By B.E. Melendez
As Haiti’s devastating 7.2 earthquake and hurricane Grace’s added injury made the headlines last August, Father Ron Joseph, with the non-profit organization Ministry of Presence, Inc., took a deep breath and added disaster relief to his already long list of things to do.
But he needed even more help than usual. Some of that help came from Bradenton, FL.
Fr. Joseph travelled on his own and with CNN to the island nation following the dual disasters, and provided translators to the news service.
He combined that work with relief efforts already underway by his organization. “Ministry of Presence has been dedicated to assisting the children of Haiti with their basic needs since 1995,” he said. “In a country that has seen more than its share of tragedy, the most recent one-two punch created an even bigger emergency. We needed to move fast with basics we take for granted in this country.”
Born in Haiti, though now living in Bradenton, his firsthand experience on this trip motivated him even more and helped him convey the gravity of the circumstances to others. Positive responses included those from members of the community who teamed up to provide much-needed donations.
They were given lists of needed items to purchase such items as gloves, masks, bandages, toothpaste and toothbrushes, canned goods and much more. By mid-September, monies raised immediately funded the work and at least three containers have been shipped to Haiti. The goal is to fill containers and ship supplies as frequently as possible.
“Often we see tragedies on the news, we want to help but we’re not always sure the aid will reach those who need it most,” Mrs. Florence Shelton-Clark, Manatee County Democratic State Committeewoman, pointed out. “Father Joseph is a trusted friend and when we heard back from him and saw pictures of the people being helped, I can’t tell you how encouraging that was. We could see our donations making a difference.
“The deportations of the most desperate Haitians at our borders must stop,” she added. “Surely natural disasters made even worse by all the political turmoil are reason enough to show mercy and compassion.”
Bethlehem Bible Church of Sarasota, The Islander Newspaper of Holmes Beach, First Community Church of Palmetto, along with Pratt Law Firm and D&D Restaurant have come together to aide this disaster relief effort.
Donations can be mailed to Ministry of Presence, a 501(c)3 organization, at P.O. Box 770, Oneco, FL 34264. MoveOn.org is also organizing around the issue of Haitian deportations.
