Four Million Meals Distributed by The Salvation Army in Haiti (Update 29 March)

MORE than 10 weeks after the 12 January earthquake that brought devastation to Haiti, the number of meals distributed by The Salvation Army has now passed four million.

Most of the meals have been given out in Port-au-Prince, where The Salvation Army has responsibility for 20,000 people living in temporary shelters. But throughout Haiti, food items continue to be distributed to small towns, churches, schools and in other locations.

The Salvation Army has served in Haiti since 1950 and had 200 officers and staff there before the earthquake. Because many relationships were already established, the Army has been able to organise the distribution of food, non-food items and medical care on a large scale, as well as offering spiritual support.

The Salvation Army is working with an organisation called Numana to provide its packaged meals, which consist of rice, soy, freeze-dried vegetables with chicken flavouring and vitamins to help the immune system. Each packet given out contains a meal for five people.

There are still 7,374,220 Numana meals in the pipeline, some already in Haiti ready for distribution and the rest waiting to be delivered. Meals are being packaged by volunteers at mass events throughout the USA. Over one weekend in Bell, California, volunteers packaged 1,022,736 meals. Rice and beans are also being shipped as they are a staple food for Haitians.