Our phones began to ring as soon as news of the earthquake came through the airwaves and the internet. They rang more frequently and even seemed louder as the extent of the devastation became known, sending emotional shock waves through our offices and the Haitian community in New York.
In the last three weeks, while attending to the concerns of our constituents, providing accurate information and reassurances when possible, we have taken pain to inform public opinion and welcome the many gestures of care and solidarity of friends and neighbors.
On January 18, The local Asian American leadership, joined by local black, white and Hispanic leaders, welcomed Elsie Accilien, executive director of Haitian Americans United for Progress, a Cambria Heights nonprofit aimed at helping New York City’s Haitian-American and other immigrant communities, to the event by donating more than $3,000 to charities working to help the people of Haiti. You can read the rest of the story here.
http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/01/21/queens/queenspiirwks01202010.txt
On January 27 and 28, Ms. Accilien provided answers to questions posed by the readers of the New York Times. The questions and answers can can be found here through this link: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/answers-about-new-yorks-response-to-haitis-earthquake/
NY1 broadcast a story on a Haitian orphanage supported by HAUP. You can read the story here http://www.ny1.com/8-queens-news-content/top_stories/112356/orphanage-director-plans-return-to-haiti
Accilien was quoted in “Three Steps to Making Smart Haiti Donations,” an article published by the NYT about the right way to help Haiti. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/nyregion/24critic.html
We would appreciate your feedback on the actions we have taken and the guidance we have provided so far. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Event will take place on Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 10 AM to 4 PM
HAUP will hold a Haiti Relief Service Fair at Sacred Heart School in Cambria Heights, NY. The 6 hour fair which starts at 10 AM and ends at 4 PM will address the concerns of community residents.
There will be free counseling to Haitians on applying for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a benefit which the Obama administration triggered in response to the quake, as well as other immigration counseling. Questions regarding adoptions, entitlements, and available community resources will be handled by trained and qualified personnel at the fair. For children, there will be a fun zone where they can play.
Sacred Heart School is located at 115-50 221st street in Cambria Heights. Please call 718.527.3776 ext 17 to speak to Warren or Sophia for additional information.
Damage to the Country’s Political and Economic Infrastructure Enormous, Yet Haiti Can Rise Again from the Rubble
Statement of Haitian-Americans United for Progress
New York, January 14, 2009 – Haiti suffered a major blow when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, the capital city and several other cities to south and west late Tuesday afternoon. The death toll is not yet known but the images coming out of Haiti foretell of the need for reconstruction efforts that will test the will and generosity of people the world over.
HAUP has taken several steps to respond to the immediate emergency. The non-profit organization has joined forces with New York City and New York State elected officials to build support for the relief efforts. We are urging all people of good will to provide monetary support to charities that have proven themselves in Haiti emergency responses in the past as well as in other similar emergencies. These charities include the International Red Cross and World Relief. We do not and will not collect food, clothing and other similar donations. Monetary donations are the only donations that we will allow at this point in time.
Moreover, we are very much aware that beyond the immediate emergency the rebuilding efforts will take time and will require of Haitian-Americans and of friends of Haiti a sustained commitment. Such commitments can and should take the form of volunteering time and expertise as well as providing monetary support. HAUP will plan for such efforts and urges all people of good will, and in particular Haitian-Americans to commit to such efforts.
Through years of facing natural and man-made calamity, Haitians have shown a remarkable resilience. We expect that this time will not be different. Though the loss of lives may be much greater and the emotional and physical aftershocks live with them for quite a long time, we believe that a renewed and stronger Haiti can and will emerge in the not-too-distant future. Key to Haiti’s revival however will be the support of individuals and groups to these efforts.
HAUP will take steps to take part in the rebuilding effort, including managing, training and deploying volunteers, offering tangible assistance and working with lawmakers and policymakers stateside to ensure that these efforts are a success. We look forward to working with the leaders of the NY City Council and the NY State Legislature, with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and with the Obama Administration to make the dream of building Haiti back better a reality.
