Grassroots relief mission to Haiti

Some of you have expressed an interest in lending assistance to Haiti, so I though I'd detail an effort I'm involved with. I'm not coordinating efforts, but I'll include as many links as I can so you can get plugged in if you are interested in participating.

Primarily looking for medical supplies, blankets, and food staples (bulk rice, beans, etc.). This will end up on small planes with limited payloads, so big and heavy doesn't work.

The disaster in Port-Au-Prince left so many people destitute that survivors started fleeing the city. Haiti has a population of about 9 million, but 2 1/5 million of them lived in Port-Au-Prince.

As the refugees evacuate the city, they are completely overwhelming the smaller towns and villages. Even areas that were not damaged by the quake simply do not have the supplies and resources to assist the huge numbers of people pouring into them. Aid is needed throughout the country, not just in Port-Au-Prince.

The problem is that the airfields in the northern coastal areas of Haiti are much too small for large airplanes. The aid agency cargo planes and military transport planes can't land there, and there are no ports for large ships to dock.

So, several mission agencies have joined together to lend assistance. It's a long daisy chain that includes drop off points, trucking companies, storage facilities, a small armada of little planes, agencies on the ground in 3 different countries, and a slew of volunteers along the way.

In Atlanta, our own DIY Auto Tune has agreed to be a drop off point. 3690 Burnette Park Dr. Suite D, Sewanee, GA 30024 Matt Cramer can be reached through this board (we know him as MadScientistMatt) to arrange drop offs.

From there, the supplies will be trailered to Albany GA. Byne Memorial Baptist Church is collecting goods in their sanctuary, and several banks in town are also drop off points.

Mission Change in Albany is collecting funds for fuel, etc. and coordinating efforts from there. WALB article

I will be part of a team of small planes that leaves from here next week to be involved. So far, three planes are going. Maybe a couple more.

While we are flying out of Albany, tractor trailers will be hauling donated supplies to a secure hanger in Ft Lauderdale. This will be a staging area for the planes.

The 3 small planes will land in Nassau, Bahamas, where Bahamas Methodist Habitat is coordinating a hanger and staging area and flights to Haiti.

Bahamas Habitat (video) is already flying planes from here to a small airfield in Cap Hatien, Haiti. So far since Saturday, 9 planes have flown 60,000 lbs of supplies and evacuated 35 people. Our planes from Albany will join this little armada and assist in ferrying goods back and forth from Ft Lauderdale to Nassau, and from Nassau to Haiti.

In Haiti, another aid agency with established contacts is handling the distribution.

It's quite an amazing achievement! Feel free to plug in to any link along the way.

I'll post more as I know it.

I have a question-

Is there any way that people that are nowhere near the chain be able to purchase stuff along the way for you to take with you?

I'd like to find a 50lb bag of beans and a 50lb bag of rice that I can put on one of your planes- but 1) I have no way to buy it 2000 miles away, and 2) not sure how to even get it to you.

Oh, and what about portable water filtration systems- is there any streams and rivers that can be helped? Or would it be better just to ship down bleach to use in small enough amounts to make water drinkable?

I want to help, but can't participate in the chain- if I can help insert stuff, that would be ok by me.

Eric

I justed posted an update in the other thread on what im trying to accomplish. But basically, i am seeing allot of great efforts. However, there seems to be disconnects. For example, i have a great guy who already has boots on the ground in Haiti, and an existing organization there and in the us , there problem is transportation and thwey are already out of funding. Other groups have planes and supplies, but dont seem to have the contacts over there to effectively deliver them. Ive been seeking out and trying to get these groups together. they are all grass roots, local churches, local pilots... and then there are the rest of us, trying help but not really knowing where to put our efforts. supplies and food are easy, the hard part right now is funding to pay for the fuel for the planes and the other associated expenses. I would suggest establishing collection points locally. they are probably already set up. once there is a truck load of supplies, hook up with a group that can actually get them over, and find someone to volunteer a truck to deliver. Funds collected should go to the groups that are making the planes fly... Id bet if you called just about any local airport on the east coast, they would be able to put you in contact with a group, or group of pilots that are ferrying supplies, or planning too... those are ones that need the cash for fuel right now...

Being unemployed, there's not a LOT that I can do on the donations front. That said, I'm in Atlanta with a bigass truck in the driveway. If help is needed on the Atlanta-Albany leg, and isn't being covered by tractor trailers, let me know. I can do one round trip on my dime. If others wish to donate fuel money, I'm up for as many as needed.

alfadriver wrote: I have a question- Is there any way that people that are nowhere near the chain be able to purchase stuff along the way for you to take with you? Eric

Donations and distant contributions can be run through Mission Change:

Mission Change

100% of funds will funnel directly through to the planes. If you want to do something more creative (like donate beans or rice, etc), I'm sure they can assist. The Mission Project Director is David Blackwell.

DILYSI Dave wrote: Being unemployed, there's not a LOT that I can do on the donations front. That said, I'm in Atlanta with a bigass truck in the driveway. If help is needed on the Atlanta-Albany leg, and isn't being covered by tractor trailers, let me know. I can do one round trip on my dime. If others wish to donate fuel money, I'm up for as many as needed.

