On July 7th, Haiti’s president was assassinated in his home while he slept, thrusting the government into chaos. A month later, on August 14th, 2021, Haiti was struck by a devastating 7.2 earthquake that caused widespread death and destruction across the island. Initial reports showed that 70% of homes in Les Nippes (the epicenter) were destroyed, and thousands were without shelter. Just two days later, Tropical Depression Grace hit the island causing even further destruction and combining with the aftershocks to create landslides and unpredictable collapses. Haiti is greatly suffering now at the hands of disaster, natural and otherwise and they desperately needed and continue to need our help and prayers.
Thankfully, in good news, we were able to help Haiti in a big way very recently. During our pledge drive, we vowed to commit 10% of our received funding to aid for Haiti. Thanks to the listeners of Relevant Radio who so generously donated to keep us on the air, we were able to give around $300,000 to Catholic organizations to buy medicine, clothes, and clean water for the people in Haiti.
John Morales of Morning Air had Alvaro Pereira, Executive VP of Food for the Poor, on the show to talk about the aid that you gave to Haiti, the effect that it has had, and express his thanks on behalf of the Haitian people struggling so much right now.
Alvaro talked about the political unrest, the natural disasters, and the gang issue that was temporarily holding up the aid to the civilians. He said that over 60% of Haitians struggle with hunger in one way or another and they lack so many tangible goods and needs that our relative stability here in the U.S. maintains. The majority of working Haitians only make a couple of dollars a day. “There is a lack of opportunity that’s very difficult in the country. But you know what’s not lacking? Faith.”
They are hopeful in these times of duress and it’s thanks to the generosity of people like the Relevant Radio donors that their hopes and prayers do not go unanswered. Those funds given to Food for the Poor provided six containers of essential medicines, foods, and other goods to give relief. Alvaro said it was so inspiring to see the Haitians unaffected by the disasters rush to the aid of their brothers and sisters and by giving them the supplies they needed to help, the Relevant Radio family provided fast and direct support.
We at Relevant Radio would like to extend our most sincere and heartfelt thanks to the listeners who so generously donated to Relevant Radio and Haiti, to Alvaro Pereira and the Food for the Poor organization that has been in Haiti helping for thirty-seven years, to the four hundred Haitian Food for the Poor workers who put our aid to good use in saving the people of Haiti, to all of those who prayed for these and all good intentions during our last pledge drive, and to God for providing us the means to help those in need. Thank you.
You can listen to John’s full interview with Alvaro below for more information:
Tune in to Morning Air weekdays at 5am CT
