JDC Voices

Jacky, Vice President of JDC’s Board of Directors, continues reporting from Haiti.

Jacky, Vice President of JDC’s Board of Directors, continues reporting from Haiti.

As reports are coming in “hot off the blackberries” of JDC representatives on the ground in Haiti, we here in NY headquarters are learning that there is an almost instant connection and sense of camaraderie among the aid groups working in Port-au-Prince and the outlying areas. This is encouraging, since a united front will be a key to success in the impending rebuilding efforts of the weeks, months, and years ahead. Shortly after the earthquake hit, we were able to connect two of our field partners, the Israel Defense Forces’ Medical Corps and Heart to Heart International—a move that benefited many quake victims, especially babies. Watch this video to learn more about the collaboration.

Jacky, Vice President of JDC’s Board of Directors, wrote the following post en route from London to Haiti, where he is accompanying JDC professionals in their meetings with field partners and on-the-ground assessment of the situation in Port-au-Prince.

Food is reaching people in need in Haiti, as relief efforts struggle to overcome nearly insurmountable odds that threaten more lives.

JDC partner Heart to Heart International was the first relief group to arrive at Fondwa, Haiti, the epicenter of the most recent 6.0 magnitude quake. Our partner’s “extreme teams,” small groups consisting of two doctors, a nurse, and two operations personnel are bringing medical assistance to those suffering in outlying areas. Indeed, Heart to Heart is one of the few relief agencies venturing outside the capital to remote communities that, to date, are not seeing any other kind of assistance.

JDC’s partners the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps and Heart to Heart International are making a life-saving impact on the people of Haiti. Above are two photos from the IDF field hospital in Port-au-Prince. See more photos from our Haiti relief efforts.

It goes without saying that in the wake of a disaster, stories of survival offer a glimmer into the devastation and the capacity of humans to overcome unbearable odds; our partners on the ground in Haiti are part of these stories, performing work critical to the lives of victims throughout the island.

Even when hope seems lost, especially in the most desperate of situations like those in Haiti, we would be remiss if we did not share this heartwarming story of a healthy baby boy who was delivered at the field hospital run by the Medical Corps of the Israel Defense Forces.

“What else can I do?”—that’s what many young professional volunteers who are connected with JDC’s next generation programming said after they donated to support JDC’s disaster relief efforts in Haiti.