19194: radtimes: CARE Haiti launches largest urban food distribution in 50 years (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: radtimes <resist@best.com>

CARE Haiti launches largest urban food distribution in 50 years

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/107731029515.htm

by Rick Perera
20 Feb 2004

Gonaïves, Haiti (Feb. 17, 2004) --
CARE is launching the largest urban food distribution in its 50 years of
work in Haiti, the international humanitarian organization said Tuesday.
The emergency relief action should be enough to meet important needs of the
entire population of the city of Gonaïves. Civil unrest has effectively cut
off Gonaïves from the rest of the country, creating food shortages and high
prices.

Food distribution is targeting all women over age 18, who will each receive
one gallon of vegetable oil and five kilograms of cereals, said CARE Haiti
Country Director Sandy Laumark. The cereals come in 50-kilogram bags, and
women will be asked to form groups of 10 to divide them.

"All the needed elements are in place for an orderly distribution," she
said. "We should easily be able to identify about 50,000 qualified women,
and through them reach their families."

CARE's warehouse in Gonaïves contains food donated by the U.S. Agency for
International Development's Food for Peace program, used in regular aid
activities. Food for Peace has approved the release of supplies for
emergency relief. CARE said the distribution should reduce but not
eliminate the risk of looting.

Gonaïves in general has been calm, with some restoration of water and
electric service, and local radio is functioning, Laumark said Tuesday. But
movement in and out of the city remains very limited, and there is a
critical need for medical supplies. CARE's activities are being further
curtailed by lack of fuel for the agency's vehicles and generators.

Representatives of CARE, the Government of Haiti, the Resistance Front, the
Haitian Red Cross, and other civil society groups are cooperating on relief
efforts, and the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red
Cross are overseeing negotiations aimed at opening humanitarian corridors.

Donations: http://ssl.charityweb.net/careusa/

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