Salesian Missions is desperately working to find any remaining survivors in our facilities and care for those who are homeless and suffering

MEDIA BRIEFING SUMMARY (as of Jan. 20, 2009 4pm EST):

• The number of our students and personnel reportedly killed has increased to possibly 500 (officially reporting “at least 250 and up to 500 were killed or buried in the rubble”)
• This includes 250 students who were studying at the ENAM (the renowned National School of Arts & Trades) and were between the ages of 5-17 years old
• Many of those killed were our best and brightest young women and men studying to be teachers
• Nineteen people were killed at the “Little Schools” facility (headquarted at ENAM-LAKAY compound)
• The church and parish center of Cite Soleil have collapsed around children who received catechism
• Rescue teams are still working to find people alive in the rubble. Salesian Missions has been in contact with UNDP who in turn has alerted the UN body to assist in recovery efforts of the 200-500 bodies trapped/missing/dead under the rubble at ENAM.
• The majority of our buildings are completely destroyed, including our vocational school, orphanage and the facility used for meetings and retreats
• 3,500 refugees are being housed in the limited number of our facilities which remain standing
• Many people, including the children we care for, are sleeping outside in the streets and in cars
• We are developing emergency plans for the countless number of homeless who seek our help
• The 11-truck convoy with water, dry foods and emergency relief items reported in previous updates arrived well in PAP from La Vega, Dominican Republic last Saturday. The convoy was escorted by a Dominican Military detail. Pictures of this mission upon departure from La Vega and arrival in PAP are available and show that the supplies were distributed peacefully.
• Salesian Missions is attempting to send a container of rice, which has been re-routed due to the damage at the PAP port.
• Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, is traveling to Haiti Jan. 20, along with a photographer/videographer familiar with Salesian Missions works in Haiti.
• A relief fund has been created for Haiti and donations are being sent directly to purchase food, water, medical supplies, survival kits and tents for shelter.
• CNN.com has added Salesian Missions to the approved charities on its “Impact Your World” section of its site, in addition to donating $10,000 in free advertising for our relief effort in Haiti. Salesian Missions has also been added as a trusted charity for Haiti relief donations on a variety of sites and news outlets
• The Sandals Foundation (the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International has designated Salesian Missions as one of the recipients of funds from its Haiti Relief Fund.