In an effort to support their co-worker and other survivors of the earthquake, Sea Box employees have donated food, water and clothing and the owners of Sea Box have donated a 20 foot shipping container (and shipping) – complete with a ShelterPAK module already installed. 

Sea Box created the “ShelterPAK” six years ago in response to demand for easily installed basic housing units for disaster areas.  Designed to fit into a standard 20 foot shipping container, when installed, it turns a basic shipping container into a livable shelter.  

The Sea Box container with ShelterPAK is destined for Carrefour, Mr. Guerrier’s hometown where the food, water and clothing will be distributed to JEBCA D’HAITI, an organization of the church M.E.B.S.H. de Cote-Plage, directed by Pastor Rev. Samson Dorilas.  Sadly, 39 members of this church lost their lives, and many more lost their houses. JEBCA D’HAITI will be in charge of the distribution of all the items donated and intend to use the shelter as a medical treatment center.

“Sea Box has the ability to deliver 5,000 ShelterPAKs per week to Haiti where these kits can be easily inserted into the empty shipping containers currently sitting at the Port in Haiti. In the next six months aid to Haiti will be sent in an estimated 100,000 of the standard 20-foot cargo containers. Once unloaded, these same containers could serve as life-saving shelters with the installation of a ShelterPAK,” said Jim Brennan, Jr., President of Sea Box, Inc. “We at Sea Box thought the best way we could help Haiti – and our colleague – is to provide both supplies and the product and services we are best at – the efficient and economical use of containers. Our ShelterPAK makes the container itself useful once the supplies are distributed.”

Cargo containers have been used in other countries for emergency shelters. ShelterPAKs meet earthquake zone specifications and exceed the structural codes.  They are sturdy, safe and economical (estimated $4,000 per ShelterPAK, installed) on a permanent site.  They allow families to be back on their own land quickly and these families can also reconstruct their houses around the container making it a permanent emergency shelter at the core of their homes.

About Sea Box, Inc. (www.seabox.com)
Headquartered in suburban Philadelphia (East Riverton NJ), with offices in Charleston, SC, Qingdao, China and Fyshwick, Australia, Sea Box was established in 1983 by current President Jim Brennan Jr. The company specializes in new design, modification and manufacture of ISO quality-certified containers for commercial and military applications such as personnel shelters, power generating stations, large computer data centers, interim housing units, mobile latrine-toilet-shower shelters, Coast Guard approved berthing vans and portable laboratories.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Chevron has donated $450,000 to the Pan American Development Foundation’s Haiti disaster relief and recovery effort, a major contribution that will have a significant impact on the nonprofit’s in-country work. www.PanAmericanRelief.org

“Chevron is a shining example of corporate leadership during natural disasters and humanitarian crises,” says John Sanbrailo, PADF’s Executive Director “Chevron’s generous contribution to our work in Haiti ensures that we can benefit even more people in some of the mostly heavily damaged areas.”

PADF — an independent nonprofit that also acts as the natural disaster arm of Organization of American States (OAS) — is collaborating with Hollywood Unites for Haiti (HUFH) and other organizations to provide immediate relief and to contribute to the country’s reconstruction.

“PADF has always taken a long-term approach to helping Haiti. We were there for them before and we are proud to be able to respond to the call for support again in providing immediate relief and assistance,” says Mauricio Nicholls, general manager, retail and commercial and industrial, Caribbean, Central America and Andean regions for Chevron Products Company.

Chevron is also matching its USA employee contributions to PADF-OAS-HUFH and encouraging employees around the globe to contribute to the earthquake relief efforts. Employees are donating online at www.PanAmericanRelief.org. Chevron’s contribution to PADF is part of a $1.2 million donation to several aid organizations working in Haiti.

