The staff of Brethren Disaster Ministries and Iglesia de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic (DR) are working together on an effort to aid displaced Haitians. A grant of $5,000 is being requested from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to provide emergency food to Haitian citizens fleeing across the border to the Dominican Republic and away from the violence in Haiti. Haiti and the DR share the same Caribbean island.
The EDF grant will go to the Dominican church, which reports that thousands of Haitians have been fleeing into the DR due to the violence, killing of family members, lack of food, and homes being taken by the gangs in Haiti. In spite of a DR government position against the displaced Haitians, the Dominican church is providing some humanitarian aid, with food. They have limited finances to provide more aid, however.
This emergency grant will help the church provide food for displaced Haitians in the DR, including rice, beans, pasta, eggs, canned sardines, oil, salami, and salt.
Additional grants for this response are expected, including to support aid programing being developed by the Community of Faith (Communidad de Fe), a separate Church of the Brethren group in the DR made up of predominantly culturally Haitian, Kreyol-speaking congregations.
Gifts to support the effort are received at https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/bdm, be sure to choose “Emergency Disaster Fund” in the drop-down menu.
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