularly to see if their loved one has registered. If there are multiple search results, multiple people may be seeking the same individual and could have extra information.

Haiti Consulate in NYC: Contacting Haitian Disaster Victims:

• The U.S. Embassy in Haiti is still in the early stages of contacting American Citizens. Haitian nationals can contact the Haitian Consulate in New York at 212-697-9767 for information. Due to heavy call volume to both numbers, some callers may receive a recording or busy signal. Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time.

NY State Online Registry of New York Citizens in Haiti:

• To access the online registry, clcik here to go to the Governorís website and click on the New York State Registry of New York Citizens in Haiti. You will be asked to provide the name of the individuals you have not had contact with and provide some essential contact information. The information collected will not be used or shared for any purpose unrelated to locating and identifying family and friends in Haiti.
• For those who do not have access to the web, the Governor has established a hotline 1-888-769-7243 staffed at the Department of Taxation and Finance which has provided this same service during responses to the World Trade Center attack in 2001, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and the recent emergency closure of the Lake Champlain Bridge in October 2009. The hotline will be operations from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

US Embassy: Contacting Haitian Disaster Victims:

• Callers seeking information about U.S. family members in Haiti can contact the U.S. Department of State at 1-888-407-4747.   The U.S. Embassy in Haiti is still in the early stages of contacting American Citizens. Haitian nationals can contact the Haitian Consulate in New York at 212-697-9767 for information. Due to heavy call volume to both numbers, some callers may receive a recording or busy signal. Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time.

Donations

Donations:

NYC Office of Emergency Management:

• Cash Donations are Best for Haiti Earthquake Relief: OEM encourages anyone wishing to contribute to relief efforts for the recent earthquake in Haiti to give cash.
• Cash donations allow relief agencies to purchase goods that meet victims' needs and help support the local economy. You can make donations through the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, which will be directing contributions to organizations working in the affected areas.

Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens:

• Online donations for Haitian Relief can be made here. Checks can be made payable to Catholic Charities (Haiti Relief in the memo line) and mailed to Catholic Charities, Office of Development & Communications, 191 Joralemon Street, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Donations received will be sent to Catholic Relief Services, our sister-agency for international relief.

Catholic Relief Services:

• Catholic Relief Services has been on the ground in Haiti for years and has already committed $5M to Haiti with more to come as current donations come in. To donate, click here.

Dwa Fanm:

• Dwa Fanm has activated an emergency response through its connection with the Brooklyn Tabernacle. To give financial support, donate to Dwa Fanm or Brooklyn Tabernacle.

Islamic Relief USA

• Islamic Relief USA has raised $2.5 million in the wake of the tragedy and is preparing a shipment of much-needed supplies. Click here for more.

Jewish Community Relations Council:

• Is collecting and disseminating info on their blog. To learn more about Jewish Agency Response, click here.

New York Times has published a list of organizations receiving donations. Click here for more.

United Sikhs:

• The United Sikhs volunteers arrived in Port-au-Prince Saturday for beginning major humanitarian relief work in capital city of Haiti. The Sikh Aid team will be distributing emergency survival kits including food, water, and blankets. The team will also be providing emergency health services to the injured.A United Sikhs shipment carrying imperishable food, water, cloths and medicines will be arriving to Haiti next week by sea from Miami. For more information or to donate, click here.

World Vision:

• World Vision has been very active in Haiti for years and has already rushed 18 metric tons of supplies to Haiti from their warehouse in Denver. To support these efforts click here.