UNITED SIKHS
March 29 2010
16th Chet (Samvat 542 Nanakshahi)
Press Release

UNITED SIKHS AID a flicker of hope amidst unbelievable gloom

Port-au-Prince:   UNITED SIKHS AID team has been working nonstop to ensure that the distribution missions for dry food, emergency and medical supplies to various communities and orphanages in and around Port-au-Prince are done thoroughly and promptly.  The containers shipped from Toronto and New Jersey carrying food supplies, clothes and over 550 tents have arrived in Haiti.  A shipment from Montreal containing food, supplies and 500 tents is on its way. UNITED SIKHS Urban Design and Development Team has commenced setting up tents and tarpaulins .  The increasingly desperate shelter needs are unprecedented in scale.  Thousands of earthquake survivors live in squalor and are desperate and lining up for stable shelter.

"The primary goal at this point is to help distribute materials to people before the onset of the monsoon season. We are coordinating our efforts with various other United Nations teams. Besides distributing langgar we are also helping emergency shelter relief, community building, education, and job training efforts. It is important to empower Haitians into building their country" said Jaipal Singh, Architect and Urban Design expert, UNITED SIKHS Shelter Coordinator.
UNITED SIKHS Aid team delivered food and supplies that can serve for a few months to an orphanage where kids were running out of it. Several such places in Haiti need a new building and facility, where people sleep on the floor in a small room. Urban development team comprises Jaipal Singh (Cincinnati), Rameeta Kaur, Charanpreet Singh, Jujhar Singh (all three from Michigan) and Kirpaul Singh (from New York).
 

Honb Gurbax S Malhi,Navdeep S Bains ,Andrew Kania (all MP Canada), Kuldeep S Kular (MPP), Ranbir Singh, Sukhminder S Hansra along with community leaders present while a 40 ft container carrying tons of relief material bound for Haiti.
 

Harmail Singh, Lucky, Birmohan Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Pritpal Singh (Gurudwara Glenrock, NJ) present while shipment take off for Haiti

Langgar (Hot-Meals) Update since Mar 1st:

UNITED SIKHS AID team has been cooking and distributing langgar in two different locations - Sonapi Industrial Area and Barbancourt, feeding more than 4000 individuals on a daily basis. The sites served survivors who lost family members and homes in the earthquake. People passionately shared their stories and routinely told of the loss of family and relatives with moist eyes.

Langgar team in Sonapi Industrial area comprised of Gursharan Singh Pannu (from Atlanta), Harcharan Singh, Sahib Singh (both from Toronto) and Tejinderpaul Singh (New York).

"The Haitians were intrigued by our turbans and Nishaan Sahib (flag)," said Harcharan Singh, Toronto
 

Volunteer serving hot-meals at Barbancourt

  

Raj Budwal, Ravinder Singh with Haitians at Barbancourt
"My experience as a UNITED SIKS AID volunteer in Haiti was humbling. Haitians' steadfast belief in God despite being totally ravaged by the earthquake will always inspire me to serve others to the best of my ability and continue upon the path our Gurus imbedded within us." said Raj Budwal from San Jose, CA.
   

Volunteers Team with in Barbancourt

  Volunteer distributing Hot-Meals   Amritpal Singh distributing Hot-Meals

Surinder Singh, Narinder Singh (brothers from Chicago), Raj Budwal, Ravinder Singh, and Amritpal Singh (all three from California) also worked the second langar in Babauncourt.  Gurcharan Singh, Tarlok Singh, Dharampal Singh (all from Toronto, Canada) and Alisa Jordan (from Indianapolis) volunteered at Barbancourt.

Medical team update (from second Medical Team):

A group of six medical volunteers replaced the outgoing team.  The Chicago team brought over $10,000 of medical supplies for the Haitians, focusing on orthopedic supplies and childrens medications.  Dr. Amardeep Kaur (Seattle), Dr. Sukhwinder Singh (Vancouver), and Jasvir Kaur (Chicago) worked the night shift at the makeshift University of Miami hospital allowing other medical personnel to achieve some much needed rest.  During the day the medical team would work alongside other doctors and see several hundred patients per day.  The doctors would check patients while Jasvir Kaur organized and set up pharmacies.  "It was an amazing experience overall and we met incredible people from around the world who dedicate their lives to this work. What I enjoyed most was going to the village in the mountain, Fontamara, where the Haitian people have never seen a doctor. Fontamara's Pastor Jonas was grateful we visited his people and wrote each of us thank you letters," said Jasvir Kaur, Chicago.
 

