Image by Getty Images

By Josefin Dolsten October 6, 2016

— The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is providing aid to Haiti after a hurricane caused widespread damage in the Caribbean country.

The Jewish humanitarian group, partnering with the on-the-ground relief organization Heart to Heart International, is focusing on providing medical aid and serving the basic needs of those affected by Hurricane Matthew, according to a statement.

At least seven people died in Haiti as the most powerful Atlantic tropical storm in nearly a decade made landfall Tuesday and left flooding and rivers of mud that washed out roads and a crucial bridge. The Weather Channel, citing Haiti Libre, reported that “14,530 people have been displaced, 2,703 families are affected and 1,885 houses are flooded.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

JDC, which provided aid in Haiti following an earthquake there in 2010, will focus its work in the country’s south, which experienced major flooding. The Jewish group will work with local organizations to assess the needs of those affected by the storm.

“Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti, and the wider region, in the wake of Hurricane Matthew’s devastation,” said Alan Gill, who heads JDC.

“JDC activated its network of international and local partners and is mobilizing relief efforts in an expression of humanitarian solidarity and Jewish values,” he added.

American Jewish World Service is also collecting donations for immediate relief and support for the long-term recovery for Haiti.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’re in the middle of our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we have a very ambitious goal of $127,000 by April 21.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a Passover gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make a Passover Gift Today!

$90 $180

$360

Other amount