Haitian and Hasidic neighbors in Rockland County team up to help earthquake victims
Haitian and Hasidic neighbors in
Rockland County are helping victims of the deadly Haiti earthquake that
happened on Aug. 18.
Members of the Hasidic community in
the county and beyond are shipping boxes filled with food and supplies to Haiti
following the 7.2-magnitude earthquake. The natural disaster killed over 2,000
people.
“Let’s share what we got here and share it with
our brothers and sisters in Haiti who are suffering from this earthquake,” says
one supporter.
The Hasidic and Haitian communities agree that world tragedies happen all the
time, but it’s how people react that make a difference – and that’s why they’re
pledging to lend a hand.
“We live in the village of Spring Valley. We
lift together, we pray together, we mourn together, and we rejoice together. We
are one…we are all Haiti today,” says legislator Aron B. Wieder.
MORE: ‘You feel sad and helpless’: Spring
Valley’s Haitian population mobilizes to aid earthquake victims
Haitian American Nurses Association of Hudson Valley representative
Christel-Ann Augustin says coming together for a common goal is necessary.
“Seeing everyone come together lights up my heart. Everything takes
collaboration, it takes community effort seeing people from different
organizations, different ethnic groups coming together helping those for a
common goal,” says Augustin. “That's the most important thing to me.”
The Hasidic community is asking people to donate essential items and non-perishable
food. They plan to fill two shipping containers that will be sent to Haiti
on Aug. 26.
“No matter your background race or religion…to step up, contribute and join
this effort we are at our best when we are united,” says Assemblymember Simcha
Eichenstein.