Major Relief Effort for Haiti Underway in the Bronx

Press Contact:
Steve Mangione
914-403-4072 (cellular) or 718-518-1600

WHEN:
2 p.m. Thursday, January 14, 2010

WHERE:
District Office of State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr., 400 East Fordham Road, Seventh Floor, Bronx, NY (entrance on Webster Avenue)

SUBJECT:
New York State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. and Bishop Fernando Rodriguez, president of the Latin American Chaplains Association, an international not-for-profit organization of clergy headquartered in the Bronx, will be joined by more than 35 of the borough’s clergy and community leaders at a press conference to announce a major relief effort in which Sen. Espada is dispatching a group of clergy headed by Bishop Rodriguez to Haiti to deliver emergency medical supplies, medication and bottled water to earthquake victims. Sen. Espada and Bishop Rodriguez have gotten pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and American Airlines to join the effort, with Pfizer donating medication (including diabetes, antibiotics and other emergency medicine) and supplies and the airline carrier pledging to ship the supplies at a discounted rate.


BACKGROUND:
“We are appealing to the business community to join our effort,” Sen. Espada said. “To make sure these supplies reach the people who need them most, we are sending a team of 40 clergy members on a mission of mercy, not only to deliver medical supplies and water, but to spend a week in Haiti to provide physical and spiritual aid,” Sen. Espada said.

“As clergy members, it is important to help our neighbors. When we needed help on 9-11, many people and nations showed up for us. Now we need to show up for the people of Haiti in their time of need,” said Bishop Rodriguez of One Way to Heaven Church in the Bronx.

Other clergy and community leaders who have joined this effort and will be at the press conference include Mount Hope Housing Company (Fritz Jeah, CEO), Bronx Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Frank Garcia, Chairman), Latino Accounting Association (Luis Parra, President), Love Gospel Assembly (Bishop Ron Bailey), and Community and Clergy United (Bishop Calexo Rodriguez).

To learn how to help, contact Sen. Espada’s office at 718-220-5480.