Hundreds of Haitians Gather at Mission of Hope to Reflect on 5-Year Anniversary of Earthquake and Look to the Future

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Five years after the devastating January, 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Haitians with incredible stories of survival and perseverance, as well as the heroes who helped rescue victims and work to rebuild the country, will come together for a commemorative anniversary event hosted by Mission of Hope Haiti (MOH), a Christian nonprofit organization headquartered in Haiti. The event hosted by MOH at its Central Campus in Titanyen at 8:30 a.m. EST will be a time of reflection on the tragedy of the earthquake and a celebration of the progress made in rebuilding the country.

Brad Johnson, President of MOH, sums up the tone for the event: "Everyone in Haiti lost someone or something on January 12, 2010.  5 years seems like a long time, but for many, this day brings back so much pain.  As we come together, we plan to remember those we lost, grieve with those who grieve and thank God for all He has done to help Haiti recover."

With over 250,000 people killed, over 300,000 injured and 1.5 million people initially displaced from their homes, the earthquake's destruction was staggering. Because of its already established presence and trusted partnership with local communities and organizations country-wide, Mission of Hope was strategically positioned to immediately aid in relief efforts by distributing over 15 million meals and medical support to countless residents in the outlying communities of Port-au-Prince. MOH responded to the urgent need for prosthetics by opening one of the few prosthetics labs in the country and continues to provide ongoing prosthetic care to over 300 amputees.

Over the last five years, MOH built almost 500 block homes in the town of Leveque, which enabled families to move out of the blue temporary tarp huts that were erected following the quake, and has created a truly thriving community with a church, a school, and a community center.  MOH now works with over 600 Haitian farmers, training and supporting them in sustainable farming techniques, and has packaged and delivered over two million meals with food grown in Haiti. In close partnership with over 420 indigenous organizations in Haiti, MOH is building the infrastructure to help Haitians transform Haiti. This commitment to indigenous mobilization is underscored by the fact that 97 cents of every dollar given to Mission of Hope goes directly into Haiti.

"While much has been done to rebuild Haiti, there is still so much work to do." Johnson explains. "Thousands are still living in temporary structures, many children are without proper nutrition, basic education, or quality healthcare.  We remain committed, as we have for the past 16 years, to strive to bring life transformation to every man, woman and child in Haiti."

About Mission of Hope:

Today, Mission of Hope feeds over 90,000 children per day in partnership with Convoy of Hope and Feed My Starving Children, educates over 6,000 students on 13 campuses, and sees over 28,000 people per year in its onsite clinic and weekly mobile medical clinics that go into 11 villages. Now with four campuses and over 400 full-time Haitian employees, MOH has just completed an 8400 square foot training center and is now building a technical school, a sports complex, and an assisted living home for the elderly.

For media inquiries or interviews, contact Bridget Henderson 512-963-2733 or Annette Boorman 512-565-9849.