Talk to Matt

924guy wrote: I justed posted an update in the other thread on what im trying to accomplish. But basically, i am seeing allot of great efforts. However, there seems to be disconnects. For example, i have a great guy who already has boots on the ground in Haiti, and an existing organization there and in the us , there problem is transportation and thwey are already out of funding. Other groups have planes and supplies, but dont seem to have the contacts over there to effectively deliver them. Ive been seeking out and trying to get these groups together. they are all grass roots, local churches, local pilots... and then there are the rest of us, trying help but not really knowing where to put our efforts. supplies and food are easy, the hard part right now is funding to pay for the fuel for the planes and the other associated expenses. I would suggest establishing collection points locally. they are probably already set up. once there is a truck load of supplies, hook up with a group that can actually get them over, and find someone to volunteer a truck to deliver. Funds collected should go to the groups that are making the planes fly... Id bet if you called just about any local airport on the east coast, they would be able to put you in contact with a group, or group of pilots that are ferrying supplies, or planning too... those are ones that need the cash for fuel right now...

Funds shouldn't be that hard.

People who own airplanes know bankers. They are frequently business owners, etc with good relations with bankers. We made a couple of calls and immediately had both funds and local drop off points at the banks. Tell the pilots to make some calls.

You are right- the first point is knowing you've got boots on the ground in country.

Dave - if Paul isn't able to arrange for a tractor trailer, we could split hauling duties for the Atlanta to Albany leg. I've got another large truck but would only be able to use it on weekends. So if you could cover a weekday trip or two, that would be great. Right now we don't have any cargo here, but I'll let you know.

MadScientistMatt wrote: Dave - if Paul isn't able to arrange for a tractor trailer, we could split hauling duties for the Atlanta to Albany leg. I've got another large truck but would only be able to use it on weekends. So if you could cover a weekday trip or two, that would be great. Right now we don't have any cargo here, but I'll let you know.

Done. I've got an uncovered 8' bed (not ideal) and can tow a lot (better). Do we have access to an enclosed trailer?

You can also check out www.bahamashabitat.org. They have a lot of info about the airlift and are co-ordinating. I have spoken to the executive director there, Abe McIntire, sounds like they are well organized. They need planes, pilots, and gas money. I have talked to a number of my customers and suppliers and they are stepping up. I'm going to visit the base of operations here at the Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport tomorrow and see what is happening. Also will have a modest donation to deliver. I hope there are good hearted folks that will donate to keep em' flying. I'm hoping that I get to make a flight next week. Everything they take there goes directly to the doctors and the people in need, nothing is handled by any governmental or military staff. Most of this is being handled by Christian Missionary groups. And I'm not a Christian.

Jed is speaking to some of his coworkers today and I am working out some other donations, and we will get whatever we come up with in the mail by Saturday (Monday at the latest).

Abe told me that, in addition to medical supplies, they need real basics- rice, beans, cooking oil. All too heavy for you guys to send. Wifey and I are going to try to get some donations from local ethnic markets over the weekend. Or, ya'll can have a road trip to sunny, warm, Ft. Lauderdale. Tour guide available.

cwh, given the quick turn time on all of this, would you be able to accept cash donations directly? Since you are local to the base airport, we could send you money to buy supplies, which you could then deliver to the take off point.

Would something like dried meat be appropriate for shipping? For the protein content it's pretty lightweight.

I was hesitant to handle cash, but will do it. My business accepts credit cards, but not AmEx, so we can do that. PM me for the details. If you want to send dried meat you can send it to me as well. Again, PM me for instructions.

Thanks! That would be the most direct route for those of us not able to get hard goods to you directly.

How about Paypal?

I don't have an enclosed trailer myself. We might have to use a tarp or something if we used your truck.

I'm not set up for paypal, just the real cards.

Our plane is fixed. Looks like my first flight out may be Sun. morning.

CWH and I are hooking up with the same agency. He's on the ground in Ft Lauderdale, so an excellent connection. I'm gonna try to get him airborne.

MadScientistMatt: Call when you have a plan for when you'd like to ship out. If it gets to be too much for you to haul, I'll figure out a way to get a big truck there. If you don't reach me, leave a message. I might be in Haiti.

Anything anyone gets to the hanger in FL by whatever means in the next few weeks will get there, one way or another. If more stuff arrives than the little planes can handle, they've got access to a DC-3

cwh wrote: Abe told me that, in addition to medical supplies, they need real basics- rice, beans, cooking oil. All too heavy for you guys to send. Wifey and I are going to try to get some donations from local ethnic markets over the weekend. Or, ya'll can have a road trip to sunny, warm, Ft. Lauderdale. Tour guide available.

Flat rate boxes

If it were in the budget for us to drive stuff down ourselves, we definitely would.

Flat rate boxes won't do it. I made the commitment, send me the money for local purchase. You can trust me, I'm a salesman. I wanna ride in a DC-3, lifelong fantasy. Will go in anything that I can help with.

cwh,

PM sent

Fantastic. I have had a nice number of offers from the really great people here. Jane and I are going shopping tomorrow. Those of you that send your credit card info- I will send you a supermarket receipt showing that your money was properly applied. Will drop off at the airport when gathered. We even have home made blankets coming down from morbid. What a great family I have here!! Bonus Karma points to all!!

SVreX wrote: Our plane is fixed. Looks like my first flight out may be Sun. morning.

Be careful. My g/f's sister is an EMT, and recently told us the tale of some co-workers that were on a larger plane (MD80?) trying to get into Port-au-Prince. They believed they hit a smaller plane on decent during all that night flying last week.

Don't tell that story to my wife.

I've spent a lot of time in disaster relief. Dozens of tornadoes, 4 hurricanes, 2 earthquakes, half a dozen floods, etc. I used to live on the border of Haiti, so I've got a pretty good idea what to expect.

Accidents happen. My wife and I both understand that going into this.

But some of us are wired to do this kind of stuff. That's me.

So, I will take your advice and be careful. I'll appreciate the prayers.