Help Haiti: Make Aid Work for Those Who Need It Most

200,000 killed. A million homeless. One in three affected.

The devastation in Haiti wasn't caused only by an earthquake.  The epic scale of the damage reflects decades of chronic underdevelopment and the conditions of desperate poverty many of Haiti's people live with every day.  

The international community has invested millions of dollars in Haiti over the years, with some positive results. For example, child mortality rates have been cut in half over the past 20 years, saving thousands of lives. This latest catastrophe makes it clear that we must do even better. Haiti remains the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. Its crumbling infrastructure, lack of economic prospects, degraded environment and dismal agricultural conditions, which all compounded the devastation caused by the earthquake.  

Unfortunately, the U.S. remains hampered by a foreign aid system that is still stuck in last century.  We can – and must – do better. As Haiti rebuilds, help make sure it and other nations like it have a better chance to succeed. Ask Congress to rewrite the 40-year old Foreign Assistance Act to make aid work for the people of Haiti. Tell them you want your tax dollars to help create secure, healthy communities that are better prepared to cope with disaster when it strikes.