With some 3 million people affected by the deadly quake, the immediate humanitarian needs are enormous. SIG’s Personal & Commercial Lines Agent, Amanda, has partnered with “World Vision” to help out the victims of the Haiti earthquake. In case you have never heard of World Vision, they are a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision’s initial priority is to provide life-saving assistance — like food, clean water, hygiene products, cooking sets, and temporary shelter — to survivors living in dire conditions.

But emergency relief is just the beginning. With our staff and programs already positioned in Haiti, World Vision will be working alongside survivors of the devastating quake for years to come — helping children, families, and communities rebuild their lives and re-establish livelihoods.

“In visiting Haiti, I carry a message of hope and help,” said Rich Stearns, president of World Vision U.S., as he arrived in Port-au-Prince on Jan. 19. “World Vision, its donors, and the international community are all here to assist you, as you climb from the rubble to rebuild your lives and communities over the coming months and years.”

Hope may be a sparse commodity in a place that’s overwhelmed by sights of destruction and smells of death and decay. But even in this place of desperation and heartache, there are reasons to look toward the future — in children who smile, despite their circumstances; in thankful caregivers who are moved to tears when relief workers arrive with assistance; and in responders working with unwavering determination regardless of the obstacles they face. These may just be the glimmers of hope that survivors need to pull through.

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of donors already,” added Stearns. “But this is a marathon, and we need people who will continue to run that race beside us.”