PADF Appeal for Victims of Hurricane Tomas

Pan American Development Foundation

November 2010

Greetings!

I wanted to give you an update on Hurricane Tomas, which roared through the Caribbean leaving a path of death and destruction in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Haiti.

The Pan American Development Foundation is responding to requests throughout the Caribbean.

Haiti's situation continues to be the most precarious since 1.3 million displaced people live in camps — often under bedsheets or flimsy tarps. The community of Leogane (ground zero of the January earthquake) was particularly hard hit by Tomas, with reports of water rising to 10 feet in some places.

PADF has taken on leadership roles in the Haitian cities Gonaives, Marigot and Cayes Jacmel. It is coordinating with local authorities and distributing clean water, among other activities.

Cholera: The flooding will only worsen the deadly cholera epidemic, which has killed more than 440 and infected about 6,800. PADF has been actively responding to the cholera crisis, too.

Our relief and recovery work depends on the generosity of individuals and companies. Your donation will be a big help for our on-the-ground efforts.

As you know, PADF is a non-profit organization established in 1962 to promote, facilitate and implement social and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also acts as the natural disaster relief arm of the Organization of American States. 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.lmUnitedforHaiti.org

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

On behalf of the people who survived Hurricane Tomas, I urge you to support our appeal for assistance.

Sincerely,

Amy Coughenour

Deputy Executive Director

Pan American Development Foundation