In addition to Haiti, Chevron has been involved in PADF’s relief efforts in Guatemala, El Salvador, Jamaica, Ecuador, Peru and elsewhere. It is a founding member of PADF’s Disaster Management and Emergency Response Program, which was created to channel corporate contributions to relief efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Individual and corporate donations to the Haiti relief efforts are encouraged by calling toll-free (877) 572-4484 or visiting www.PanAmericanRelief.org. Text HEAL to 50555 to donate $5. One-hundred percent of donations go to Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

About Chevron
Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, with subsidiaries that conduct business across the globe. The company’s success is driven by the ingenuity and commitment of approximately 62,000 employees who operate across the energy spectrum. Chevron explores for, produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and distributes transportation fuels and other energy products; manufactures and sells petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy; provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops and commercializes the energy resources of the future, including biofuels and other renewables. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

About the OAS
The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world’s oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States, which was held in Washington, D.C. from October 1889 to April 1890. Today, it is comprised of 34 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean. www.oas.org

About HUFH
Hollywood Unites For Haiti is a non-profit charitable aid organization based in Los Angeles that is lead by Jimmy Jean-Louis, the actor who plays the “Haitian” on NBC’s “Heroes.” www.hufh.org and www.HaitianHero.com

About PADF
PADF is a non-profit organization established in 1962 to promote, facilitate, and implement social and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the past year, it had more than 5.6 million beneficiaries in 18 countries.

PADF is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in Haiti. With nearly three decades of work on the ground, PADF now manages a large portfolio of activities ranging from community-driven development to protecting human rights.

Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C., and has field offices in Haiti, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. www.padf.org

The contribution consists of a $5,000 donation to each organization as well as a dollar-for-dollar match of the $23,000 donated by OneBeacon employees, its Hagerty Insurance partners and White Mountains Insurance Group staff. In total, the OneBeacon community will donate $71,000, with almost $30,000 going to the American Red Cross.

Carmen Duarte, a member of the OneBeacon Charitable Trust Committee said, “Addressing the devastating loss and continued suffering in Haiti is clearly a global collaboration. The OneBeacon community deeply admires the relentless efforts demonstrated by these five organizations. We are pleased to be in a position to assist them and Haiti during this most challenging recovery effort.”

The OneBeacon Charitable Trust is a tax-exempt private foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code managed by employees of OneBeacon Insurance Company. As one of the oldest property and casualty insurers in the United States, OneBeacon traces its roots to 1831 and the Potomac Fire Insurance Company. Today, OneBeacon’s specialty insurance businesses are national in scope while its personal lines business is concentrated in the Northeastern United States. OneBeacon Insurance Group, Ltd. is a Bermuda-domiciled holding company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “OB”.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included or referenced in this release which address activities, events or developments which we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The words “will,” “believe,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “predict” and similar expressions are also intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to OneBeacon’s:
 
• change in book value per share or return on equity;
• business strategy;
• financial and operating targets or plans;
• incurred loss and loss adjustment expenses and the adequacy of its loss and loss adjustment expense reserves and related reinsurance;
• projections of revenues, income (or loss), earnings (or loss) per share, dividends, market share or other financial forecasts;
• expansion and growth of our business and operations; and
• future capital expenditures.

These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by OneBeacon in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to our expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, including:
 
• claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, windstorms, earthquakes, floods, fires, explosions, terrorist attacks or severe winter weather;
• recorded loss and loss adjustment expense reserves subsequently proving to have been inadequate;
• the continued availability and cost of reinsurance coverage;
• the continued availability of capital and financing;
• general economic, market or business conditions;
• business opportunities (or lack thereof) that may be presented to it and pursued;
• competitive forces, including the conduct of other property and casualty insurers and agents;
• changes in domestic or foreign laws or regulations, or their interpretation, applicable to OneBeacon, its competitors, its agents or its customers;
• an economic downturn or other economic conditions adversely affecting its financial position including stock market volatility;
• actions taken by ratings agencies from time to time, such as financial strength or credit ratings downgrades or placing ratings on negative watch;
• the risks that are described from time to time in OneBeacon’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to OneBeacon’s Annual Report on the Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 filed February 27, 2009.
 
Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by OneBeacon will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, OneBeacon or its business or operations. OneBeacon assumes no obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Web site:   www.onebeacon.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Highly acclaimed Master Photographer Peter Lik today announced his support of Concern Worldwide’s ongoing Haiti relief efforts.  All Peter Lik Galleries globally will donate a portion of February sales from Lik’s first 2010 major release, “Tree of Life” to Concern, an international humanitarian aid organization dedicated to eliminating extreme poverty in 28 of the world’s poorest countries.  The limited edition unveiling will take place simultaneously at Peter Lik Galleries worldwide on February 12, 2010.  The New York unveiling will be held at Peter Lik’s SoHo Gallery at 419 West Broadway in New York City from 7-10PM.  Those interested in attending can RSVP by emailing customerservice@peterlik.com. 

