Women Legislators Harness Support for Haiti

Women Legislators Harness Support for Haiti

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Elected women in U.S. cities with large Haitian populations have united to launch the National Foundation for Women Legislators' (NFWL) Haiti Relief Task Force in light of the catastrophic earthquake that has decimated Haiti.

NFWL's leadership quickly mobilized to find ways to aid in the relief effort as reports of the large scale devastation began to roll in. Working with longtime partner Nourish America, legislators across the nation plan to harness Americans' desire to help.

The NFWL Haiti Relief Task Force, headed by Representative Yolly Roberson (Miami, FL), Representative Rosita Youngblood (Philadelphia, PA), Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (Philadelphia, PA), Representative Helen Giddings (Dallas, TX) and Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson (Bronx, NY), aims to streamline communications, identify swift and direct methods of delivery for needed supplies, and implement long-term strategies to ensure stability as Haiti rebuilds.

Members of the Task Force have been reaching out to corporations and organizations within their own communities requesting donations of much needed supplies. Representing communities with large Haitian populations, Roberson, Youngblood, Blackwell, and Hassell-Thompson have been reaching out to local organizations and churches that have close ties to Haiti as well as local hospitals that have been assisting in the relief effort, to identify delivery mechanisms other than relying solely on the U. S. military operation.

"Our government has really stepped up to the plate and is working around the clock to aid a neighboring nation as it faces a horrific tragedy," stated Robin Read, President and CEO of NFWL. "Realizing the great strain that has been placed on our Marines, our elected women have banned together to mobilize efforts locally with the hope of alleviating the strain on our government, breaking through some of the red tape, and getting supplies to the victims as quickly as possible."

Roberson, who represents North Miami Beach in Florida, will travel to Haiti on Monday to assist with relief efforts on the ground. She will stay in close communication with the NFWL Task Force and she will also follow the stream of donations arriving from her district closely to ensure all of the goods are quickly distributed.

Roberson is also coordinating a drop point for the delivery of donated goods secured by her colleagues on the NFWL Task Force.

The women elected officials serving on NFWL's Haiti Relief Task Force are working to bring government agencies, corporate leaders, and community activists together to identify and implement long-term strategies for projects that will rebuild a fallen nation, permanently. Such projects will center on schools, hospitals, and other facilities.

"Our elected women are only a cell phone conversation away at all times," stated Robin Read, NFWL's President and CEO. "Thanks to open and frequent lines of communication we are able to call on the organizations that we partner with all across the nation to support the needs of our legislators' constituents when crisis arise. Nourish America continuously answers that call from NFWL and our elected women."

NFWL and Nourish America already had a disaster relief plan in place as the two organizations coordinated relief efforts with elected women in Texas when Hurricane Ike devastated Houston last year and floods blanketed North Dakota this past spring.