ADRA Distributes Food Aid Kits in Haiti Amid Rising Food Crisis
Emergency food kits and cash assistance bring relief to vulnerable communities as Haiti faces worsening food insecurity.
January 8, 2025 | Port-au-Prince, Haiti | ADRA Haiti and IAD News Staff
In a response to the growing food crisis in the commune of Caracol, in the northeastern part of Haiti, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Haiti distributed hundreds of essential food kits at the Caracol National School recently. The project aims to alleviate the severe hardship faced by some of the most vulnerable families in the region.
Beneficiaries receive their food kits during the distribution organized by ADRA Haiti in December 2024. At least 1,070 families in the Commune of Caracol will have food to sustain them this through February 2025, thanks to kits distributed by ADRA Haiti and its partners Canadian Foodgrains Bank and ADRA Canada. [Photo: ADRA Haiti]
Located in the Trou-du-Nord arrondissement of Haiti’s Northeast Department, Caracol is experiencing an acute food crisis compounded by the escalating insecurity plaguing the country. The situation has left many in desperate need of immediate assistance, ADRA Haiti leaders said. ADRA Haiti’s emergency team quickly mobilized to launch the Emergency Food and Cash Assistance in Haiti (EFACH) in partnership with Canadian Foodgrains Bank and ADRA Canada last month.
“Following the latest reports indicating this severe food crisis, we understood the urgency of intervening in Caracol,” said Myrlaine Jean Pierre, ADRA Haiti director. “We did not hesitate to implement this project in collaboration with our partners to alleviate the suffering of this severely affected population.”
ADRA Haiti Director Myrlaine Jean Pierre (right) leads a beneficiary during food kit distribution that will be ongoing until the end of February 2025. [Photo: ADRA Haiti]”
A Lifeline for Vulnerable Communities
For many residents of Caracol, the aid comes as a lifeline amid a challenging holiday season. Anita, an 80-year-old resident of the commune, expressed her relief: “It is God Himself who is visiting us in this difficult time. Thanks to this aid, I no longer fear this end of the year.”
The food distribution also highlights the broader food insecurity affecting nearly half of Haiti’s population. According to the latest report from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) by the National Food Security Coordination (CNSA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Food Program (WFP), 48% of Haitians face acute food insecurity. Vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, the elderly, and people with limited mobility, are among the hardest hit by the ongoing crisis.
A beneficiary from Caracol from the northeastern part of Haiti smiles as she receives her food kit from ADRA Haiti in December 16, 2024. [Photo: ADRA Haiti]
As Haiti continues to grapple with political instability and economic hardship, the emergency assistance underscores ADRA’s ongoing commitment to providing critical support in times of need.
By acting swiftly to meet the immediate needs of those suffering the most, ADRA Haiti is playing a key role in easing the burden of food insecurity and working toward a more hopeful future for the people of Caracol, said Jean Pierre.
“This timely assistance provided by ADRA reflects our humanitarian commitment to easing the suffering of these disadvantaged populations and working for a better future,” Jean Pierre said.