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on January 12, has affected as many as 3.5 million people.  Concern’s long-standing presence in Haiti (16 years) allowed it to immediately launch a full scale response in St. Martin and Martissant, distributing water, food and medicine to survivors.  The partnership between Peter Lik and Concern offers collectors an opportunity to acquire fine art while simultaneously helping the country in this time of great need. 

“We are proud to support Concern Worldwide in its ongoing efforts in Haiti,” said Peter Lik New York Directors Laura Smith and Allison Reilly. In his own words Lik describes The “Tree of Life” as “symbolizing the idea that all life on earth is interconnected and serves as a testament to the enduring human spirit. Concern’s work in international humanitarian aid epitomizes this philosophy.”  

Peter is especially proud to have this photograph benefit the recovery process in Haiti.  Lik, a native Australian, is considered to be the leading landscape photographer alive today, capturing audiences around the globe with his large-scale panoramic photographs. In his unending quest for the perfect shot, he travels the globe to places that few humans have seen, driven by a vigorous determination to capture the extraordinary beauty of nature.

“We are honored that Peter Lik has recognized our efforts in Haiti and extremely grateful for this extraordinary show of support,” said Siobhan Walsh, Executive Director, Concern Worldwide US. “The proceeds raised will help Concern meet the basic survival needs of Haiti’s earthquake victims, including the most vulnerable mothers and children, and will also help us launch long-term efforts to rebuild Haiti’s infrastructure.”

Proceeds donated from sales of the “Tree of Life” will begin January 29th and extend through February 2010.  For more information on either organization please visit the Peter Lik website at www.peterlik.com or Concern Worldwide US at www.concernusa.org.  

About Peter Lik

Long celebrated for his vast panoramic landscape photographs, which capture the brilliant colors and spiritual terrain in nature, Peter Lik has received the highest award, given by his peers, the Master of Photography. He is driven by an extraordinary passion that few men possess. Peter opened his first gallery in his hometown in Cairns, Australia, and now has fourteen galleries in the US and Australia showcasing his Limited Edition photographs.

About Concern Worldwide

Concern Worldwide is committed to the elimination of extreme poverty and the reduction of suffering in the world’s poorest countries. The organization focuses on emergency relief and long-term development programs in the areas of health, HIV and AIDS, education and livelihoods.

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, International Breast Milk Project (IBMP) and Quick International Courier delivered close to 500 ounces of donor breast milk for premature, sick and orphaned infants aboard the USNS Comfort’s Medical Treatment Center stationed outside Haiti.

The ship is equipped with a neonatal intensive care unit and medical staff to provide emergency care to the youngest victims of the earthquake. They are uniquely positioned to handle a donation of breast milk because they maintain cold chain requirements and ensure proper handling and security of the donation.

Emphasizing the importance of human milk, Jay N. Gordon, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the UCLA Medical School, said, “Nothing protects at-risk, premature or sick infants like mother’s milk does.  Breast milk’s natural antibodies prevent illnesses, treat illnesses and will save lives.”

The earthquake that devastated Haiti has left countless infants without their mothers and without breast milk. Amanda Nickerson, Executive Director, for International Breast Milk Project told MediaGlobal, “Unfortunately, without proper infrastructure in place, frozen donor milk is not going to be a viable option for so many infants in need, but we are happy to make a difference in the lives of the infants aboard the USNS Comfort.”

Quick International Courier, a global medical logistics specialist, donated their services to provide packaging, dry ice and the fastest and most secure cold chain transport services to Haiti.

“It is so rewarding to be able to help make a difference in the lives of orphaned and critically ill babies.  As a mother and a person concerned about the world and health, this project really speaks to my heart,” said Dominique Bischoff-Brown, COO of Quick International Courier.

