 "Photo: Diane Varnie /Echo Staff Photographer")
The American Red Cross partnered with WNCU and Hearts For Haiti to raise not only awareness, but also much needed funds for Haiti relief effort Thursday.
Long after Haiti has left the news, and the celebrity attention wanes, help will still be needed in Haiti.
Current relief efforts include emergency triage and basic necessities, but there will still be a great deal of work that will cost billions.
So far, the American Red Cross has raised over $300 million, but in the first response alone, it has spent or committed $80 million for initial expenses.
“Everything is a long-term effort,” said Toby Barfield, chapter executive of the Central N.C. Chapter of the American Red Cross.
“Haiti is a multi-year project. We will be in emergency response mode for another 11 months and then phase two, the rebuilding portion of the five-year plan begins.”
“We’re all grabbing oars and rowing together,” said Miles Wright, co-founder of Hearts for Haiti.
Since 2001, Hearts for Haiti has supported three homes for homeless and special needs children. Two of their three homes were destroyed in the quake.
Volunteers from the Red Cross manned the phones and accepted donations in four shifts for the duration of the 12-hour broadcast.
Texting “HAITI” to 90999 donates $10 through your cell phone bill, and 100 percent of the revenue goes to Haiti relief.
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