1/15/2001 General Meeting Minutes

Tri-City Haitian Relief Task Force
January 15, 2010 Meeting

Attendees:

Dottie Palladino; Bob Marra; Tom Feagley; Gwen Blackburn; Gretta Montina; Jean Rolland Baillard; Bishop Robert Brown; Pastor Paul Daniel; Myreille Daniel; Matt Laidlaw; Richard Cheng; Gary Christenson; Mayor Richard Howard; Christine DiPietro; Pastor Pierre Laguerre; Rev. Amos Jean Phillippe; Emmanuel Exilhomme; Fr. Jim Barry; Gaelle Gourgues; Al Turco; Lisa Hickey; Jacqui Walsh; Pastor Roland Jean Batist; Pastor Paul Daniel; Renee Cammarata Hamilton; Robert Mara; Maggie McClory; Heidi Porter; Marie Victorin; David D’Arcangelo; Megan Littlefield; Pedro Barbosa; Karen Hacker; Sean Garballey; Rep. Paul Donato; Tom Feagley; Loretta Kemp; Betty King Cuyugan; Mohamed Brahimi; Philip Bronder-Giroux

Topic/ Discussion/ Actions/Next Steps

Early Responders—group coordinated by Pastor Ronald and Immacula Pierre with contacts already established in Haiti b/c of annual trips there; can be contacted at 781.391.1443
-bringing suitcases filled with emergency medical supplies, instead of clothes
-25 nurses have volunteered to go; some will need help with airfare
- Supplies (such as Wheelchairs, crutches, walkers) to be sent to Haiti—can use already existing Adventist network

-Set a central drop-off point in each city:
•Malden – Mayor Howard offered Dartmouth St. Parking lot
•Everett – Matt Laidlaw to find site
•Medford – Gwen Blackburn to find site
First responders (doctors and nurses)
-cannot land in Haiti b/c of devastation and resulting collapse of infrastructure; so these medical teams are waiting in NYC for word
-Mayor Howard: All levels of U.S. government are requesting that people not try to get to Haiti, so that all resources can be directed toward the earthquake victims, w/out any diversion of these limited resources to visitors and relief teams
-MA Emergency Management Administration (MEMA) and Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) echo the request and additionally ask that national relief teams be allowed to go in first

Funding
-Funds needed for Tri-City relief efforts; account should be opened
-Want to ensure the people in need really receive the money, supplies, etc.
- Recommended list of trustworthy organizations to which to contribute might be drafted
-Further recommendation: do not discourage people from donating to other organizations but also make them aware of this local relief effort that they can support
Account being set up at Century Bank by Councillor Gary Christenson and Pastor Pierre Laguerre; Philip Bronder-Giroux to clarify w/ them if this will be a general relief fund or one particular to a specific group’s/church’s efforts

Local Support
-Children and youth are hearing about missing and deceased family members, so schools need to be providing counseling and space during the day for students to go
-Adult community members also need place to go; Cambridge Health Alliance and Hallmark Health are ready to help with this and in any other way they can
- Sat., 1/16/10, 4P—time of grieving, at Philadelphie SDA Church, Malden
- Vigils can/will be held by/with youth and others
-Places for people to talk need to be expanded

Local Community Resources

-Cambridge Health Alliance’s MH clinician, Pedro Barbosa—617.665.3980
-Cong. Ed Markey’s office, Maggie (781) 396.2900 re passport, immigration issues
- Hallmark Health is prepared to donate medical supplies and make staff available

Local Relief Efforts
-Hyatt Hotel in Medford is accepting donations of food, bedding,
-Everett Public Schools having donation drive

Getting out information

-This Blog was set up at end of meeting by David D’Arcangelo to help disseminate the message on line