Celebrities including tennis superstar Naomi Osaka are expressing their support for the Haitian people and calling on their fans to contribute to relief efforts.
Haiti — which is being drenched by a tropical storm — is still awaiting widespread assistance in the wake of the earthquake that killed more than 1,400 people and injured nearly 7,000.
Osaka, whose father is Haitian, has said she will give any prize money she wins at this week's Western & Southern Open tournament to support earthquake recovery efforts there.
Really hurts to see all the devastation that’s going on in Haiti, and I feel like we really can’t catch a break. I’m about to play a tournament this week and I’ll give all the prize money to relief efforts for Haiti. I know our ancestors blood is strong we’ll keep rising 🇭🇹❤️🙏🏾
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) August 14, 2021
Osaka is seeded second for this year's event in Cincinnati and has a bye into the second round, notes The Washington Post. The women's singles champion will receive $255,220.
Osaka — who is ranked No. 2 in the world — has notably used her platform to advocate for causes like Black Lives Matter and mental health in the past.
And she's not the only public figure rallying support for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
Meanwhile, rapper Cardi B tweeted that she has a "soft spot" for Haiti and its people, and offered her prayers.
I got a soft spot for Haiti and it’s people.They my cousins.I pray for Haiti they go thru soo much🙏🏽🙏🏽.God please cover that land and it’s people🇭🇹
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) August 14, 2021
And chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen is on the ground in Haiti, preparing food at kitchens in Port-au-Prince, Jeremie and Les Cayes to distribute to hospital staff and patients.
Chef Tim Kilcoyne, WCK's director of relief special ops, said in a video posted to Twitter on Monday, "Lots going on, our teams are here on the ground, we'll have more info to share later. But right now we're getting as many meals out to people that are in need as possible."
📸 Scenes from WCK relief efforts across Haiti today. Preparing fresh sandwiches & hot, nourishing meals at our École des Chefs culinary school & from a second kitchen in Port-au-Prince, the team helicoptered food to Jeremie for hospitals working around the clock. #ChefsForHaiti pic.twitter.com/nfS0WSQpni
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) August 17, 2021
Writer Roxane Gay tweeted that she is donating to the microfinance institution Fonkoze as well as the nonprofit Hope for Haiti.
Actor and Hamilton creator Lin Manuel-Miranda wrote that he is donating to Fonkoze and the global response organization CORE and encouraged his social media followers to do the same.
Here's more on how you can help relief efforts in Haiti.
This piece first appeared on the Morning Edition live blog.
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