[Leatherman Press Release]

January 25, 2010, Portland, OR—Leatherman and corporate sponsorship partner Mercy Corps will be coordinating the donation of Leatherman flashlights directly to the victims of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. The quake that measured magnitude 7.0 (followed by two strong aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5) was centered just southwest of the town of Port-au-Prince. Millions of people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands are presumed dead. Nations around the world have begun to send aid but recovery efforts will be ongoing for months/years to come.

With light being one of the most basic necessities during rescue efforts, Leatherman chose to send hundreds of their most powerful and compact LED flashlights to the region via Portland-based Mercy Corps—an international aid organization with an impeccable record for getting supplies into some of the most hard-to-reach areas with the speed it take to make a difference.

In addition to the flashlight donation, Leatherman also donated more than 500 pieces of clothing through an Oregon State University clothing drive started by Haitian OSU football player Yvenson Bernard. Just days after hearing about the quake Bernard and fellow teammates began collecting clothing during sporting events at the university and local high schools. They coordinated with volunteer student athletes to box up and send 8000 pounds of clothing via donated moving services to Miami where it will be shipped to Haiti and distributed.

If you would like to help the people of Haiti on their road to recovery and re-building, the following is a list to help you get started. These organizations are either already in Haiti helping, or are organizing support from the United States. Make sure to check with the churches, community centers, high schools, or relief organizations in your local community for additional opportunities to help.

American Red Cross

Care

Doctors Without Boarders

Habitat for Humanity

Save the Children

UNICEF