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MLK Parade Committee adds to Haiti relief

Mar 19, 2010

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Committee contributed $210 to Haiti relief efforts during a brief press conference Tuesday morning in front of Laurel City Hall.
Thaddeus Edmonson, president of the parade committee, called Tuesday a “special day” to help the earthquake victims in Haiti.
“Our prayers and hearts go out to those devastated by the earthquake,” he said. “It has really torn up that country. We continue to ask anyone and other churches throughout Laurel and Jones County for their support. We are discussing curbside solicitation to continue to support the Red Cross.”
Peggy Owens-Mansfield, executive director of the Pine Belt Chapter of the American Red Cross, said she was “very pleased” to be part of the parade committee’s fundraising efforts.
“The Red Cross was on the ground when the earthquake hit,” she said. “We have continued to send more and more people and supplies. We have called it Haiti Relief and Development because there are long-range plans being made.”
Owens-Mansfield said any donation made to the American Red Cross specifically for Haiti relief efforts will be assigned in full for that purpose.
“We’re continuing to get money in the mail or people dropping them off,” she said. “We had a wonderful story yesterday (Monday). A five-year-old from Jasper County emptied her piggy bank and brought us over $52. It was really sweet.”
Owens-Mansfield said the Pine Belt Chapter has received more than $33,000 since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake impacted Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital, on Jan. 12. More than $21,000 of that was collected last week during a day long drive at the Sawmill Square Mall.
“We’re just elated that our community cares that much,” Owens-Mansfield said. “We’re pretty honored that they’ve chosen our organization to invest their money towards the recovery of Haiti.
“We’ve had response from everyone from little bitties to churches... a lot of churches,” she added. “We’re very pleased with anybody that wants to utilize us as a collection point to make their donation over there.”
According to the official Red Cross Website, Red Cross responders from eight countries are treating approximately 500 people each day at medical facilities throughout the capital city. Other Red Cross teams are delivering clean drinking water to 400,000 people daily.
The Rev. Jerry James, pastor of Second Allen A.M.E. Church and a member of the parade committee, said the A.M.E. Church has also made significant contributions in Haiti.
“A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal) has 20 districts around the globe,” he said. “Our churches in Haiti were established more than 138 years ago. The clinics you see on TV in Haiti were built by the A.M.E. Church.”
James said Sarah Davis, Bishop of the A.M.E. Church’s 16th District was in Port-au-Prince at the time of the earthquake.
“We have received donations from across the country to help those in need,” he said. “There’s just been an outpouring of love from people. Like the poet Robert Frost said, we have miles to go and promises to keep before we sleep. We have to help those in need in Haiti.”
The Internal Revenue Service has also announced that all cash contributions given to charities between Jan. 11 and March 1 for Haiti qualifies as a special tax relief provision for taxpayers who itemize deductions on their 2009 return.
In a press release, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said, “Americans have opened their hearts to help those affected by the Haiti earthquake. This new law provides an immediate tax benefit for the many taxpayers who have made generous donations.”
For more information on this provision, visit www.irs.gov.

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