Thanks to the giving nature of Worldwide ERC® members working in tandem with the Foundation for Workforce Mobility, more than $11,000 of support was provided to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, also known as “Doctors Without Borders”), an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion, and natural or man-made disasters.
Foundation Charitable Outreach Vice Chair Sheila Barr, CRP, Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate, reports that, “We decided quickly to earmark $2,500 in Foundation funds for Haiti, and encouraged our members to give through the Foundation to match the contribution. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our members, whose responses more than tripled our original donation. We selected MSF for its pre-earthquake placement in Haiti, knowing that they already had an infrastructure and network established, and because they are one of the most highly rated charitable groups in organizational efficiency and capacity. Nearly 88 percent of MSF funds go directly to delivering its programs, and only 12.6 percent of costs go to administration and fundraising. The work of MSF in Haiti continues, and recent reports show us that though essential needs (food and water) are being provided, there are still many families and individuals who are without shelter, and the need for medical attention continues to be critical. The earthquake interrupted basic medical care that already kept MSF's emergency facilities busy, so alongside injuries from the quake, there is also, according to MSF, ‘a flow of every kind of patient’ with needs from illnesses like gastrointestinal problems or respiratory tract infections, psychological trauma, and tetanus, obstetric and post-operative care requirements.”
The MSF’s work in Haiti extends beyond medical care, too. A recent MSF report noted that living conditions for people who lost their homes and are now in camps under makeshift shelter are particularly difficult, with the need for water and sanitation being one of the most pressing issues. The latest MSF contributions include a plan to supply the 7,000 people living in the camps near the St. Louis Hospital (an inflatable hospital with sterile care rooms that was installed after the earthquake) and the identification of nearly 30 sites where they will be working to provide water, trucking, and latrines. In total, MSF is improving access to water and sanitation for around 40,000 displaced people in the Port-au-Prince and Léôgane areas.
Heartfelt thanks to the Worldwide ERC® contributors who expanded the Foundation’s original MSF donation, and to all of our members whose kindness, benevolence, and compassion brought aid to Haiti through personal and professional connections, organizations, and groups.