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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown
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Lowery Brown to take lead role in state's Haitian relief efforts
HARRISBURG, Jan. 28 -- State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown today participated in a meeting with Gov. Ed Rendell's staff where she volunteered to take a lead role in Pennsylvania's efforts to help earthquake-stricken Haiti.
"During times of disaster, Americans and the people of Pennsylvania have stepped forward to ease people's suffering," said Lowery Brown, D-Phila. "I'm sure once again we will set an example to the world and help put the people of Haiti on the road to recovery through PA Backs Haiti."
Lowery Brown said PA Backs Haiti is a bipartisan effort that has been spearheaded by the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and its chairman, Ronald Waters. It includes the governor and members of the legislature working hand-in-hand with non-profit organizations to coordinate outreach and clearinghouses for donations across the Commonwealth. She said details of the effort, including drop-off sites for donations, are still being arranged.
"We know that the military and non-profit groups want us to solicit backpacks and the supplies to fill them, because they can be efficiently distributed to many more people in less time than it takes to distribute the individual supplies," Lowery Brown said. "The issue is determining where we will store the items until we get them to Haiti."
More information about the endeavor will be available in the coming days. In the meantime, Lowery Brown is inviting constituents to visit her Web site (www.pahouse.com/Brown) where she will post updated information about PA Backs Haiti as it becomes available.