Summer Newsletter

ANISE PHILIUS
CORE Haiti, Administration Director
‘’Working for CORE, my biggest motivation is helping my Haitian brothers and sisters in
need. I feel proud of my position. I feel that I am helping my country.”
Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, CORE’s Administration Director in Haiti, Anise Philius, was moved
to support our mission in her country due to a chance encounter she had with someone named Sean.
‘’The company I was working for at the time received a call from the mayor of the commune to make an
appointment for Sean Penn to meet my boss in 2010. The name sounded familiar to me, so I curiously
checked the internet, and realized that the visitor was a Hollywood celebrity who had directed numerous
highly rated films. I was extremely excited to physically meet an international celebrity.
AUGUST 2023

ANISE STORY CONTINUATION
When they finally arrived, I saw the mayor with
a gentleman who had nothing to do with the
person I’ve seen on the internet. And I asked
the mayor for the actor, and he pointed at
the person next to him. I saw a tired, skinny,
sunburned gentleman.’’
To Anise, it was this encounter that triggered
a deepened sense of humanitarianism. Sean
looked tired and sunburned because he was
worked to the point of exhaustion - looking for
every possible way to help Haitians affected by
the earthquake that devasted the country on
January 12, 2010. ‘’That night I couldn’t sleep, I
was questioning myself about what I had done
to help my fellow citizens compared to this
celebrity coming from abroad,” explains Anise.
Anise joined CORE Haiti (formerly J/P HRO) as a volunteer - just months after giving birth to her 3rd child. “My
husband wanted me to stay home with our baby during the first year. I talked to baby Genevieve to explain to
her that Mom needs to help some people in need. I can say she understood very well. My two older children,
Nathalie and Richard, agreed to take care of her while I volunteered, and Dad worked.”
Despite having 14 years of private sector work experience, Anise credits her much shorter stint as a volunteer
with motivating her to apply for the role of Assistant Country Director in Haiti. She was selected out of 132
applicants for the coveted role.
This August, Anise proudly celebrates 10 years of “this great adventure with CORE,” she says. We’re incredibly
grateful for her hard work and tireless compassion among so many ongoing challenges in Haiti. Anise is a
testament to the impact of community members helping each other and a true humanitarian hero.
Kentucky
Floods
ANNIVERSARY UPDATE
July 28th marked the one-year anniversary of the
devastating Kentucky Floods. In the immediate
aftermath, CORE implemented a Point of Distribution
(POD) in Letcher County to provide access to
hygiene and cleaning supplies, food, and water for
vulnerable families. With funding from the Eastern
Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program
workforce grant, we employed 39 local staff as case
managers in an effort to support local livelihoods.
Case managers assist families with applying for
support programs, repairs, rebuilds and furnishings
for their homes.
PUERTO RICO
HURRICANE FIONA
On September 18, 2022, Hurricane Fiona
made landfall in southwestern Puerto Rico.
The category one storm brought torrential
rainfall, with some parts of the island being
inundated with over two feet of flood water.
The electrical grid failed, leaving the entire
country without power, and a third of the
population without access to clean water.
In the immediate aftermath of the
devastating hurricane, CORE addressed
shelter needs by distributing 500 tarps
and conducting roof repairs. We also
distributed over 500 solar lamps and
chargers to 1,720 survivors through
Airlink, 50 coolers donated by Columbia
for people with diabetes to keep their
insulin cold, and eight Goal Zero battery
kits to low-income dialysis patients. We
also distributed eight high-powered
generators from Home Depot to a
community where mountainous terrain
delayed the restoration of power. Today,
CORE is still in Puerto Rico exploring
the transition of disaster hubs into
communications hubs with mobile and
satellite connections to serve communities
in higher-risk regions.
@COREresponse
www.COREresponse.org
DO YOU KNOW?
230k people
AFFECTED BY CLIMATE DISASTER
HAVE BEEN ASSISTED BY CORE
Today, CORE is operating in five offices staffed
with case managers to continue our critical
work in the state. As we mark the anniversary
of this tragedy, please join us in celebrating the
incredible resilience of families affected by this
disaster.
Meet Malva, CORE Kentucky Program Manager

