Update: The South Orange PBA Local 12 is now collecting non-perishable items to be sent to Haiti to aid in the relief efforts. Items may be dropped off in the front lobby of the South Orange Police Department located at 210 South Orange Avenue 24 hours a day. The PBA is requesting water, medical supplies, personal hygiene and any non-perishable items. If you have any questions, contact PBA President Adrian Acevedo or Vice President Steven Davenport at 973-763-3000.

As the extent of devastation from the Haitian earthquake becomes apparent, local residents are wanting to know how they can help. Maplewood churches are mobilizing.

This update from Rev. Bernard Poppe at St. George's Episcopal on Ridgewood Avenue on Wednesday, January 14:

"Since my last email about donations this Sunday, it was suggested that checks be made out to ERD directly and that we gather the checks and send them together to the Episcopal Relief and Development offices in NYC rather than channeling them through St. George's account. 'St. George's - Maplewood' can go in the memo box for their adminstrative purposes. I've also been in touch with a Hatian friend who is putting together boxes of tangible, non-perishible items to be shipped to Red Cross centers in Haiti. If you would like to make this type of donation (i.e. light weight clothes for children or adults, baby items, medical supplies such as bandages, asperin, etc. ) a box will be set aside for this also."

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church on Prospect Street has many parishioners with ties to and family in Haiti. Patch spoke with Fr. Manolo Wednesday morning (Pastor Fr. Michael Saporito is on vacation this week).

Fr. Manolo sent this information, "St. Joseph parish is now accepting donations for Haiti relief. For more information: please call St. Joseph Parish Office at 973-761-5933." Fr. Manolo wrote in his follow-up email: "In solidarity and support of all, our parish community will open a voluntary collection of funds to be sent to Catholic Charities for earthquake relief. A special second collection will be taken up at all Masses this weekend. Checks should be made out to St. Joseph Church and clearly marked Haiti Earthquake Relief. We appeal to the generosity of everyone, so that our brothers and sisters receive our concrete solidarity and the effective support in this moment of need and suffering."

Our Lady of Sorrows will also be accepting donations for Haiti earthquake relief in the second collection at all masses this weekend.

Eighty percent of Haiti's population is Catholic and Pope Benedict has ordered Catholic charities worldwide to help victims of the quake. Donations can be made directly through Catholic Relief Services.

Said Fr. Manolo, "We have a lot of parishioners from Haiti but in general we would like to help those who are in need."

Morrow Memorial is working with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to provide aid. Congregants can submit checks at this weekend's Sunday service: Gifts to support UMCOR's Haiti Relief efforts can be made online to Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325. Checks can be made to UMCOR with Advance #418325 Haiti Emergency in the memo line. Checks can be put in the church's offering plate or mailed to UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. UMCOR assures that 100% of gifts made to this advance will go to help the people of Haiti.

In addition, UMCOR is coordinating a shipment of health kits to provide individuals with basic necessities. Instructions for assembling and shipping health kits are available online. 

The Rev. Sandye Wilson of St. Andrew and Holy Communion Episcopal in South Orange is also directing donations to ERD. She is circulating an email from the Rev. Kesner Ajax in the Diocese of Haiti, who reports, "There is no Cathedral. The entire Holy Trinity complex is gone. The convent for the Sisters of St. Margaret is gone. The Bishop's house is gone. College St. Pierre is gone." Rev. Ajax goes on to talk of the human toll, telling of four people who were killed during a church service.

A number of students in the South Orange/Maplewood School District have Haitian roots and family. Communications Director Judith Levy reported, "At this time we are offering social work and guidance support in all of our schools."

On Wednesday, a Seth Bodyen School parent told Patch that many of the Haitian parents she knew at the school were distraught that they could not get in touch with any family in Haiti or get word about their well-being. [The U.S. State Department has set up a hotline for those trying to get information on family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747. The State Department warned that callers may experience busy signals due to the volume of calls.] 

The Seth Boyden PTA has decided to use funds raised through its current Spare Change fundraiser for Haiti earthquake relief. Funds will go to the Doctors without Borders operation in Haiti.

Meanwhile, the South Orange Middle School Home and School Association has sent out this message: "The SOMS community includes many families and staff members who have close, even immediate, family members and friends in Haiti. This is a very difficult and emotional time for those families, and for those of us who care about them. The SOMS HSA cannot collect contributions for a third-party organization, but we are investigating the best ways to support the relief effort and to help the families who are so dear to us. As soon as we have further information, we will send another email to let you know where you can directly make a contribution to help. The SOMS administration, teachers, and staff are creating a nurturing, supportive environment for the students whose families have been affected. As a HSA, we, too, will do whatever we can to assist and support during this very difficult time."

Finally, the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ are organizing aid as well. 

Over at maplewoodian.com, Joe Strupp has interviews with three Maplewood residents who have emigrated from Haiti. Again, the difficulty of getting information from home is the predominant theme. 

Jennifer Joyce, a CHS '94 graduate, lived in Port-au-Prince working for Fonkone, a Haitian micro-finance institution several years ago.

"The Haiti I know is one of abject poverty," said Joyce, whose job was to build a school. "On a typical day, the capital has frequent outages of water and electricity. Every day, many parents feed their children mud-cakes just to take away the hunger pangs," said Joyce in an email message from Mexico City, where she now lives.

"Haiti's situation before was utterly dire," Joyce said. "Today, though I didn't think it possible, it is horrifically worse."