Earthquake in Haiti
Staff Photo
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, second from right, advanced a number of assistance plans. In Miami, he met with Haitian community leaders, from left to right, Gepsie Metellus of the St. La Haitian Neighborhood Center, Marleine Bastien of Haitian American Women/FANM and Jean Rober LaFortune of the Haitian American Grassroots Coalition.
The Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti was an unimaginable tragedy. The Haitian people are proud and resilient, but even the strongest nation would have been devastated by the scope of this disaster. I remain in constant contact with key civilian and military leaders to ensure they have the resources they need to carry out their missions in Haiti.
I’m working hard to help the doctors and first responders on the ground get the resources they need. Haiti’s most vulnerable – the children injured by the disaster and those orphaned desperately need our help. I continue to push our agencies to cut the red-tape to bring those most critically injured children to the U.S. for medical care.
This tragedy also has hit home for many Floridians who have lost loved ones in the disaster. I will do all I can to assist them.
- Bill
Help for Floridians
My Orlando office can be reached toll free at 1-888-671-4091 for any Floridians who need help with issues related to the earthquake in Haiti. To expidite the process please fill out this form and send it via mail or fax (407) 872-7165 to the Orlando office. Staff are available to help in both Creole and English.
Giving help to Haiti
You can find information on how to help earthquake victims in Haiti online at Red Cross and Mercy Corps.
You can also help through the following websites:
Haitian American Emergency Relief Committee
USAID is asking that offers of assistance other than donations (volunteers or goods) to submit their offers to the Center for International Disaster Information.
Finding quake survivors
Do you have or are you looking for information about U.S. citizens in Haiti?
You can email the State Department task force at Haiti-Earthquake@State.Gov or, From the U.S. or Canada, call 888-407-4747. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 202-501-4444.
Are you a U.S. citizen in Haiti seeking assistance or reporting their status/whereabouts?
Call the Embassy’s Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672. You can also email the Embassy at ACSPaP@state.gov
Are you in the process of adopting from Haiti?
U.S. citizens with pending adoption cases in Haiti can contact the Department of State at haitianadoptions@dhs.gov for information about their adoption case. Or find more information on the website for intercountry adoption.
Are you looking for a website where you can find and share information about missing persons in Haiti?
The Person Finder tool at www.state.gov/haitiquake is avialable for all nationalities and locations to find and share information about missing persons in Haiti.
The International Committee of the Red Cross also has a website designated for restoring contact between separated family members.
With an untold number of injured children in Haiti and hospitals there damaged or destroyed, I've asked Florida’s children’s hospitals to be poised to receive the youngest of the earthquake victims.
Haitians in the U.S.
Haitian citizens in the U.S. can call the Haitian Embassy in Washington, D.C., 202-332-4090, or the Haitian Consulate in New York City, 305-859-2003.
State Department
For up to date information on the situation in Haiti, visit the State Department website.
False information
With so much information spreading online, there are bound to be some rumors and scams out there. Here are some websites with the facts.
FBI: Haitian earthquake relief fraud alert
Rumor: Free flights, shipping to Haiti