Last year unrelenting monsoon rains resulted in
devastating flooding and landslides across Pakistan,
severely impacting scores of families. Since September
2022, CORE has been working with our local partner,
Riverside Development Organization (RDO), to distribute
28,000 food kits, 15,000 hygiene kits, and 16,000
mosquito nets for people and livestock. Together, we
also reached 18,000 patients through mobile clinics
with vital healthcare services.
As of March 2023, an estimated 1.8 million people are
sadly still living near stagnant, contaminated floodwater
and remain in dire need.
As part of our efforts to empower the local
community, CORE, RDO and the residents of Dadho
Village have been working hand in hand to make
their neighborhood more resilient to future flooding.
“The village, which is made up of migrant workers and
individuals below the poverty line, was devastated
by last year’s floods with 90% of homes damaged or
destroyed. Sadly, for these families, the impacts of
climate change will continue to drive additional floods
and extreme temperatures. CORE is building bund
walls and new community infrastructure to ensure
homes remain safe and better able to withstand future
disasters,” says Mathew Chandy, CORE VP of Programs.
Through building and repairing 30 homes, erecting
protective walls, and increasing water storage access,
CORE is leaving approximately 500 individuals and 65
households better protected and less vulnerable.
Source
Born in Haiti during a time of political unrest, Yves and his family
emigrated to Massachusetts in the early 80’s. Before joining
CORE in 2022, Yves served twelve years in the US Army and
has brought every aspect of his military career to advance the
coordination and preparation of CORE Logistics, as we continue
to meet the evolving needs of those we serve.
PAKISTAN
RESPONSE
MEET OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PROCUREMENT
AND LOGISTICS, YVES KAVANAGH
Monthly
Giving
Our monthly donors ensure that we’re able to
respond to breaking disasters at a moment’s
notice. So, in places like Sudan, Pakistan, or
the US-Mexico border, we’re able to rapidly
reach communities who need us most.
Click here to become a monthly donor!
WORLD REFUGEE
DAY 2023
OVERVIEW
VISIT OUR WEBPAGE
WATCH WRD 2023 VIDEO
CORE’s global teams have been working to
bring comfort, critical services, and hope to
refugee families around the world. We are
honored to share their stories of resilience and
courage as part of our campaign this year.
Click below to hear from our community of
major supporters!
SHOUTOUT
SPACEONE
CORE staff wearing SPACEONE jackets
donated by CORE supporter Nick
Graham are pictured at the Rzeszow
train station, directing refugees
fleeing Ukraine to critical resources
and information. Average winter high
temperatures hover right around
freezing and the lows often drop well
below; Nick’s generous donation helped
keep CORE’s team, many of whom
are Ukrainian themselves, warm and
working throughout.
As we are currently navigating hurricane season (June 1 – Nov
30), Yves and team are ready to respond at a moment’s notice.
In preparation, the team has stationed thousands of hygiene kits
in Jacksonville, Florida, along with tarps and installation kits. They
have also dispatched additional resources including debris removal
kits to Georgia, North Carolina, and Louisiana. “As the first 72 hours
following a disaster are the most critical, we have prepositioned
life-saving disaster relief items across multiple CORE sites,” Yves
shared. “Our proximity to potential hurricane routes guarantees
that survivors can receive immediate assistance as soon as CORE
gains access to the affected areas. Over the past year, CORE has
collaborated with VOAD and FEMA to strengthen our supply chain
and enhance our responsiveness. We are at the ready!”
THANK YOU, Patricia Velasquez, Cindy Crawford, Rainn Wilson and Rachel Zoe for amplifying our campaign.

CORE & UNITED NATIONS:
CLIMATE HUNGER MOVEMENT
CORE teamed up with the UN during
Coachella’s first weekend to speak with
artists about their role in promoting efforts
to fight famine across the globe.
PBS: Turkey Earthquake
PBS Newshour features CORE emergency relief
efforts after twin earthquakes left a trail of
devastation in Southern Turkey and Northern Syria.
OUR IMPACT
21 Emergency Responses
to hurricanes, floods, earthquakes,
wildfires globally since 2010
Social Impact
Hero: Ann Lee
Get to know our CEO and Co-Founder,
Ann Lee, and see how she has grown
CORE into an international response and
resilience-building NGO, responding
to crises globally and serving the most
vulnerable communities.
www.coreresponse.org