Local Fundraisers held for Haiti

Area fundraisers are under way to help Haiti, which has been devastated by this week's earthquake.Catholic churches throughout the Fall River Diocese will conduct special collections later this month to support relief efforts.Bishop George W. Coleman has asked that parishes take up the collection either the weekend of Jan. 23-24 or Jan. 30-31.A similar appeal is under way in the Boston Archdiocese.Proceeds from the diocesan collection will support the efforts of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, as they respond to immediate emergency needs for such necessities as water, food, shelter, and medical care, as well as to the long term need to rebuild after widespread destruction, and to the pastoral and reconstruction needs of the church in Haiti.
Catholic Relief Services has worked in Haiti for more than 50 years and has offices and programs already in place.Donations to the collection can also be sent directly to the Fall River Diocese at P.O. Box 2577, Fall River, MA 02722. Mark "Haiti Relief" in the memo section of the check.Also, HarborOne Credit Union in Rhode Island has set up a fund that will go toward assisting the American Red Cross in aiding the earthquake victims.In addition, it will contribute $5,000 to the American Red Cross and will match dollar-for-dollar any donation made by its more than 350 employees.Branch locations can be found at www.harborone.com. Checks should be made payable to the American Red Cross with a notation in the memo line: Haiti.James W. Blake, president and CEO of HarborOne, said: "The scope and magnitude of the Haitian earthquake is unfathomable. Hospitals and schools have collapsed and the death toll cannot be estimated. We appeal to our customers, friends and neighbors to come to the aid of the Haitian population."

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2010/01/15/news/6779761.txt
( The Sun Chronicle)