This humanitarian project has been made possible with the active cooperation of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, who provided the donor milk, Toby and Maggie Moffett, of the Moffett Group in Washington, D.C., and the offices of Congressman Courtney, Congresswomen Betty McCollum, and Congresswomen Rosa DeLauro and the dedicated staff of the USNS Comfort.

IBMP is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding solutions to ensure that infants worldwide have access to donor milk when they need it. Since its inception, IBMP has provided over 65,000 bottles (262,682 ounces, 7,768 liters or 2,052 gallons) of donor breast milk to infants around the world.

For more information, please contact Amanda Nickerson, Executive Director. Cell: 786.837.3082. Email: amanda@breastmilkproject.org.

Visit www.breastmilkproject.org for additional details.

The company is donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization working closely with the Haitian Red Cross and other partners to provide immediate relief to those affected in Haiti.  Coty is also contributing $50,000 to Save the Children, an international organization working in Haiti since 1978, which has over 200 staff members in the country responding to the immediate needs of children and their families.

“Our hearts go out to the countless victims of the earthquake in Haiti and their families around the world,” said Bernd Beetz, Coty’s Chief Executive Officer.  “In addition to our corporate donation to both the American Red Cross and Save the Children, our 10,000 employees worldwide are continuing to support numerous Haiti relief efforts around the globe.  As a company, Coty is committed to further supporting recovery needs.”

About Coty Inc.
Coty was created in Paris in 1904 by Francois Coty who is credited with founding the modern fragrance industry.

Today, Coty Inc. is a recognized leader in global beauty with annual net sales of nearly $4 billion. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, passion, innovation and creativity, Coty Inc. has developed an unrivaled portfolio of notable brands and delivers its innovative products to consumers in 90 markets worldwide.

The Coty Prestige brand portfolio is distributed in prestige and ultra-prestige stores and includes Baby Phat, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein, Cerruti, Chloe, Chopard, Davidoff, Home Skin Lab, Jennifer Lopez, Jette Joop, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Karl Lagerfeld, Kenneth Cole, L.A.M.B. fragrance by Gwen Stefani, La Voce by Renee Fleming, Lancaster, Marc Jacobs, Nautica, Nikos, Phat Farm, Sarah Jessica Parker, Vera Wang, Vivienne Westwood and Wolfgang Joop.

The Coty Beauty brand portfolio is more widely distributed and includes adidas, Astor, Beyonce Knowles, Celine Dion, Chupa Chups, David and Victoria Beckham, Esprit, Exclamation, Faith Hill, GUESS, Halle Berry, Jovan, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, La Cross, Miss Sixty, Miss Sporty, N.Y.C. New York Color, Pierre Cardin(1), Playboy, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, Shania Twain, Stetson, Tim McGraw and Tonino Lamborghini.

Coty and Puig Fashion and Beauty S.A. have a strategic partnership for the distribution of the perfume lines of Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, Prada, and Paco Rabanne in the United States and Canada.

For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit www.coty.com.

(1) Not available in North America

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Adriana Casey Photography has partnered with the American Red Cross to offer a day of portrait sessions with 100% of the proceeds going to assist with the relief efforts in Haiti.  “Portraits for Haiti” will take place on Monday, February 1st from 9:30am to 6:30pm in New York City.  “The goal is to provide professional portraits in exchange for donations that will help the Haiti relief operation,” said Adriana Casey. “It is clear that what took minutes to destroy will take many years and the collective support of our world community to help mend.”

A variety of portrait types are available, from headshots to maternity to newborn and family portraits.  Each portrait session will take place in a private studio and will be 20 minutes in length. The suggested donation is $50, and a disc with fully edited high resolution images will be provided.  Images will also be uploaded to an online gallery and access to a professional lab for printing will be provided.

Underscoring its commitment to charity, Adriana Casey Photography is focused on giving back and getting involved. This day of portrait sessions is donated to help Haiti recover from the earthquake that has turned its country upside down. The belief of Adriana Casey Photography is that together, our world community can contribute in ways that will help Haiti repair itself.  Calumet Photographic has donated photographic equipment, and studio space has been provided by Select Office Suites.

