August 23, 2021 — New York
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, is partnering with IsraAID, the Israeli humanitarian relief group, in providing urgent aid to victims of a major new earthquake in Haiti.
“Once again, Haitians are in dire need of humanitarian assistance as another major disaster has hit their island nation,” said AJC CEO David Harris. "Our tradition commands us to respond generously and compassionately to those who suffer a natural disaster, and Haiti again beckons us.”
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck on August 14 as Haiti still is recovering from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and a powerful earthquake in 2010, and dealing with the enhanced political instability following last month’s assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
In 2010, AJC supported IsraAID’ s humanitarian relief operation following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake.
The current IsraAID mission is focusing on distributing humanitarian relief, ensuring access to safe water, family hygiene kits, and psychological and mental health support. Several of the IsraAID staff in Haiti now are veterans of the 2010 disaster.
AJC's donation to support IsraAID’ s efforts in Haiti came from the agency’s Heilbrunn Humanitarian Relief Fund and The Meyer Family Charitable Foundations.
Humanitarian relief has been a core of AJC's work for more than a century, and for has long partnered with IsraAID in crises around the world.