As we are all aware, the nation of Haiti suffered cataclysmic loses as a result of a magnitude 7.0 Earthquake.  Many organizations in the NEHRA community have been directly affected as the tragedy touched employees, employee's families, suppliers, or business partners.  As we've heard more about the devastation many of us, like millions around the world, would like to help. 

  Haitian Earthquake Relief Efforts

NEHRA believes that we can serve this need by being a source of information - a place where we can share knowledge and exchange ideas.  This location on our website will be dedicated to Haiti and it is our profound hope that it will, in some small way, help our members and friends in their efforts to alleviate the suffering in Haiti.  It would appear that this will not be a short term task.

Please share the information you have found useful with the NEHRA community as we all join together.

• What proactive policies have you put into place in light of this unforeseen tragedy?
• Do you have any best practices you would like to share or white papers that have been created as a direct result of the catastrophic event?
• What links have you found to be most informative or useful?
• What hasn't worked as well as you had expected and what have you learned or changed?

Even in the darkest of hours, the goal of NEHRA is to learn, innovate, lead and influence the management of human resources and its impact on organizational success.  Thank you in advance for your continued support and cooperation. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it     

Haitian Orphans Have Little but One Another - More than five months after the earthquake that killed her single mother, Daphne Joseph, 14, lost her bearings a second time when she was forced to leave the makeshift orphanage where she had felt at home.(7/9/2010)

$1-Million Worth of Used Prosthetics to be Shipped to Haiti - FREDERICK COUNTY, MD - Some generous people in Frederick County, Md., donated almost $1-million worth of used prosthetics for injured people in Haiti.(6/16/2010)

Haiti PM in Fla. to tout post-quake reconstruction - MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Haiti's prime minister visited Florida on Tuesday seeking potential investors for an estimated $5.3-billion in rebuilding projects he is overseeing along with Bill Clinton in the earthquake-ravaged nation.(6/16/2010)

Four months after 'the catastrophe,' Haitians still in emergency mode - Horror has given way to acceptance; it can be seen on people's faces. But desperation surfaces everywhere. In the rubble still strewn about the streets, in the steadily rising piles of garbage, in the 1,300 makeshift camps that still house so many people. (5/14/2010)

Tuesday, May 18 Honoring Haiti - Faculty, staff and students are invited to join us for a celebration of Haitian Flag Day (5/12/10)

Despair Grows on Devastated Street in Haiti - More than 100 long days after the earthquake, Ginette Lemazor, her husband and their impish 5-year-old boy are still living in a filthy mechanics’ lot on Avenue Poupelard. (4/29/10)

The Lost Children of Haiti - Scott Pelley reports on the most vulnerable victims of Haiti's earthquake, children who not only face hunger, disease and sexual assault, but a form of slavery that is legal in the Caribbean country.(3/31/10)

A Plan to Spur Growth Away From Haiti’s Capital - Even as outsiders feel sympathy for Haiti’s suffering, they tend to look upon it as a country beyond saving. (3/31/10)

Obama pledges to continue Haiti aid, says situation 'remains dire' - President Obama met Wednesday with Haitian President Rene Preval to discuss relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in Haiti. (3/16/10)

Haiti quake sparks interest in 'voluntourism' - When the going gets tough, the compassionate get going. The January earthquake in Haiti prompted a spike in interest in service vacations, sometimes called "voluntourism," several organizations report. (3/15/10)

Giving Donations that Transform Haiti - As Country Transitions to Recovery and Rebuilding, Donors Can Make an Impact that Lasts - Haiti has already begun to fade from the headlines. But for individual donors, the real opportunity to have impact has just begun. (2/25/10)

Haiti to Appropriate Land for Tent Camps -  Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said the Haitian government will appropriate privately-held land to build temporary camps for earthquake victims. (2/19/10)

Study: Haiti quake may be costliest, deadliest - PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The cost of rebuilding impoverished Haiti after last month's catastrophic earthquake could reach nearly $14 billion, making it proportionately the most destructive natural disaster in modern times, economists at the Inter-American Development Bank said Tuesday. (2/19/10)

Assistance by Charities: Haiti Earthquake Declared a “Qualified Disaster” - As the relief effort in Haiti continues in the wake of one of the deadliest earthquakes in the region, charitable organizations have been on the front lines providing immediate aid to the victims of the disaster.

Supporting Employees Impacted by the Earthquake Manager Tips - EAP Partners - Everyone handles stress and grief in different ways. It is important not to assume how an employee will manage reactions to an event of this nature. This is a time where a touch of human kindness goes a long way.

The Wellness Corporation - PRESS RELEASE - An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck Haiti on Tuesday, December 12, 2010. It
hit the capital Port-au-Prince and other areas of the country. The earthquake was also felt in other countries in the region. The most affected area is Haiti’s West Province with a population of 2.2 million. 

Association Trends Newsletter - As in past natural disasters, the association and nonprofit communities have swiftly mobilized to help with relief in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. 

The Charity Navigator - Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of over 5,400 of America's largest charities.

