Habitat for Humanity is responding to the earthquake in Haiti.

Habitat for Humanity is responding to this earthquake and will help low-income families by building new homes and repairing existing homes as part of the recovery process.

Habitat for Humanity International has sent a disaster response team into Port-au-Prince to assess damages to homes where low-income families live.

Habitat is committed to partnering with other organizations to amplify effectiveness in the recovery of Haiti.

Donations are urgently needed for this effort and can be made at www.habitat.org. We also can take your donation over the phone if that is more convenient for you. Please call 1-800-Habitat (1-800-422-4828). Text "Habitat" to 25383 to make a $10 donation to Habitat's efforts in Haiti.

We are asking for donations—but also for prayers. For individuals/families affected; for all of those trying desperately to bring help.

Habitat for Humanity expects to offer a three-fold response that includes clearing debris from home sites, providing Habitat for Humanity Recovery Starter Kits, and the repairing and rebuilding of homes through a transitional housing method.

When families return to their homes from temporary shelters, Habitat will help them remove debris and identify what materials can be reused for rebuilding.

Habitat for Humanity Recovery Starter Kits will be provided that include building materials and tools to make immediate repairs to damaged homes. The kits typically include items such as hammers, nails, buckets, rope, crowbar, a tarp, trowels and handsaws.

Habitat for Humanity will help families repair homes where possible. For homes that are beyond repair, Habitat will help families build new houses that are stronger and more resistant to earthquakes and hurricanes.

The transitional housing option involves small shelters than can be built quickly and provide permanent base structures that can be expanded over time. The shelters will meet humanitarian standards of adequate living space and provision of water and sanitation. The structures will also be designed with hurricane- and earthquake-resistant features.

We want to provide the widest range of resources available to get families back into their homes. We know from previous experience that giving families the tools and working alongside them is the best way to improve their housing conditions after a disaster.

Habitat for Humanity has a long history of working in Haiti.

Habitat for Humanity has worked in Haiti for 26 years.

Habitat has provided more than 2,000 families in Haiti with housing solutions through a variety of initiatives including building new home construction, progressive building, home repairs and improvements.

Habitat in Haiti has also built capacity in construction skills, disaster mitigation and financial literacy, and has worked in coordination with community and government agencies.

Habitat for Humanity Disaster Response has been in existence for more than 10 years helping low-income communities rebuild from disasters.

Habitat’s Disaster Response focuses on the housing needs that arise from natural disasters and human conflicts.

Habitat offers expertise in technical assistance; program design and implementation; and disaster response policies, protocols and procedures.

Habitat Disaster Response also supports informational resources for disaster mitigation and preparedness―helping communities in disaster-prone areas protect themselves against future threats.

Habitat for Humanity helped to build and repair more than 2,000 homes along the U.S. Gulf Coast after hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Habitat for Humanity helped more than 23,000 families with new home construction, repairs and other housing improvements in five countries after the Asian tsunami in Dec. 2004.

In China, after the May 12, 2008, earthquake that struck the country’s Sichuan Province, Habitat is working to rebuild 728 houses.

Habitat for Humanity offices in Port-au-Prince were damaged by the earthquake and staff is accounted for.

Habitat for Humanity Haiti’s offices in Port-au-Prince collapsed and a new office is set up.

Habitat for Humanity International has accounted for all 50 staff members. All are safe, but sadly all are very personally affected.

Habitat for Humanity International will work to fully restore the structure and capacity of Habitat for Humanity Haiti.

Habitat for Humanity International Disaster Response Assessment Report

Early estimates show that more than 200,000 houses were severely damaged or destroyed and that 1.2 million people face displacement or homelessness due to the Haitian earthquake.

Damages and wide destruction to homes, buildings and infrastructure can be partly attributed to poor quality of materials and construction as well to the lack of planning, with thousands of people living in cramped settlements with unhealthy conditions in highly vulnerable, risk-prone areas.

The victims of the earthquake did not only lose their property, they also lost their financial and emotional security. The loss of property in the Haitian context imposes a severe blow to the sustainability of livelihoods of the families as their destroyed dwelling can no longer be used to develop micro-economic activities. Given the extent of the housing stock destruction, we are facing a challenging, multi-year response that will require creative and flexible shelter/housing response programming.

Download Our Haiti Recovery Fact Sheet