AN URGENT APPEAL

The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) is appealing to individuals or organizations to make one gift of $415 to help deliver critical health care and essential medicines to 1,000 adults and children living in poverty-stricken rural sugar plantations batey communities of the Dominican Republic.

BRA operates two medical clinics inside bateyes Cojobal and Cinco Casas in the province of Monte Plata, where 12,000 patients receive annually medical consults and attention and free medicines. The majority is too poor to afford even the most basic care and drugs they need to fight a disease. For many, BRA offers the only viable source of healthcare they can depend on.

BRA partners with international aid organizations to receive donations of life-saving medicines, worth millions of dollars, to distribute to our patients. But we must cover the small processing and shipping fees.

An Interchurch Medical Assistance Medicine Box® contains 17 essential drugs and medical supplies in sufficient quantity to respond to common illnesses in a population of 1,000 adults and children for a period of 2-3 months. These are basic medications and supplies we need for day-to-day treatment of the common ailments that occur in a wide range of age groups and respond to the recommendations of the World Health Organization.

With a single gift of $415, you can underwrite the costs of complete healthcare and medicines for 1,000 people. For less than $5,000, you cover the costs of medicines and healthcare for the entire BRA patient population of 12,000.

We offer you this great and unique opportunity to make a difference and save lives. Please make your tax-deductible gifts online by clicking DONATE NOW, or by mailing your check payable to Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230.

Visit us at www.bateyrelief.org.

New York, New York, July 2, 2008. – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) granted the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) status of Private Voluntary Organization (PVO).

Ulrick Gaillard, BRA’s CEO said, “PVO registration will enable BRA to become eligible for federal financial assistance within the USAID funding circle.” BRA sought registration early this year as an effort to broaden support for its humanitarian services to those that are severely affected by poverty, disease and hunger in the Caribbean.

USAID awarded BRA in 2007 two years of Food for Peace’s International Food Relief Program (IFRP) grant totaling $545,600.00 to distribute food to more than 10,000 people, including those living with HIV/AIDs, vulnerable/orphaned children, pregnant women and the elderly in the bateyes, urban slums, and rural communities of the Dominican Republic. BRA is now expanding its humanitarian health work at Haiti’s border with the Dominican Republic targeting Southeastern communities of Anse-a-Pitres and Pedernales.

For more information about BRA’s work or how to support, please visit BRA’s website at www.bateyrelief.org or contact bra@bateyrelief.org.