Press Conference: Appeal Launch

13/01/2010

The member organizations of the Humanitarian Coalition (Save the Children Canada, Care Canada, Oxfam Canada and Oxfam-Québec) are launching a public appeal with the support of its partners, including the CSN, the CSQ, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec, the FTQ, the Jean Coutu Group, the ROCAHD, and Mélanie Renaud, Oxfam-Québec’s ambassadress for Haiti.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pierre Véronneau, Executive Director of Oxfam-Québec announces the launch of the Humanitarian Coalition Appeal. Photo Credit: Sylvie Trépanier

“We will be drawing upon our 30 years of experience in Haiti to protect the children who have become vulnerable in the wake of this terrible disaster.  We will focus efforts on their protection and reunifying them with their families while providing essential supplies for survival.”  declared Rosine Assamoi, Technical Advisor for Save the Children Canada.

 “The people of Haiti are living through an absolute nightmare. They have been hit time and time again by natural disasters and now, more than ever, they urgently need the help of Canadians.” said CARE’s Vice President of Operations, Bogdan Dumitru, who is being deployed to Haiti tomorrow.  “We are facing a catastrophe.”

 “We are calling on Canadians to dig deep and show their generosity at this time of great need.” said Robert Fox, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. “It’s crucial that we get help to the people of Haiti as quickly as possible to support the relief and reconstructions efforts underway.”

"With a team that has been on the spot for several years, Oxfam-Québec is in a position to take direct and immediate action in such an emergency", adds Pierre Véronneau, General Director of Oxfam-Québec. "We are calling on people to be really generous in helping to meet the tremendous needs that this disaster is generating. We have to think not only about coping with the immediate emergency, but also about reconstruction.

“Field assessments are now underway to determine the kind of programs and the scope of financial assistance needed. But we already know for sure that the needs will be enormous. That's why the Humanitarian Coalition and its partners are appealing to people’s solidarity and generosity to come to the aid of the earthquake victims.”

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People are urged to send donations to the THE HUMANITARIAN COALITION, by calling
1 800.464.9154, through the internet, or by mail to THE HUMANITARIAN COALITION, PO Box 65035, Ottawa, ON, K2G 5Y3

Media contact:
Kieran Green

Tel: 613.228.5678
Cell: 613.799.7562