CRC/Cote Brilliante Annual Joint Venture Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Will Include Prayers for Victims of Haiti Earthquake

Wednesday, January 13, 7:00 pm

at CRC, 5020 Waterman Blvd., 63108

Once again, Central Reform Congregation and Cote Brilliante Presbyterian Church will come together for an interfaith service to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The service is planned and hosted by our Joint Venture.

This year, as we remember Dr. King, we will honor his legacy by including prayers for the victims of the massive Haiti earthquake and learning about how we can help.

We will be joined by special guest Tom Stehl, the Coordinator of Operations for the St. Louis-based non-profit Meds and Food for Kids, which works to address malnutrition in Haiti. Meds and Food for Kids will be sending staff to the region in a couple of days and we will be collecting money to support their relief work.

Please spread the word about tonight's interfaith service to others looking for a place to gather. The service is free and open to the public.

Haiti Earthquake - How to Help

The following are five highly respected organizations providing rescue, recovery and relief efforts in Haiti. At this point, organizations are asking for monetary donations that can quickly be spent on aid, not supplies or volunteers.

St. Louis-based organization:
Meds & Food for Kids
This St. Louis-based non-profit, headed by St. Louis pediatrician Dr. Pat Wolff, is dedicated to saving the lives of Haiti’s malnourished children and other nutritionally vulnerable people. Dr. Wolff will be traveling to Haiti later this week to assist with relief efforts. Donate online at https://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=20-1257910 or learn more at http://mfkhaiti.org/.

Supporting grassroots Haitian groups:
American Jewish World Service
AJWS’s long-standing partnerships with grassroots organizations in Haiti will allow them to quickly reach the poorest and most remote populations that might not otherwise be immediately served. Donations to the "Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund," which can be made at www.ajws.org/haitiearthquake, will enable AJWS's network of grantees in Haiti to meet the urgent needs of the population based on real-time, on-the-ground assessments.

Emergency medical relief:
Doctors Without Borders
Doctors Without Borders teams that were already working in Haiti have set up tent clinics to treat the injured after many facilities were damaged in the earthquake. They have already served hundreds of people for trauma wounds, fractures, and burns, with many more needing care. Support their work at https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=197&hbc=1&source=ADR1001E1D01.

Recommended by the White House:
American Red Cross
The Red Cross has pledged an initial $1,000,000 for relief efforts in Haiti. You can support their work by donating to the Red Cross International Response Fund online at www.redcross.org (be sure to indicate that you want your donation used in Haiti). Or, donate $10 by texting “HAITI” to 90999.

Recommended by the White House:
Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is deploying an emergency response team to Haiti. Mercy Corps has a long history of helping earthquake survivors meet their immediate needs and recover what they've lost, including aiding families after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and Indonesia last year. Donate online at http://www.mercycorps.org/haiti.

For a list of other organizations providing relief services in Haiti, go to http://voices.washingtonpost.com/livecoverage/2010/01/haiti_earthquake_how_to_help.html?hpid=topnews.