Salvation Army in Haiti provides urgently-needed aid

SALVATION ARMY personnel in Haiti are responding to the widespread suffering that came in the wake of Tropical Storm Jeanne. A Salvation Army assessment team dispatched to Gonaïves reports extensive destruction. The town bore the brunt of the storm, and victims included a family of five Salvationists.

Team leader Major Mattieu Milfort reports: 'Almost the entire city of Gonaïves is damaged, with 80,000 people affected. The most pressing needs are corpse disposal, food, water and medical care.'

The Salvation Army is providing relief in Gonaïves, Gros Morne and Port-de-Paix. Working through Salvation Army personnel and existing church programmes in these areas, initial relief distributions include food and cleaning supplies.

Major Ron Busroe, leader of The Salvation Army in Haiti, writes: 'We are not only concerned for the immediate, urgent needs. A further distribution will include household items and cash grants to assist market women to purchase goods so they can re-establish their businesses.'

With such a large area affected by Jeanne and other severe weather conditions, local financial resources have been quickly exhausted. The Salvation Army is urgently appealing for financial donations to support its Caribbean hurricane response