07/17/2024
July 17, 2024
Dear Friends,
Team Redwood has been continuing to provide limited care to the orphans, despite the current war and civil unrest in Haiti making travel much too dangerous to continue our in-person mission work. We started caring for these orphans back in 2010, just after the devastating earthquake that killed more than 250,000 people and displaced 2.3 million people. That earthquake doubled the number of orphans to over 750,000; where 70% of the population was already living in poverty.
I’m sure you have heard some news reports recently of the war currently occurring in Haiti. News outlets started reporting a bit about the situation in Haiti at the time of the assassination of the Haitian president in 2021. More recently, there have reports on some of the civil unrest occurring in this poor island nation, led by gangs, prompting Kenya to lead a multi-national force to help in a mission for humanity. Unknown to most, this crisis started in 2019 while Team Redwood was in Haiti. We were advised by the US State Department to evacuate under less-than-ideal conditions. Fortunately, Team Redwood was able to return to the USA safely and we have not been able to return, although every single team member would deploy in a red-hot second!
Presently, there is increased food insecurity rising from 42.9% of the population in 2020 to 82.6% in 2022. There is not yet 2024 data available, but I am confident that the number is much higher now. In 2022 4.7 million citizens in Haiti were in dire need of health assistance. The average daily wage in Haiti is currently $1.90 USD per day. Of course, many do not have jobs, nor can they travel to their jobs due to the danger in the streets.
Team Redwood has been able to provide some food, medicine, fluoride varnish and worming medicines to several of our most vulnerable orphanages with the help of our friends Leo, with EduCare Haiti, and Omega, with Father Abraham’s Feeding Program. These brave men deliver the needed supplies to our orphanages despite the incredible danger. We have been shipping these boxes of supplies annually since 2020, often taking 3-4 months to deliver, always with the risk of the boxes not getting to our friends. The shipping price is incredibly expensive, and we are now dangerously low on funds.
Please consider making any size donation to support the continuation of this important humanitarian work. Your tax-deductible checks for this 501(3)c non-profit may be dropped off or sent to:
UIHS/Team Redwood
501 N. Indian Rd,
Smith River CA 95567
Or you can donate to PayPal on our website www.teamredwood.org
Thank you for your consideration!
Warm regards,
Carolyn (Dikes) Arellanes, PA-C
Mission Team Leader Team Redwood
Team Redwood is a grassroots group of professionals and friends from California's far North Coast providing medical missions in Haiti since the major earthquake in 2010. We work in orphanages, missions and community centers in the poorest areas of Haiti annually.