Haitian Earthquake Relief - A list of charitable organizations active in the nation.

White House Haiti Information -  On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti, causing catastrophic damage inside and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince. President Obama has promised the people of Haiti that "you will not be forsaken; you will not be forgotten." The United States Government has mobilized resources and manpower to aid in the relief effort. Here are some ways that you can get involved.

NEHRA Member Company Responses to the Crisis

Partners Healthcare Response

Bright Horizons Response

One NEHRA Member Response....

From: On Behalf Of Exec Dean Admin
Sent: Tuesday
To: allstaff
Subject: Update on Haiti

This past week leaves all of us with heavy hearts.  The devastation that occurred in Haiti is difficult to comprehend. Many of you have inquired about your colleagues and how we might help both those in our community and others who are affected by this tragedy. As a follow up to last week's message from Dean Flier to the HMS community, we want to share what we have learned about people within our community whose lives have been touched by this tragedy, to identify resources currently available, and to let you know of the heartfelt efforts that will continue to support Haiti beyond this immediate crisis. 

How the tragedy has affected the HMS community

As reported last week, all HMS faculty and students with Partners in Health in Haiti were confirmed to be safe. However, there are many others in our community who have been directly affected by this tragic event.

Currently, there are about 20 reported cases of employees with a direct connection to the situation in Haiti. Three members of our staff were in Haiti at the time of the earthquake:  two have been in contact with us and/or family members here and one has been flown to Florida with a non-life-threatening injury.   We hope for a safe return for them and their families. Others in our community have lost members of their families or still await word from family in Haiti.  We offer our full support to these individuals as they live through this very difficult time.

The following supports have been put in place for affected staff, their families, their colleagues and for all at HMS as we continue to understand the outcome of this horrific event.

Communication Support

For those at HMS who are trying to contact family and friends in Haiti, HMS IT has provided access codes that can be used on Harvard phones that allow international calling. We have shared this information with those we know have this need. However, if you are aware of others who may require this assistance or if you are trying to reach someone in Haiti, please contact your HR consultant who will give you the necessary information.

Employee Assistance Program

The Wellness Corporation -- the Harvard University EAP program -- has been working in crisis mode for the Harvard community to address the numerous issues and concerns related to this human tragedy. We fully understand that this tragedy touches all of our lives and encourage you to contact the EAP at any time for guidance and support. The team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached by calling 1-877-999-9999. Resources are also available on their website:  https://harvardeap.personaladvantage.com/haiti

The HR Department will be working with the EAP to set up a time to bring together those who have been affected for mutual support during this difficult and emotional time. We will be communicating directly with individuals and posting information on the HMS website at http://hms.harvard.edu/public/haiti.

Chaplaincy Support

We are extremely grateful for the openness and support of our colleagues at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Children's Hospital Boston, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital. The interfaith chapels at these institutions are open to the entire HMS community. Chapels are open all day, and the links below provide information on additional prayer and religious services.

www.brighamandwomens.org/chaplaincy

http://www.childrenshospital.org/patientsfamilies/Site1393/mainpageS1393P4sublevel54.html

http://www.bidmc.org/PatientAndVisitorInformation/FamilyandVisitorInformation/Chapels.aspx

http://www.dana-farber.org/pat/support/pastoral-care/chapel.html

For ongoing updates

Partners in Health will be posting updates on its website at www.pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti.  We are forever grateful to the Partners in Health team in Haiti for all they are doing to support the people of Haiti in this moment. We thought you might be interested in a news segment that ran this week on 60 Minutes that includes an interview with Paul Farmer http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6108550n.

Contributions and Support

The greatest need right now, beyond medical treatment and supplies, is for cash donations. One opportunity is to donate directly to Partners in Health in support of its tremendous work in Haiti at http://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake.  There are numerous other organizations supporting the relief effort. Information regarding these organizations, links to University and HMS-based communications, as well as updates on the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, can be accessed at  http://president.harvard.edu/news/100114_haiti.php, including Harvard University payroll deduction options for donating.

We also want to advise those donating money to be cautious about the organization to which they are contributing. Sadly, it is inevitable that some will wish to take advantage of this tragedy, so please contribute thoughtfully to established organizations. The links provided above and through our EAP are all known to be legitimate organizations. 

Ongoing Opportunities to Contribute

As we know, Haiti and the Haitian community will continue to need support for a long time to come. The HMS Joint Council, a collaborative group of HUCTW members and managers, met this week with Jen Puccetti from the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine to discuss various ways to create an ongoing network of support. Information will be available as it becomes known.

May we all keep the people of Haiti and those affected in our community in our thoughts. We are grateful for the many offers of help that we have received from the HMS community, for the many donations that have been made in support of the people of Haiti and for the overwhelming concern that has been expressed about the wellbeing of members of this community.

Sincerely,

Daniel G. Ennis

Executive Dean for Administration

PLEASE REMEMBER TO VERIFY ALL AGENCIES BEFORE DONATING