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FRIENDS HELPING HAITI FREE BENEFIT CONCERT First AME Church hosts Grammy Nominated Artists at Free Concert to Benefit Haiti Clean Water LOS ANGELES, CA -- February 8, 2011 -- First AME Church of Los Angeles in cooperation with Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Assembly member Mike Davis and the California Legislative Black Caucus are proud to present “Friends Helping Haiti,” a musical celebration and benefit concert supporting clean water projects in Haiti. Grammy® nominated artists Marvin Sapp (Best Traditional Gospel Album 2010, Here I Am), Kelly Price (Best Female R&B Vocal Performance 2010, “Tired”) and Eric Roberson (Best Urban/Alternative Performance 2010, “Still”) will headline this event which also features special guests Ted Winn and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Pat Harvey, award-winning broadcast journalist, co-anchor of CBS2 will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies. The benefit concert celebrating the upcoming Grammy Awards on February 13th will be held Saturday, February 12, 2011from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the First AME Church of Los Angeles, 2270 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018. This event is free to the public, although donations will be encouraged. VIP Admission is also available for a fee. For more information, visit the FAME Church website (www.famechurch.org) or call the “Friends Helping Haiti” phone line at 323.730.7714. One hundred percent of all monies raised will fund clean water projects in Haiti through International Action, a 501 (c) 3 organization that has been working since 2006 to build sustainable water projects in Haiti (www.haitiwater.org). International Action is part of the Clinton Global Initiative Haiti Action Network. Haiti has the highest infant mortality rate in the Western Hemisphere, and contaminated water is the leading cause of infant mortality and illness. Since the earthquake, more than 194,000 Haitians have contracted cholera, and more than 4,000 have died of the disease. More than half of all deaths in Haiti are attributed to water-borne diseases. “Marking the one year anniversary of the tragic earthquake that took so many lives and raised awareness of the terrible conditions in Haiti, we at FAME knew that we were called upon to do something to address the ongoing crisis, and help end the cycle of disease and death. Clean water was the project we selected, and we are very grateful to have so many talented people join us in this important cause,” said Rev. Dr. John J. Hunter, Senior Minister, First AME Church of Los Angeles. First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles is the oldest church founded by African Americans in the City of Angels. In 1872 Ms. Biddy Mason received the vision from God to establish a church that would minister to the mind, body and soul of all who would join. That vision has grown to a congregation of more than 19,000 members and several dozen ministries within 13 corporations that bless and reach tens of thousands of seekers in greater metropolitan Los Angeles. FAME CHURCH LEADERSHIP Responding to the Crisis in Haiti -- Sunday, January 17, 2010 -- 10:00 AM Service Community leaders will gather at First AME Church of Los Angeles to ask God’s blessings for the families that have been affected by the earthquake in Haiti, and to pray for strength for the thousands of relief workers who have been called upon to serve. Special Guests from the Haitian Community, Elected Officials, along with leaders from Relief Organizations have been invited to support the call to action. Humanitarian efforts have begun across the world in response to the devastating earthquake that struck near Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince late Tuesday, January 12, 2010. The United States, France, China and the Dominican Republic are all sending search and rescue teams to Haiti. Pastor John J. Hunter will address the congregation on the response to this International Crisis this Sunday. “Our prayers are with the people of Haiti and all of the families who have lost loved ones as a result of this devastating earthquake” said Pastor John J. Hunter. He urged all members of First AME Church of Los Angeles to offer prayers and to support the relief effort underway. WHAT: Prayers for Haiti WHEN: Sunday, January 17, 2010 TIME: 10:00 a.m. WHERE: First AME Church of Los Angeles The Reverend Dr. John J. Hunter, Senior Minister Paul Schultz, CEO American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles Please RSVP to: dignitaryevents@famechurch.org ALL ARE WELCOME World Reacts to Haiti Earthquake For missing U.S. citizen family members while communication with those in Haiti is still difficult, people should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 if trying to reach a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti. If trying to reach a Haitian citizen, callers should continue to call or contact other family members who live nearby. To help with relief efforts, text "HAITI" to "90999" and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross, charged to your cell phone bill. FIRST AME CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES HOSTS KEY STAKEHOLDERS FOR BRIEFING ON HAITI On Saturday, August 7, 2010, FAME Pastor, the Reverend Dr. John J. Hunter and First Lady Denise Hunter hosted Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) and other prominent members of the community for an update