This past summer, on August 14th, 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti, killing over 2,200 people. Over 12,000 people were injured, and 130,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. This disaster struck at a time when Haiti was already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, unparalleled economic hardship, and social and political unrest following the assassination of Haiti’s president in July. Haiti’s hospitals were quickly overwhelmed, and people were not able to get the medical care they desperately needed.  

An emergency donation from The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee played a critical role in helping the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) to respond immediately with lifesaving medical care, food, water, and supplies to more than 7,000 people who were hardest hit by the earthquake.  Eric Stillman, CEO of Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, says, “This demonstrates the power of the collective, as our Federation in Nashville worked together with other local Federations from across North America to partner with JDC in this humanitarian response.”