On April 20, 2009, The Committee on Immigration of the Council of the City of New York held a hearing on Resolution 1595 which urges the US government to designate nationals of Haiti eligible for Temporary Protected Status under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Resolution, initiated by Councilman Mathieu Eugene, passed unanimously on a voice vote.
The Committee heard testimony from 4 Haitian-Americans, among them Bishop Guy Sansaricq. Jocelyn McCalla testified on behalf of Haitian-Americans United for Progress (HAUP). Following is the statement that was delivered at the hearing.
Statement of Haitian-Americans United for Progress
Hearing on Res. No. 1595
April 20, 2009
My name is Jocelyn McCalla and I want to begin by thanking the Committee on Immigration for extending an invitation to testify to Haitian-Americans United for Progress (HAUP). Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an important measure that has long been denied Haitian nationals in the United States although they have clearly qualified since the measure was adopted by the US government. I will go more in depth on this matter but allow me to first say a few words about my organization, HAUP.
HAUP stands uniquely in the NY City area as the oldest community-based organization that emerged 34 years ago to help resettle and integrate Haitian asylum-seekers as well as advocate on 
their behalf. Amongst our founders, we proudly include Bishop Guy Sansaricq, a refugee from the Duvalier dictatorship which caused thousands of Haitians to immigrate to the United States and make New York City their home. We like to believe that it is thanks to the efforts deployed by HAUP and other Haitian CBOs and advocacy organizations that today many Haitian-Americans can be found at the helm of some of the leading private and public sector institutions that make NY such a great city.
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Tags: clinton, haitian, haitian-american, Immigrant, Immigration, new york city, NYC Council, obama, refugee, tps
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April 20, 2009 10:56 pm | 
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NY State Governor David Patterson delivered a State of the State address on January 7, 2008 in which he detailed proposals to deal with NY’s fiscal crisis, brought on by the year-long recession, Wall Street’s virtual implosion and a looming depression. Of the measures proposed, slashing $2.6 billion in school funding appears to be the most hurtful to immigrant children and families.
The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), which speaks for hundreds of immigrant organizations and advocates, including HAUP, issued a strong statement deploring the cuts as “unconscionable.”
We staunchly oppose Governor Paterson’s proposals to slash critical services and programs for the most vulnerable New Yorkers. We are extremely disappointed that the only two immigrant-specific programs offered by the state—the NYS Refugee Assistance Program and the NYS Citizenship Initiative—are facing deep cuts of over 50 and 20 percent, respectively. Funding for these programs was grossly inadequate to begin with. These cuts mean that even fewer immigrants would find the help they need to resettle in the U.S., learn English, or become citizens.
The governor’s proposed cuts of $2.6 billion in school funding would constitute the most drastic education cuts in the state’s history, and immigrant students would be particularly hit hard. Given the already huge achievement gap between immigrant English language learners and other students (the ELL dropout rate is among the highest in the school system, with one in two dropping out of high school over seven years), these proposed cuts are unconscionable.
HAUP, like many other community-based organizations that rely on state and city funding to deliver deeply needed services to the greater Cambria Heights community, has been preparing itself to thrive and grow despite the many obstacles that current economic situation has placed in its path. We are prepared to tighten our belt while delivering essential services. Cutting funds to schools that have long suffered from State underfunding could very well jeopardize economic recovery. Investment in education and essential services is a sine qua non for economic growth and social stability in our community. For the immigrant newcomer from the Caribbean, Haiti in particular, English-as-a-Second-Language classes are essential to their rapid integration into American life and enhance their productivity.
We join others in urging the Governor to reconsider its budget proposals, and to do so in consultation with the constituencies that may be most affected by ill-advised and counterproductive measures.
On January 18, The local Asian American leadership, joined by local black, white and Hispanic leaders, welcomed Elsie Accilien, executive director of Haitian Americans United for Progress, a Cambria Heights nonprofit aimed at helping New York City’s Haitian-American and other immigrant communities, to the event by donating more than $3,000 to charities working to help the people of Haiti. You can read the rest of the story here.