Dr. Amardeep Kaur, Salinder Malik, Jasvir Kaur at Camp

  

Dr. Tejinderpaul Singh and Sukhpreet Singh

Several Sikh youth from Guru Nanak Gurdwara Surrey, BC, Canada joined the UNITED SIKHS base camp in Port-au-Prince to serve hot-meals and did an exemplary job working tirelessly to ensure that thousands of mouths were fed.

To ensure this work continues we request you to meet us half way. Your donation of any amount will help save lives by providing food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support to people in need.

For more information please visit: https://www.unitedsikhs.org/haitiearthquake
Click for video. https://unitedsikhs.org/haitiearthquake/videos/haiti.wmv

Issued by:
Harpreet Kaur
Director
UNITED SIKHS
Email: sikhaid@unitedsikhs.org
Ph: 1-905-672-2245 (Canada)
1-888-243-1690 (USA)
+44 8701993328 (UK)
You can help those affected by countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the UNITED SIKHS, which will provide immediate relief and support to those in need. Call 1-905-672-2245 or 1-888-243-1690 for more information. Contribute to UNITED SIKHS through local chapter in your country https://unitedsikhs.org/contact-us/ . Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting https://unitedsikhs.org/donate/ . If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation.
Shipment Details
Items
(Collected /Purchased )		 Amount 
(Est. $)
Tents (60% discounted by Sears store)
    Toronto Shipment ( 555 in First Shipment) 25086
Rice
    NJ Shipment
(8450 lbs)*		 10140
    Toronto Shipment
(3050 lbs)*		 3300
Lentil
    NJ Shipment
(3500 lbs)*		 3640
    Toronto Shipment
(3484 lbs)*		 3250
Beans
    NJ Shipment
(2850 lbs)*		 3335
    Toronto Shipment
(2550 lbs)*		 2750
Sugar
    NJ Shipment
(1300 lbs)*		 750
    Toronto Shipment
(3110 lbs)*		 1550
Crutches and Canes
    NJ Shipment (30 adj crutches, 15 canes)* 2500
Other Supplies  -  (Food, Cereals, Pasta,
Can food, Milk powder,  Cookies, Water, Cloths, Toys)
    NJ Shipment 13008
    Toronto Shipment 15650
Total Shipment
    NJ Shipment 33,373
    Toronto Shipment 51,586
Total Shipments $84,959
* Approximate weight is used in table. Montreal shipment detail will be included in following PR

“"The work that we are doing brings hope to the people. I request that not just Sikhs but people of all backgrounds support this organization in their full capacity" Tejinderpaul Singh, Base camp in-charge, Port-au-Prince.

Click for video. https://www.unitedsikhs.org/haiti
earthquake/videos/haiti_relief.html
Contact Us

To Contact UNITED SIKHS, please visit: https://unitedsikhs.org/contact-us/
OUR MISSION

To transform underprivileged and minority communities and individuals into informed and vibrant members of society through civic, educational and personal development programs, by fostering active participation in social and economic activity.

UNITED SIKHS is also an avenue for networking between like-minded organisations to establish and nurture meaningful projects and dialogues - whether social, cultural or political- to promote harmony, understanding and reciprocity in our villages, towns and cities.

UNITED SIKHS is a coalition of organisations and individuals, who share a common vision based on the belief that there is no greater endeavour than to serve, empower and uplift fellow beings. The core of our philosophy is an unwavering commitment to civic service and social progress on behalf of the common good.

Accordingly, UNITED SIKHS has sought to fulfil its mission not only by informing, educating and uplifting fellow beings but also by participating in cross-cultural and political exchanges to ensure that the promises and benefits of democracy are realized by all.

We at UNITED SIKHS believe that the development of enlightened and progressive societies can be made possible by socially conscious groups of people who make a commitment to develop and direct human potential. Our work, efforts and achievements stand as a testament to our faith in this vision.