Help Wanted: Maritimers respond as death toll continues to climb in Haiti

MONCTON -

Maritimers are stepping up to help Haiti as the death toll continues to climb and the immense need for relief continues to grow.

Amanda Edmond was born in the Haitian community of Les Cayes before moving to Moncton at the age of 18. But most of her family still lives there and many of them are right in the epicentre of where the magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit just three days ago.

"Are they going to be alive? Are they, am I going to bury someone again? That's what went through my head," says Edmond.

“It took me some time to get a hold of everyone, to be able to speak with everyone. Some of them I haven’t spoken to but at least I have other people who confirmed that they are ok."

Edmond says all of her family members are alive but are struggling.

She started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to send supplies back home.

"I feel helpless right now. I feel like I should be with them and putting my hands into things and doing something," says Edmond.

"So this is the only way I found to be able to help, because when I speak with them, they’re telling me there’s nothing left.

Eugene Lewis is also trying to do his part to help.

He's the Maritime ambassador for Shelter Box Canada.

"It's a huge tent that will take ten people - very sturdy for all climates - but they also have all of the things that people would need like cooking materials, water purification, mosquito netting, grounds sheet, warm clothing, tarps - tools if you have to do some repairs rebuilding," Lewis says.

The disaster relief boxes weigh 145 lbs when full and cost $1,200 to stock.

"Within 48 hours, they have people on the ground, they work with local Rotarians, usually to try to find out well how many tents do we need, how many families are homeless, and then they start the process of moving in the boxes," says Lewis.

Maryanne McKinnon works with Chalice Canada, a Catholic International aid charity that works directly with locals to sponsor children and work closely with their families.

In an effort to try and keep life as normal as possible for the children impacted by the earthquake, McKinnon says the organization is prioritizing learning.

"The schools that our sponsor children go to have been completely demolished but they intend to erect tents where they can have makeshift classrooms and so some of the funds that we raise will be used for purchasing tents for that purpose," said McKinnon.