Anniversary of a Horrible Tragedy

As the hearts and eyes of the world turn to Haiti on the anniversary of the brutal earthquake of January 2010, Hope Force International is bringing increased focus on delivering much-needed aid to this impoverished Caribbean nation. We are scheduling additional disaster relief training seminars as we continue to channel volunteer medical and development personnel to Haiti in the wake of last year's devastating disaster. 

"We are committing every resource at our disposal along with our staff and partners to bring aid and assistance to Haiti," explains President/CEO, Jack Minton. With a cadre of 900 trained volunteers around the country, Hope Force is uniquely positioned to deliver medical care and long-term development to this nation in need. "The cornerstone of our program design is training," Minton continues. "In response to the increased need in Haiti, we have expanded our popular three-day Training Intensive seminar to additional cities around the country. Despite the hardships our own nation is facing, Americans still are eager to make a difference in the lives of those who undergo loss."

Hope Force is sponsoring their signature Training Intensive seminar January 27- 29 in Brentwood, Tennessee (A suburb of Nashville) to respond to the growing interest in disaster response to Haiti and other locations. Hope Force Reservist training focuses on preparing an individual for the arduous task of a disaster responder. The Training Intensive course includes two days and two evenings of preparation for service with Hope Force International. This training is required to be considered as a Hope Force Reservist - eligible for rapid deployment, often within 24 to 48 hours following a disaster event.  

Jack is scheduled to be in Haiti as the nation observes the anniversary of the earthquake, Hope Force staff and volunteers were on the ground in Haiti within days of the earthquake. "Our orthopedic surgeons, supported by generous product donations from Smith & Nephew in Memphis, saved lives as patients streamed into Port-au-Prince's few remaining hospitals. Mobile medical teams reached the region of the earthquake's epicenter where untold destruction and loss of life pervaded the landscape."

Hope Force has committed its resources to the small hamlet of Sous Savanne, whose residents faced a 90% destruction rate of homes and businesses due to their proximity to the earthquake's epicenter. More than 500 people benefited from disaster relief tents last summer and 300 of these are now benefiting from the feeding program through the Child Sponsorship initiative. The rotating teams of trained Hope Force Reservists provided the backbone of the workforce for all of these programs. 

In the midst of a massive effort to recover from January's earthquake, Haiti is now battling a new adversary; cholera. "The infection rate across the country is quickly approaching 200,000 people and more than 3,700 have already died as a result of the disease," explains Christine Thompson, Director of Medical Outreach for Hope Force International. "The situation continues to deteriorate in Haiti and we have an urgent need to deploy Paramedics, RNs, and MDs into Haiti for the cholera response effort" 

November and December already saw a number of Hope Force medical teams rotating through to Haiti's Cholera Treatment Centers (CTCs). "Our partner agency, Medical Teams International, continues to contact us with urgent requests for volunteer Reservists to serve in Port-du-Paix," Thompson continues. "The CTC here is located in the region of the epidemic's outbreak. MTI loves our Hope Force teams! They are asking that we continue to send people as long as the need exists."  Health officials are now projecting 650,000 expected cases of cholera in the years ahead. 

How can you join the Haiti disaster response efforts? 

• Join the Training Intensive seminar in Tennessee January 27 to 29 and become a Hope Force Reservist. 
• Contact us and commit to join a cholera treatment team in 2011.
• Sponsor a child in Haiti for $29 a month to deliver food and medical treatment to the most vulnerable members of society.

As a leading non-profit organization dedicated to disaster response, Hope Force is comprised of individuals who are dedicated to utilizing their expertise to inspire, equip and mobilize volunteers into areas of crisis around the world. Founded by Jack and Cherie Minton in 2003, Hope Force endeavors to become a leading volunteer response force, bringing hope to those affected by crisis or disaster.