People opened up their hearts and their checkbooks at Thursday's event, held at the Ohio Historical Society, off Interstate 71, donating to the American Red Cross, 10TV's Patrick Bell reported.

Members of the Haitian Coalition of Ohio said they are preparing to leave for their native country to deliver food, clothing and supplies to those in need, Bell reported.

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 "I have a cousin that lives right across from the prison in Port-au-Prince," said Haitian native Jean Manuel who now lives in Columbus. "His house has crumbled down, with his wife, his daughter, and his friend in the house with him. The three of them are dead."

"Leogane, the city which I'm from, is 95 percent destroyed.  My sister is injured, I've talked to her; she hasn't seen a doctor and we don't know how bad the injury is," Manuel said.

Manuel and other coalition members are taking matters into his their hands, Bell reported.  He and other coalition members were collecting dry goods, clothing and medical supplies, and making plans to return to Haiti in a few days to deliver them in person, Bell reported.

Manuel said the coalition will try to contact family and friends of central Ohioans who are living in Haiti for those who may not be able to reach them.

"That way we can get to Haiti, call them, and tell them to come get their food.  Instead of dropping it on the street, we want to distribute it to them personally," Manuel said. "They describe it as like the end of times, like a Biblical term, like this is the end of Haiti. They're sleeping on the street.  They need our help."

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More Information:

Haitian Coalition of Ohio 614-571-1637

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