SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– On January 24 , San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) commenced SDJA Cares: Project Haiti, an event to gather supplies for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Five days later, the K-12 school had raised over 20 tons of supplies and partnered with international aid organization, Latet, who has over 13 years of disaster relief experience and 22 delegations worldwide.
Dr. Jeff Davis, SDJA Cares: Project Haiti organizer and school principal, said “We have been asking specifically for medical supplies because that is what the Haitian people need most at the moment.”
Davis estimates the school has collected $80,000 to $100,000 worth of medical supplies. “We have received everything from IV pumps to breathing apparatuses, but are most in need of simple medical supplies like pain relievers, topical antiseptics and surgical gloves,” continued Davis.
On Monday at 10:30 am, the school began packing and loading over 1,000 boxes onto semi trailers in preparation for delivery to Haiti. Latet, who was in Haiti 36 hours after the earthquake occurred, will then distribute the supplies on the ground to the areas of Haiti most in need.
The most unique aspect of SDJA Cares: Project Haiti is that the school did not collect monetary donations. The school organized a similar event for Katrina victims five years ago and gained valuable experience in the logistics required for disaster relief. “Our experience with Katrina and the fact that SDJA’s curriculum teaches Tikkun Olam, which in Hebrew means repairing the world, provided us with a unique opportunity to teach our students outside of the classroom and help the people of Haiti,” said Davis.
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Preceding provided by San Diego Jewish Academy