Poor Haitian Farmers Still Digging Out

"All's broken."

That's how one distraught Haitian man described his life after Hurricane Isaac slammed into the island nation in late August.

The powerful storm dumped torrential rains on Haiti, flooded cities and rural communities, severely damaged farms, and killed both people and livestock.

Today, the impoverished island nation continues to struggle to recover from the powerful storm.

That's why I'm writing today to ask – to urge you, really – to please contribute to Trees for the Future's HAITI EMERGENCY TREE FUND.

Haiti is prone to flooding and massive mudslides because much of the country is heavily deforested. Just 1.2% of the island's original, lush tree cover remains. When torrential rains hit, water gushes down barren mountainsides with massive force.

In response to the natural disaster, Trees for the Future's Haitian field staff sprang into action, helping rural farmers and their communities tackle the massive job of cleaning up from the dirty flood waters and digging out from thick mud.

We helped them start rebuilding their lives.

But today farmers in Haiti still very much need our help! And they need it right away.

That's why we created the Haiti Emergency Tree Fund.

Please make a special contribution to our Fund today. Your dollars will enable our field staff to keep on working with local communities and farmers to plant new trees.

$ Trees are still needed to replace those uprooted or severely damaged by Hurricane Isaac's violent winds.

$ Trees are still needed to establish fast-growing windbreaks that can better protect homes and farms in the future.

$ Trees are still needed to produce sustainable charcoal for cooking and heating.

$ Trees are still needed to provide construction materials used to repair damaged homes and community buildings – where our field staff teaches Haitian farmers modern agroforestry techniques so they can feed themselves and their families.

For all these reasons, please make an immediate, tax-deductible donation in support of Trees for the Future's Haiti Emergency Tree Fund.

Farmers in Haiti continue to struggle to rebuild their lives in the wake of destruction left by Hurricane Isaac. They need help from Trees for the Future. We, in turn, need your help.

Please let me hear from you right away.

Sincerely,

David Tye
Interim Executive Director

P.S. Our goal is to raise $10,000 in the next 5 days to sustain our efforts in Haiti. Help us, won't you? Please send a gift of any size to Trees for the Future's Haiti Emergency Tree Fund today. My thanks.

Plant Trees. Change Lives.