Haiti has been tested many times this year, beginning with a massive earthquake in January and now by a widespread cholera outbreak that continues to worsen because of flooding from Hurricane Tomas. Joining in a nationwide relief effort, both the Milwaukee and Marquette communities have come to Haiti’s aid with funds, supplies and raising stateside awareness.

The death toll from the cholera outbreak in Haiti stands at 583, with another 9,123 people hospitalized, according to CNN’s website.

The American Red Cross has created a cholera treatment center in Haiti to combat the recent outbreak, according to Shannon Hext, a public affairs representative with the American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin.

“The response is quite massive,” Hext said. “We are a part of an international global movement.”

The American Red Cross is working to tackle cholera on all fronts by providing medical supplies, clean water and information about how to prevent cholera, according to the American Red Cross website.

Since the devastating news of the earthquake last January, Marquette’s Omega Delta fraternity has been working to provide relief to Haiti through its partnership with YoutHaiti.

YoutHaiti is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping and encouraging young people in Haiti in developmental ecological projects, according to its website.

Christopher Powell, president of Omega Delta, said in an e-mail that tragedies like the cholera outbreak and recent flooding caused by Hurricane Tomas serve to underscore the importance of the work done by YoutHaiti.

“Currently, we are working on an end-of-semester Haitian coffee sale, with all proceeds going directly to YoutHaiti,” Powell said.

Along with the coffee sale, Omega Delta holds an event every semester called “Hot Dogs for Haiti,” where members grill free hot dogs and accept donations, which are also given to YoutHaiti, Powell said.

“Our hope is that we can build on events like these to increase awareness on campus and continue raising funds that YoutHaiti can use to improve conditions in Haiti,” Powell said.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has also been doing its part, with its World Missions Ministries raising funds for Haiti since the earthquake in January. So far, the branch has raised $1 million, according to Sister Frances Cunningham, the director of World Missions Ministries.

About one-third of the money is going to earthquake relief immediately, but another one-third will be saved and invested over the next three years, Cunningham said.

“While we hope that the cholera outbreak does not last three years, if they need the money for that in three years, we will have some money to help,” Cunningham said.

Though none of the money raised is specifically meant for the cholera outbreak and recent flooding caused by Hurricane Tomas, Cunningham said they donate the money to six of the Milwaukee Archdiocese’s sister parishes in Haiti.

“We donate about another third to the parishes with sister parishes in Haiti to help fund their projects that are working to help Haiti,” Cunningham said.