Advocates plan to airlift Haitian orphans to South Florida

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THE YOUNG SURVIVORS

Advocates plan to airlift Haitian orphans to South Florida


BY LUISA YANEZ AND ALFONSO CHARDY
achardy@MiamiHerald.comPosted
on Friday, 01.15.10

<!-- end /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->Fifty years ago, 14,048 Cuban children whose lives were rocked by a political earthquake in their homeland found passage to refuge in Miami thanks to the Catholic Church, the United States government and the famed Operation Pedro Pan.

Now, a similar rescue mission will be launched for the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Haitian children believed left orphaned by the massive earthquake that hit their country Tuesday.

``We will use the model we used 50 years ago with Pedro Pan to bring these orphans to the United States to give them a lifeline, a bright and hopeful future,'' Catholic Legal Services executive director Randolph McGrorty said at a news conference in the offices of U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, where he disclosed the novel plan.

The idea to revive the operation came from Richard Turcotte, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami. He proposed it to Archbishop John C. Favalora, who immediately supported the plan.

Read more at:
http://www.miamiherald.com/1630/story/1426351.html

 

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Re: Advocates plan to airlift Haitian orphans to South Florida

South Florida schools prepare for influx of Haitian students after quake

By Hannah Sampson and Kathleen McGrory

Miami Herald Staff WriterMiami Herald
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>/* <![CDATA[ */jQuery('.authorContact').click(function() {var emailLink = jQuery(this).attr('href');popupWin(emailLink, '', '', 'false', 'false', 'false', 'false', 'false', 'true');});/* ]]> */</SCRIPT>Updated: 10:54 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

South Florida school districts say they will be ready for the potential influx of Haitian children following this week's earthquake.

The impact on local schools could be significant -- especially if charities move forward with plans to bring thousands of orphaned children to South Florida.

The Miami-Dade school district has already drawn up a specific plan, which includes:

-Establishing three different locations for students needing to attend school. Children will be screened and tested, and given age-appropriate lessons in Haitian Creole. They'll also have access to psychological and support services.

-Readying 320 traditional schools for any new students who may show up for classes.

The school district will also consider creating an off-shore school for children affected by the tragedy. A site could be set up on the Guant?namo Bay Naval Base or possibly in the Dominican Republic, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.

``We're well prepared for this,' Carvalho said, noting the district had to set up emergency schooling sites during Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and the Mariel Boatlift in 1980. ``These are waters that we've traveled before.'

More at:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/s...influx-of-haitian-180457.html?cxtype=rss_news

 

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Re: Advocates plan to airlift Haitian orphans to South Florida

Nelson urges children's hospitals to stand ready for smallest victims

ByEliot Kleinberg
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript>/* <![CDATA[ */jQuery('.authorContact').click(function() {var emailLink = jQuery(this).attr('href');popupWin(emailLink, '', '', 'false', 'false', 'false', 'false', 'false', 'true');});/* ]]> */</SCRIPT>Updated: 6:05 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson today urged Florida's children's hospitals to plan to receive the youngest victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Nelson wrote 13 children's hospitals, and also asked the federal Department of Health and Human Services if under the National Disaster Medical System they should begin identifying children's hospitals in Florida and elsewhere that could receive patients from Haiti.

"Fact is: Florida is blessed with some of the country's top children's hospitals," Nelson wrote to the heads of the 13 facilities.

"At this point, the number of children needing trauma care is unknown, and it is unclear the extent to which hospitals in the U.S. may be needed," Nelson wrote. "Nonetheless, I ask that you stand ready to join the U.S. government in its relief efforts should it ask that hospitals here receive children and young adults injured in the quake."

Nelson said the Haitian government already has asked for help in evacuating a small number of patients from damaged hospitals to Miami.

And he said at least one Miami-Dade County hospital has begun receiving earthquake victims.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/n...ls-to-stand-ready-181009.html?cxtype=rss_news