1/20/2010 - NEWS ADVISORY
City of Portland
389 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101
www.portlandmaine.gov
CONTACT: Nicole Clegg, 207-756-8173, 207-272-4477 (cell) nicoleclegg@portlandmaine.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2010

From ME to Haiti Raises $66,000!
More than 850 residents and local businesses pledged their support for local nonprofit, Konbit Sante’s earthquake response fund

PORTLAND, Maine – At the close of today’s day-long telethon, From ME to Haiti, more than 850 residents and local businesses had pledged $66,000 in support of Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership and its work in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, $10,000 of which came from corporate donors including Gorham Savings Bank, UNUM, the Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce, Green Furniture, Boulos, Oakhurst Dairy, Woodard & Curran, and Gorrili Palmer Engineers. The telethon, sponsored by the City of Portland and WGME raised critical funds for the local nonprofit’s Earthquake Response Fund which will support recovery and rebuilding efforts after last week’s devastating earthquake. Today’s pledges combined with the $75,000 already contributed to the Earthquake Response Fund, means that total support has exceeded $141,000.

In addition to Mayor Mavodones, City Councilors Jill Duson, Dory Waxman and Cheryl Leeman, dozens of city employees and local volunteers donated their time today to answer phones for the telethon. Senator Susan Collins, Governor John Baldacci, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree called in to the telethon in support of the city’s effort as well as Nate Nickerson, Konbit Sante’s Executive Director, who reported on current conditions and relief plans underway in Haiti.

“Thank you to the City of Portland for making today a tremendous success,” stated Mayor Nick Mavodones. “There is a reason why Portland is the most livable city in the US. It’s the people. We are blessed to live and be a part of a community that cares so deeply for their neighbors, whether they live on Congress Street or a tiny island in the Caribbean. The funds raised today will support recovery efforts for years to come.”

People can still support the fundraising effort by making a contribution online at www.healthyhaiti.org, via mail, make checks payable to Konbit Sante, P.O. Box 11281, Portland, ME 04104 and note Earthquake Response Fund in the memo field, or by dropping off a contribution in person at City Hall in the City Manager’s Office.

The City of Portland is uniquely tied to Haiti through its sister city relationship with Cap-Haitien, a community in northern Haiti. This relationship came about in part from the work of Konbit Sante, which supports health and medical programs as well as other public health projects in the northern part of the country. Last week, Konbit Sante’s Board of Directors announced that it had established the Earthquake Response Fund. The fund was started with an initial donation of $25,000 from Konbit Sante’s operational reserves. The fund raised will be used to address long-term and short-term health needs related to the earthquake.
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