From Dr. Thomas Ritter to friends:

Carol and I have received many inquiries as to how they can help the people of Haiti. We have heard from some friends within the country, but still have not heard from many others. From those we have been able to talk to, they tell us stories of unimaginable chaos and destruction.

As of tonight, the plan is to work just across the border in the Dominican Republic, in a hospital where we have treated many Haitian migrant workers over the past two years. I was initially leaving for Haiti next Tuesday for a conference on charcoal use and to give a lecture at the Haitian dental school. If conditions permit, I will use that ticket to fly into Port Au Prince and work my way up to the border from there. The Haitians have already started to stream across the border, overwhelming the hospitals in the Dominican Republic. Arrangements are underway to work with MedShare International, to move a container full of supplies by air to the Dominican Republic and to this hospital. Our friends, Dale and Dorothy, will be on the ground there this Friday.

Here is where you can help. MedShare is an organization we have been working with for a couple of years now. What they do is collect unused supplies from hospitals and medical suppliers and ship them to their warehouse in Atlanta, where they are sorted and repackaged to be shipped all over the world. Even though each container is filled with salvaged equipment and donated supplies, it costs about $20,000 to sort and ship these containers. They just shipped their 500th container this year. They have the highest rating that a charity organization can have. So please listen to what your heart is telling you right now and go to their website: http://www.medshare.org/ and donate.

Carol and I will match dollar for dollar everything you give up to $5000. In order to be a part of this challenge, be sure to write Haiti/Ritter 0where it says "Honoree's First Name".

Thank you,
Tom and Carol Ritter