The American Red Cross has reported that this is already the largest single-country relief operation in global Red Cross history. The number of emergency response teams in or en route to Haiti equals those that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami – an emergency that spanned 14 countries. Because of the generosity of donors, people in Haiti will receive more than immediate relief — they will receive resources, support and training from the Red Cross that will help them thrive for years to come.

About Adriana Casey Photography

ADRIANA CASEY PHOTOGRAPHY (www.adrianacaseyphotography.com) is a portrait and event photography studio based in Manhattan, New York.  Adriana Casey Photography is committed to offering high quality images and capturing special moments in people’s lives.  Adriana Casey Photography utilizes advanced photographic equipment to create unique and beautiful images. Adriana Casey Photography currently services the greater New York area, including New Jersey and Connecticut, and is available for travel.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org.
RELATED LINKS
http://www.adrianacaseyphotography.com
http://www.redcross.org

WHO:  Save the Children, American Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, Habitat for Humanity, World Vision, and other members of InterAction, a coalition of more than 150 U.S. humanitarian organizations.

WHAT:  Save the Children and other U.S. humanitarian relief organizations will share details of their work in Haiti, including progress, challenges, and what needs to be done in the future. From Port-au-Prince, Save the Children’s Director of Emergency Health and Nutrition, Kathryn Bolles, will speak about protecting the health and nutrition of children.  The groups will also discuss food distribution, camp conditions, orphans and child protection, rescue and recovery, and lessons learned from past disasters.

WHEN:  Today – Thursday, January 28, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (EST)

WHERE:  This is a call-in audio briefing.

 
Call in information:
U.S. Toll-Free:                           888-299-4099
Canadian Toll-Free:                       866-682-1172
International Toll:                       302-709-8337
Verbal Passcode (to be given to the
 operator):                               VC27526

Save the Children and other organizations within the InterAction alliance have raised $350 million from the American public to put toward relief efforts. Since the earthquake on January 12, Save the Children’s staff members in Haiti have been responding to the immediate needs of children and families.  The humanitarian organization has worked in Haiti since 1978 and has more than 250 staff in the country.
 
Save the Children is the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 29 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

CONTACT:  Tanya Weinberg of Save the Children, +1-202-640-6647,

/PRNewswire-USNewswire — Jan. 28/

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Major League baseball players today pledged their long-term support of relief and recovery efforts in Haiti by committing up to one million dollars from the Major League Baseball Players Trust.  Beginning with immediate $100,000 contributions each to Esperanza International and Medicines for Humanity, over the next five years the Players Trust will provide grants totaling up to one million dollars to support the efforts of non-profit organizations working to help Haiti recover from the devastating effects of the earthquake.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070111/MLBTRUSTLOGO )

“On behalf of all Major League baseball players, it’s an honor to pledge our long-term support to the people of Haiti,” said MLBPA Association Representative and Players Trust Trustee, Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees. “Haiti faces a long road to recovery and we want to do our part to support the humanitarian efforts of those non-profits committed to this cause.”

“For many years I have seen firsthand the commitment of the Players Trust to make a difference in the lives of the poor. Esperanza is honored to serve alongside Major League baseball players in this Herculean effort of assisting those in great need in Haiti,” stated David Valle, President, Esperanza International.

“For almost a decade, the Players Trust has been at our side helping to save the lives of vulnerable children,” said Tim Bilodeau, MFH Executive Director.  “This gift, for the relief and restoration of Haiti, demonstrates the on-going commitment of Major League baseball players to reach out where help is needed most.”

Esperanza has been working in Haiti since 2005 and is leading a coordinated rapid response effort of over 150 local organizations, providing food packs, water, bedding and hygiene kits to thousands of families.  They have established two medical clinics with two more online with over 80 doctors and nurses.  In keeping with its mission to free children and their families from poverty through initiatives that generate income, education and health, Esperanza plans to help Haiti’s economic development efforts by growing their established microfinance program and providing housing and educational opportunities to the children.  The Players Trust has collaborated with Esperanza since 2006, growing a microfinance program serving 35,000 women and families in the Dominican Republic.  For more information, please visit http://esperanza.org/us/

