Miami, FL (January 18, 2010) — More than 400 Red Cross workers from around the world are now in Haiti organizing a massive relief effort. The American Red Cross is performing first aid, delivering water and tending to the immediate needs of the people in Haiti.

The Red Cross has set up a field hospital in Jacmel, which can treat approximately 200 people per day and first aid stations are being set up in the streets where Red Cross workers and volunteers from Haiti and other countries are working side-by-side to clean and stitch up wounds amidst the rubble.

Special Red Cross teams trained in search and rescue were able to save 40 people from a collapsed supermarket, including a small child, after 26 hours of continuous efforts.

Over the weekend, three planes carrying Red Cross humanitarian assistance were expected in the region, delivering a field hospital and needed materials such as tarps, blankets, hygiene items, buckets, shelter supplies and kitchen sets. Another shipment of supplies for 20,000 families should arrive today on a cargo plane provided in partnership with FedEx.

In the days ahead, the Red Cross will begin to provide temporary shelters in Haiti. Kits, containing tarps, rope and tools, as well as tents and blankets, will be made available for an initial 20,000 families.

American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern is in the Dominican Republic, meeting with Red Cross leadership from around the world, and will travel to Haiti on Tuesday to visit relief operations.

Also, the Red Cross is training 40-100 Creole-speaking volunteers who will work as translators on the USNS Comfort when Haitians will be brought aboard for medical care.

This is a massive urban disaster of unprecedented proportions, and we know that this is going to be a costly long-term recovery operation.

As of January 17, the American Red Cross has raised more than $103 million for relief efforts.  We know that we are going to spend much more than that to help the people of Haiti.

Terrible times like these bring out the best in people, and we are grateful for the support being given to the American Red Cross.

How you can donate:

•           By Text: text "Haiti" to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross efforts in Haiti.

•           Online: www.redcross.org, www.southfloridaredcross.org or www.tucruzroja.org

•           By Phone: 1-800-RED-CROSS

•           By Mail: American Red Cross, PO Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013