Hands and house

Hands and house

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Call your congressman RIGHT NOW!!!!

The news is not covering everything and the orphans in Haiti are in great danger. The danger is because OUR government is not providing a safe space for the adoptions to be processed in Haiti. I am sure there is more to the story but little lives are on the line and many orphanages are reporting that they are out of food and water. Many have been looted by gangs who have taken what Food, water and medical supplies that they did have. These children will not live without these things. Many children who are matched for adoption are still not home and thousands more have no home to be going to. We have the ability to act and save these little ones. PLEASE take five minutes out of your day to make this call or email. You will probably get a recording and be able to just read what is written below. How often do you have the chance to make such a direct impact?

I found the contacts for Washington State Representatives by googling "Washington State Congress" and found a link that had a "find your legislator" spot. For those in Washington State here is that link:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

Here is the most comprehensive information I have found:

Please call your congressman now!!


Orphanages are out of water and food; New Life Link ran out of food last night. There are numerous cases of looting orphanages in PAP.

WE have made some progress: Haiti has agreed to release our children, Janet Napalitano will grant humanitarian parole and there are planes/ and a secure location with food/medical equipment/hospital stateside that we can use. BUT the U.S. government has NOT granted evacuation and security. Everything else is IN PLACE for these kids.
We need the federal govt (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) to approve our childrens evacuation NOW.

A sample of the point we need to make are:

Hello, my name is…


I know that many Members of Congress continue to support efforts on behalf of Haiti’s orphaned children. I extend my thanks to the Congressman/Senator.
I am calling because…
We need your help to get the orphans out of Haiti safely.
Water, food and medicine are running out.
Gangs have looted some of the orphanages and even travel is not safe for the children.
The Department of Homeland security has granted humanitarian parole, but it is only the first step.
The devastation from the earthquake is vast and the orphan's safety - and even life - is at risk.
Joint Council on International Children’s Services, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and a team of congressional offices and relief organizations are working to coordinate a staging and housing center to provide:
Physical safety
Medicine
Food
Water
A Staging Center for USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) to process humanitarian parole
The groups working to launch the staging and housing center already have most of what the children need.
But they do not have
Water
Security to protect the children and supplies from the gangs
Transportation to bring the children into this safe haven

We are asking that (name of Member of Congress) personally call:
Secretary of State Clinton, and
Dr. Shah, Administrator Designate at USAID
And specifically request that they authorize security forces be sent to the offered staging center and assist in the extraction and transport of these children from their orphanages to the staging center. All other pieces of a successful operation of this staging center are currently in place, but all hinge on this authorization of security and transport.

If this security does not reach the site within 24 hours, children being adopted and many other children will continue to suffer and may in fact not live long enough to be united with my family and the other 300 U.S. families. Please help! Thank you very much.

Note:
If the Member of Congress needs more information, please have them contact:

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
Info@ccainstitute.org
202-544-8500


The Joint Council on International Children’s Services
jcics@jcics.org
703-535-8045



Thanks in advance from me and all of the little ones who do not have a vvoice of their own to ask for help!

3 comments:

Cami said...

Thank you for your passion. I spent a decade of my growing up years in Haiti. I also taught there for a year. A former colleague just posted on FB that an orphanage collapsed this morning and they are trying to get a rescue team to get kids out right now. (There was a 6.1 aftershock this morning at 6:03.)

Naomi said...

Oh it's just devastating Shannon! I am praying right there with you! I'd call in a heartbeat if we lived in the States! This last aftershock must have caused even more devastation! I do not understand why they cannot just do as the Netherlands did and bring kids home anyway! You and I would take them in for two!!! I know... it's all red tape, but really, when push comes to shove, you've got to shove!!!

TanyaLea said...

I am SO with Naomi on this... when push comes to shove... you've gotta SHOVE!! And this is just that sort of time for shoving! We need to get these children into a safe haven before lives are lost and more devastation occurs. It is heartbreaking...truly, truly HEARTBREAKING!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails