As Hurricane Tomas Heads Towards Haiti, PADF Seeks Public Support

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Hurricane Tomas barreling towards Haiti and the hundreds of thousands of people in displacement camps, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is urgently seeking cash donations so it can help this already battered population.

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"Hurricane Tomas couldn't come at a worst time as the country battles a deadly cholera epidemic and is trying to rebuild after the destructive quake," says Amy Coughenour, PADF's deputy executive director. www.ImUnitedforHaiti.org

More than 1.3 million Haitians are in crowded, poorly equipped displacement camps that offer no shelter from hurricane-force winds. An outbreak of cholera has killed more than 300 and infected nearly 4,700, which PADF has responded to. www.ImUnitedforHaiti.org

PADF – which is the natural disaster relief arm of the Organization of American States – is prepositioning supplies and personnel to respond to Hurricane Tomas, which is projected to hit the Les Cayes and Port-au-Prince areas on Nov. 5.

"Our relief and recovery work depends on the generosity of individuals and companies," Coughenour says. "Donations to I'm United for Haiti or Pan American Relief will be a big help for our on-the-ground efforts."

Hurricane Tomas has already proven its force. Its 150-mile-an-hour winds lashed the islands of St. Vincent & the Grenadines on Sunday. The category two storm caused extensive damage.

Hurricane Tomas weakened after passing over the islands but forecasters expect the warm Caribbean waters to rejuvenate its intensity before it hits Haiti. This is the 12th named storm in the Atlantic this season.

People may donate by visiting either www.ImUnitedforHaiti.org or www.PanAmericanRelief.org Donors may also call: (877) 572-4484.

About PADF

PADF is a non-profit organization established in 1962 to promote, facilitate, and implement social and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the past year, it had more than 10 million beneficiaries in 22 countries. www.padf.org  

PADF is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in Haiti. With nearly three decades of work on the ground, PADF now manages a large portfolio of activities ranging from community-driven development to protecting human rights. www.ImUnitedforHaiti.org  

PADF is based in Washington, D.C., and has field offices in Haiti, Colombia and elsewhere. www.padf.org

Donations: 877-572-4484

SOURCE Pan American Development Foundation