Medicines for Humanity (MFH) has worked to improve maternal and child health in Haiti for over eight years.  MFH is currently supplying its Haitian healthcare partners with medicines and medical supplies so critically needed in the aftermath of this disaster. MFH is also supporting the work of a volunteer medical team that is seeing almost 300 patients each day.  MFH will be actively involved in the efforts to rebuild maternal and child health services in Haiti.  MFH has been a partner of the Players Trust since 2002 in providing lifesaving medicines and health services to people in the Dominican Republic. For more information, please visit http://www.medicinesforhumanity.org/

On Friday, January 22, the MLBPA announced that it was joining the NFL Players Association, National Basketball Players Association and National Hockey League Players’ Association in the creation of the “ONE TEAM 4 HAITI” campaign to support the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund’s focus on the country’s earthquake relief and recovery efforts.  The campaign launched with a text message fund-raising effort supporting the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. In the U.S., supporters can text the word “TEAM” to 20222 to donate $10. Canadian supporters can text the word “TEAM” to 20222 to donate $5. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised by the texting campaign will go directly to relief efforts.

The “ONE TEAM 4 HAITI” campaign will also promote relief efforts in Haiti by airing public service announcements featuring professional athletes from all four major sports.  St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman, Albert Pujols, 2009 National League MVP, and San Francisco Giants pitcher, Tim Lincecum, 2009 National League Cy Young Award winner, have recorded the PSA on behalf of the MLBPA.

Today’s pledge matches the largest financial contribution ever made by the Players Trust, the charitable foundation of all Major League baseball players.  In 2005, in a demonstration of their commitment to rebuilding the Gulf region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Major League Baseball Players Trust presented a gift of one million dollars to launch the Volunteers of America Rental Housing Development Fund.  That contribution, along with contributions from other organizations, was used to develop affordable rental housing in the Gulf Coast region.

About the Major League Baseball Players Trust

The members of the Major League Baseball Players Association created the Players Trust, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation,  to provide resources of caring to those in need by volunteering in causes close to their hearts and encouraging others to do the same. The foundation became the first of its kind in professional sports established and administered by the players.  For additional information, please visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com and visit the Players Trust channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/MLBPlayersTrust

Donations of cruises, an upgrade auction and matching funds all were contributed by the cruise companies as pledges came pouring in with record dollars in a matter of a few hours. “We are reaching out to all LGBT organizations and individuals to become part of this relief fund effort and get the word out everywhere,” said Judy Dlugacz, President and founder of Olivia Companies, a lesbian-oriented vacation company. “If we all work together we can provide enormous support to the Haiti relief efforts.”

“Over the last week we have seen a wonderful broadening of this initiative within our community,” stated Claire Lucas, an international development expert and a well known community activist and political fundraiser who worked with the American Red Cross to set up the fund. This effort began with the LGBT cruise companies and has quickly expanded to include other organizations and individuals. “Just this morning, three very diverse LGBT groups approached us to join the initiative; The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission based in New York, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center/Pride Center representing Southern Florida and a donor-directed community fund at the Alaska Community Foundation.”

“We are inspired to see so many groups coming together to help earthquake survivors in Haiti,” says Nan Buzard, Sr. Director of International Response and Programs for the American Red Cross. “The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community has done an outstanding job of raising funds to support the American Red Cross’s relief work in Haiti.”

Cary Alan Johnson, Executive Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, stated, “The LGBT community has a long tradition of mobilizing quickly to respond to crisis. We are proud that so many business leaders in our community have come forward to assist the people of Haiti in this time of great need.”

Lucas added, “While we have received over 1,300 donations totaling over $150,000 as of today, the actual donations have only just begun and we predict there will be a colossal response to this historic endeavor.”

Mark Bromley, of The Council for Global Equality, a non-profit organization that encourages a stronger voice on LGBT human rights concerns said, “We are urging all members of the LGBT community and their friends to donate to the American Red Cross LGBT Haiti Relief Fund to help the people of Haiti. Our community sends its deepest compassion and support to the people of Haiti and we will speak as one voice to show that support.”

To contribute to the fund, visit: http://american.redcross.org/LGBT-pub

For interviews and more information about the American Red Cross LGBT Haiti Relief please contact Andrea Burnett andrea@andreaburnett.com or 650.207.0917.