Community leaders band together to support Haitian relief efforts.
Antoine Dérose, a representative from the Consulate of the Republic of Haiti, thanks the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto for its support during a press conference announcing the "Haiti, You are Not Alone" earthquake relief project Tuesday afternoon.
Scarborough community organizations and businesses are pledging their support to help the victims ravaged by last week's earthquake in Haiti.
At a press conference held today at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, Scarborough community leaders came together to tell Haitians, "You are not alone."
"We would like to express our deepest condolences to the earthquake victims," said Chinese Cultural Centre president Dr. Ming-Tat Cheung.
"I would like our Haitian brothers to know one thing: You are not alone."
So far, Cheung said more than 60 Scarborough organizations and businesses have banded together to offer financial support to the relief efforts in Haiti.
Attending the conference was Haitian consulate representative Antoine Dérose.
He expressed his appreciation for all the support that has been offered since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated his homeland.
"It's heartwarming and overwhelming to see the positive response of both this and the international community," he said. "Since the earthquake, everyone has opened their purses and their hearts to help Haiti through this trauma."
Representatives from the Canadian Red Cross, The Hong Kong Lions Club and the Canadian Multicultural Council were also on hand. While everyone was there to give moral support, they also dug deep into their pockets.
The largest donation announcement came from Raymond Szeto, president of the Hong Kong Lions Club. He presented a $10,000 cheque to the Canadian Red Cross and he encouraged everyone to donate whatever they can since the federal government has pledged to match every dollar donated, up to $100 million.
Canadian Red Cross representative Kai Tao said there are about 1,000 volunteers working on the ground and that so far they have received about $42.6 million in Canadian donations. He said donations are used in many important ways, such as setting up mobile hospitals or providing tents as temporary shelter.
Speaking on behalf of his community, Canadian Multicultural Council president Henry Lee said everyone shared the same motivation in rallying support for the cause.
"Most of us here may be Asian by birth, but beyond that we are citizens of the world," he said. "We have an obligation to help these people who at no fault of their own were forced to bear the brunt of this disaster."
To propel their fundraising efforts, the Chinese Cultural Centre will host a charity dinner to assist in the recovery.
The "Haiti, You Are Not Alone" charity dinner will take place on Wednesday Jan. 27, at the centre located at 5183 Sheppard Ave. E. Tickets cost $60 and can be purchased by calling 416-292-9293, ext. 232 or 224.
Last Sunday, Jan. 17, a Friends of Haiti Fundraiser was held at the Lakay Caribbean Restaurant, located at 613 Kennedy Rd. For more info or to make a donation, please call 416-829-7242 or 416-731-4796.
Also, on Saturday, Jan. 23, the Framing Dames store in Highland Creek will hold a fundraiser for Haiti. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and those attending can make small "Haiti Houses" which will be turned into fridge magnets and pins and sold for $5 each. All of the proceeds will go to Haitian relief. Framing Dames is located at 211 Morrish Rd. Call 416-287-2025.