How Can You Help?

Join with your family and pray for the outpouring of comfort, healing and restoration; for Jesus to be magnified; and for order and peace in the country.

RELIEF KITS

In addition to donations of money, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is asking the public to supply 20,000 relief kits, 10,000 heavy comforters and 10,000 sheets to be sent to Haitian earthquake survivors.

The supplies will help relieve the discomfort and suffering of Haitians who are sleeping on streets and in open areas because their homes are destroyed or because they don’t trust the safety of the buildings that remain.

Here are the items that you can purchase to put together your RELIEF KIT(S).  We will be collecting them everyday here at Great Oaks and then taking them to Rock Creek Bible Church, in Congerville as they are the nearest MCC drop-off location.  Below is the list as well as in a .pdf form for you to download and print for your convenience.

RELIEF KIT SHOPPING LIST:

Relief kits -Place contents in a box or bag.
-MCC’s relief kits include 4 large bars bath soap (leave in wrapping)
-1 plastic bottle shampoo (380-710ml / 13-24oz; place bottle in a re-sealable plastic bag)
-4 large bars of laundry soap (Some stores carry Fels Naptha, Sunlight or Zote brands; contact your local MCC warehouse with questions)
-1 squeeze-tube toothpaste (minimum 130ml / 6oz; leave in box)
-4 adult-size toothbrushes (leave in packaging)
-4 new bath towels (medium weight, dark or bright colors)
-2 wide-tooth combs (6 to 8in / 15 to 20cm)
-1 fingernail clipper
-1 box adhesive bandages (minimum 40, assorted)
-1 package sanitary pads (18-24 thin maxi)

Comforter specifications
-Use new or nearly new material
-Single/twin-size preferred (approx. 152cm x 203 cm / 60in x 80in). Double/full-size accepted (approx. 208cm x 228cm / 82in x 90in)
-Winter weight requested (please use quilt batting or a blanket for filler)
-Knotted with crochet cotton (not more than 10-15cm / 4-8in apart)

Sheet details (Sheets are used as mosquito netting)
-New, double-, queen- or king-size, flat sheets
-300 thread count or higher
-Cotton
-Light colors

Download the PDF file here (Requires Adobe Reader, Download it here if you do not have it installed)

SKILL
One area of potential immediate action would be for those who have medical backgrounds. The Solid Rock Mission, a ministry partner in the Dominican Republic has set up a hospital on the Dominican Republi/Haitian border. If you have medical experience and would like to be involved in the medical emergency phase please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and specify your area of expertise.

FINANCIAL/PRACTICAL
A second connection is through the River Church in Farmington, MN. For several years they have been traveling to Haiti and working with Pastor Rene of Loving Hands Ministry in Haiti.  (www.lovinghandsministry.org)  Pastor Rene reports they have two immediate needs. First for food; they are seeking to purchase 1,000 bags of corn. This corn can be purchased at $10.00 per bag and they are requesting $10,000 for this purchase. Second, the need is for the purchase of an excavator that can be shipped immediately from Florida at a cost of $24,000. Donations for these purchases can be sent to the River Church: Haiti Relief Fund, PO Box 214, Farmington, MN 55024.

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Third, we are in contact with World Relief, Samaritan’s Purse and MCC who are all requesting donations to help with medical supplies and immediate relief needs. To provide immediate help to these organization you can contact their websites and look on the webpage for Haiti donations.

The FEC has set up a Haiti Help Fund that we will be participating with.  These offerings and donations can be sent to the FEC Resource Center, 1420 Kerrway Court, Fort Wayne, IN. The fund will remain open with initial money received earmarked for Haiti and sent to World Relief, our NAE partner. In the future, we will seek additional funds to purchase materials for work teams that are sent.