On January 12, 2010, a catastrophic 7.0 earthquake brought devastation to Haiti’s capital city, Port-au-Prince, leaving thousands dead and many more displaced and vulnerable. In an effort to help, Rotaract Club at the UN chose to support ShelterBox USA, an international disaster relief organization. ShelterBox has mobilized a total of 3300 boxes to Haiti thus far, enough to to help up to 33,000 people.  Each box that ShelterBox delivers provides shelter and water purification for a family of 10; the benefits of these kits are immediate and tangible, bringing a sense of security and dignity to those who have lost everything.  A single box costs $1,000, which includes all materials, packing, storage and distribution to individual recipients worldwide.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone that came out to our fundraiser at the Village Pourhouse on Monday, January 18th, helping us to raise a total of $1171 for ShelterBox USA!

Even if you couldn’t make the fundraiser, it is still not too late to contribute! We will continue accepting donations online indefinitely, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting ShelterBox USA when you click the “Donate” button below. I encourage you to read more about the organization by visiting www.shelterboxusa.org, but here is an example of how your donation can make a difference:

$50: Would almost buy the cookware and tools that go into a ShelterBox, which ultimately can provide basic survival essentials for ten people after a natural disaster.

$100: Would just about cover the blankets, water-purification tablets, and water containers for one box.

$500: Would cover the empty container, a family tent, and the cost of transporting the box, depending on the location of the disaster.

$50,000: Would allow Shelterbox to supply about 50 complete boxes, the difference between life and death to 500 people in a disaster like Southeast Asia’s 2004 tsunami.

Please contact Nicole@RotaractNewYorkCity.org with any questions or for more information.