on Haiti and the progress of its recovery 7 months after the devastating earthquake. Joining Congresswoman Waters were Jimmy Jean-Louis, Actor, Activist and Founder of Hollywood Unites for Haiti (HUFH); Nicole Phillips, Esq., Staff Attorney, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) and Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco School of Law; Larry Collins, Battalion Chief, L.A. County Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue Taskforce; Caitlin Klevorick, Advisor to Counselor Cheryl Mills, U.S. State Department; Russell Porter, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Haiti Task Team, USAID; Gary Juste, USAID Office of Acquisition and Assistance; Dr. Cozzette Lyons-Jones, Humanitarian, Activist; and Haitians Won-G, Performer, Entrepreneur and Civil Mickelson, Founder/President of Vie Water. Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor of Africana Studies Cal State Long Beach and Executive Director of the African American Cultural Center also spoke and gave a spirited history of the struggles of the Haitian people. "Congresswoman Waters is a strong advocate for Haiti and we are so pleased that she came to the FAME Renaissance Center to lead this discussion," said Reverend Dr. John J. Hunter. "The briefing served as a call to action to keep Haiti in the forefront of all of our minds and to keep the Haitian people in our prayers." "Despite AME's donations and massive humanitarian efforts that occurred around the world in response to this devastating earthquake, people in Haiti are still suffering," said Mrs. Hunter. "We are so pleased that Congresswoman Waters and other members of the community came here to shine a light on what has been done well in Haiti and what can be done much better." As Congresswoman Waters stated, "Our government needs to take a much stronger approach in regards to where the funds are going. 'We want you to show us how you received this money, how you dispensed this money, who's in charge of doing it and how it gets to the people, because we have just gone through the camps, and they aren't getting it.' We're going to have to get tougher." Added Jean-Louis, "This was a necessary briefing to the community of Los Angeles to keep people in touch with the serious issues still existing in Haiti." To view exclusive video highlights of the Briefing on Haiti, visit: www.famechurch.org
	Friends Helping Haiti Saturday, February 12, 2011 First AME Church of Los Angeles (FAME) in cooperation with Congresswomen Maxine Waters, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Senator Curren D. Price, Jr., Assemblymember Mike Davis, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and the California Legislative Black Caucus are proud to present “Friends Helping Haiti,” a musical celebration and benefit concert supporting clean water projects in Haiti. Rev. Dr. John J. Hunter, Senior Minister of FAME, knew that FAME could not let the one-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti pass by without making a special contribution to the efforts to rebuild Haiti and raise the living standards in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. “The FAME family has long supported projects in Haiti, and in its time of greatest need, we are called upon to give our utmost, and fulfill our promise of being ‘First to Serve.’” Working with likeminded groups and individuals, Pastor John and First Lady Denise Hunter conceived the plan for a benefit concert celebrating the 53rd Annual Grammy® Awards and bringing together a stellar line-up of talented artists and performers under the banner “Friends Helping Haiti”. Such a simple thing – a glass of clean water – is a luxury beyond the grasp of most Haitians. And the consequences are terrible. Haiti has the highest infant death rate in North and South America, and the leading cause of infant illness and death is unclean water. More than one-half of all deaths in Haiti are caused by water-borne illnesses. Germs for hepatitis, cholera, typhoid, malaria and chronic diarrhea are regularly found in the water supply used for drinking and cooking. And since the earthquake, the cholera epidemic in Haiti has sickened 194,000 people and killed over 4,000. Pastor John and First Lady Denise selected clean water projects and the organization International Action, part of the Clinton Global Initiative Haiti Action Network, as the concert beneficiary. International Action has been active in Haiti since 2006, bringing clean water to thousands in Port-au-Prince through their inexpensive, reliable and sustainable water chlorination system. Pastor John and First Lady Denise share International Action’s vision of a world where every child will attend school, enhance their talents, and live to participate positively in their community. Learn about how FAME Is supporting Haiti at www.fame church.org/haiti The “Friends Helping Haiti” Musical Celebration and benefit concert would not have been possible without the generous support of the following: Pat Harvey Kelly Price Damien Lawson Eric Roberson Avis Herrell Desiree Coleman Jackson Chanelle Haynes and Angel Taylor Trin-i-tee 5:7 Ted Winn Lee England Marvin Sapp The Recording Academy and the Grammy Awards Attain Design Martinique Belgarde Francis DeLoach Noel Edwards Heather Hays Antonio LeMons Sandra Hernandez Michael Ellison-Lewis Management and staff of FAME Assistance Corporation William Miller of W.P. Miller Special Events And the tireless efforts of our production partner and talent coordinator Deborah Byrd.