Rosen Hotels lead Haiti relief in Orlando

[Simon Veness]

ORLANDO (Jan. 14, 2010) - Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen, President and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, announced today a comprehensive and long-term relief effort to raise at least $1 million in donations as well as to collect first aid, medical and hygiene supplies to assist the earthquake victims in Haiti. Rosen jump-started the fundraising campaign with a personal donation of $250,000 and is seeking assistance from local companies, vendors, churches, Rosen Hotels & Resorts' associates and individuals in the Orlando community to raise the balance.

Relief donations will be channeled through the Harris Rosen Foundation, which has managed the hotelier's multi-million philanthropic endeavors for more than 15 years. One hundred percent of donations received through the Harris Rosen Foundation will be used for relief efforts in Haiti.

On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Rosen and his internal team met with Senator Bill Nelson and several leaders from Orlando's Haitian community to determine the immediate needs of those affected by this week's earthquake. Along with cash needed to buy supplies, the group is collecting first aid kits, medical supplies (bandages, gauze, peroxide, etc.), blankets, towels, washcloths, hygiene products (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.), antibiotics and bug spray. No clothes, shoes or food will be accepted at this time.Rosen is also working with pharmaceutical vendors via his onsite Rosen Medical Center to secure donations of medical supplies.

Supplies may be dropped off at Rosen Centre hotel, 9840 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819 or at First Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando, 4701 Lenox Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32811or at the Child development Center of Orlando, 11553 Winter Garden Vineland Rd., Orlando, FL 32836. Monetary donations may be mailed to the Harris Rosen Foundation, memo: Haiti Relief, 9840 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. The Harris Rosen Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (FEIN #59-2890420). For more information, call 407-996-6715 or visit www.rosenhotels.com/haiti.

Approximately 30 percent of Rosen Hotels & Resorts' associates are from Haiti or are of Haitian descent, bringing the grief and worry very close to home for the hotelier and the 4,500 total associates within Rosen's seven Orlando hotels. Grief counselors have also been made available to associates via the Rosen Medical Center and Family Outreach Center.

This is not the first time that Rosen Hotels & Resorts and the Harris Rosen Foundation have come to the aid of the Haitian people. Four years ago, Rosen hosted a "Water for Haiti" benefit, partnering with Air Mobile Ministries in Titusville, Fla. to raise $350,000 to purchase portable water purification systems for Haiti. The hotel chain regularly sends soap to the third-world country and had accumulated more than 50,000 bars that it was going to ship prior to the earthquake. The soap will now be sent along with the other medical and first aid supplies.

"Even after we reach our goal of $1 million, we won't stop. The devastation in Haiti is immeasurable, and we know that this is a long-term commitment," said Rosen. "We are grateful for the expertise and first-hand knowledge of our friends in the Orlando Haitian community to help us determine the greatest immediate needs, so that the relief effort can be done in stages."

Partners in the Rosen Hotels & Resorts relief effort include the First Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando, Senator Bill Nelson's Office, the Consulate of Haiti in Orlando, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, Tekontrol, and Senator Gary Siplin's Office.

[Simon Veness]

Don't forget you can also make donations via www.redcross.org.uk. This needs the whole world to help out.

[Susan Veness]

As of this afternoon, our Red Cross in the US has raised $3million in donations, and you know they're getting $10, $25, $50 at a time. It all adds up.

We're also trying to find places that will accept clothing and supplies, but it's much harder to do than finding someplace that takes money. I do think more churches, etc, will take supplies as they get more organized. We can all find something to send, right? And blood. They need blood. I don't know if anywhere here or in the UK will collect blood for Haiti, but there are so many needs and so many ways to give.

I'm sorry if this sounds bad, or if it offends anyone, but I think of how blessed we all are, with food, warm homes, good educations, and how the smallest things to us are so much to the people in Haiti right now. I don't mean to come off as preachy, my heart just goes out to these people suffering so much loss right now.