Critical Need for New Volunteers in Haiti — Can You Help?

More than two weeks have passed since the devastating earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, and millions of Americans have opened their wallets, their hearts, even their homes to help. But now, as the mainstream media starts to turn its lens away from the ongoing disaster, and the long, difficult struggle to rebuild and heal a nation continues, more organizations are asking for volunteers.

Since Tonic first published a guide on How To Volunteer in Haiti on Jan. 17, thousands of readers have responded — and a number of Tonic readers have stepped up to volunteer. Below, we've provided information and links to even more organizations that need your help.

Doctors and nurses are still needed most. But clergy, engineers and translators are needed, too. Occupational therapists are needed to help Haitians with disabilities. Even animal lovers have an opportunity step up to help the myriad dogs, cats and other pets that have lost their homes and families.

As we've said before: If you have skills that you think could be useful in Haiti, log on to the appropriate website. Make that phone call. Take that extra step, and get involved.

1. The American Baptist International Ministries put out a new call for help on Jan. 27. In a statement, Kristy Engel, a nurse practitioner coordinating volunteer medical response teams to make weekly trips to Haiti through February, says, "There is still a critical need for medical response. We are finding open fractures and wounds as well as many untreated injuries related to the earthquake. I have found most functioning hospitals unable to accept further patients due to lack of medical supplies and personnel to treat them." Doctors and nurse practitioners interested in becoming part of a team are asked to email BIMvolunteers@abc-usa.org to register.

2. The newly-created FlightToCrisis seeks volunteers to join its group of physicians, nurses, clergy, medical specialists, engineers, and first responders. They are in the process of chartering a Boeing 737 which will depart from an airport in the Northeast (to be decided) and doing a pick up in Miami before heading down to Haiti. Every individual pays for his share of the charter, ranging between $300 to $700, depending on how many dollars can be raised between now and their departure date in early February. A return flight to Miami will be provided. To apply, email reliefcharterflights2haiti@gmx.com and briefly state your area of expertise, and how you feel you may be able to assist. (They ask for only serious inquiries, please.)

3. Doctors, nurses and EMT's who wish to volunteer: The Jatukik Providence Foundation is offering free flights from Miami to Haiti. Travel dates and arrangements are relatively flexible. To apply, contact Fr. Jean-Claude Atusameso, executive director of the Washington, DC, based non-profit at 202-429-2067 or via email: jatusameso@jatukikprovidence.org

4. Medical professionals and French/Creole translators are sought by Partners in Development, an Ipswich, Mass., nonprofit that has been helping Haiti's needy since 1990. Interested volunteers can apply here.  5. The International Medical Corps still seeks highly trained medical staff as well as non-medical professionals to volunteer. Apply here to be an Emergency Response Doctor or Emergency Response Nurse.  The program for non-medical volunteers is open to trained professionals from a wide variety of fields with a minimum two-month window of availability. Apply here to be a Non-Medical International Volunteer.  6. Over 11,000 registered nurses have volunteered to travel to Haiti through National Nurses United, which launched a relief effort. To volunteer with the RN National Response, please apply here.  As of now, not many RN's have made the trip due to the cost. If you are interested in helping to send a nurse to Haiti, CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

7. Volunteers will likely be needed to help Haiti's dogs, cats and other animals who suffered through the quake. A multi-agency group called Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) is now in Haiti assessing what the animals need. Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society, America's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned pets and a member of ARCH, is lining up volunteers with a history of responding to major disasters and with experience handling small and/or large animals. Click here for more information. If you are interested in volunteering, please email bfvolcoord@bestfriends.org

8. Healing Hands for Haiti, a non-profit dedicated to delivering physical medicine and rehabilitation programs to Haitians with disabilities, is accepting applications for volunteers in health care — including doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists and orthotists and prosthetists — and for support, including translators, skilled workers and students. Go to their website and click on the 'Ways to Help' button, or click here.

If you know of other volunteer opportunities that you'd like to share with Tonic's readers, please give instructions in the comments section below. Or write to us at editor@tonic.com.

Follow these links to read Tonic's original guide on How to Volunteer in Haiti, or to read more of Tonic's continuing Haiti Coverage.

For more volunteer opportunities, be sure to follow Tonic on Twitter.

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