A consortium of local businesses and not-for-profits from Bergen County have joined together in an effort to help the town of Cap Haitien, Haiti and its local population.

Cap Haitien is 80 miles north of Port-Au-Prince and the second largest city in Haiti. After the January earthquake, many people from Port-Au-Prince migrated to Cap Haitien looking for a place to restart their lives.

Medical Angels of Fort Lee has been leading the charge along with Burn Advocates Network, a Teaneck-based organization to create the first occupational and physical therapy clinic in Haiti at Justinian Hospital in Cap Haitien. The two not-for-profits have collaborated and provided a six-month commitment to the public hospital. Throughout the planning process many local businesses and doctors have offered to lend a hand to the Haitian people in a variety of selfless ways. Some ideas were discussed with these various local businesses and doctors ranging from the OT/PT clinic already in the works to the opening of Haiti's first modern burn trauma center. As a result of the contributions from these local providers, the Haitian people will see more modern medicine transforming the current state of medical care in Haiti.

Karen Canellos of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and Garden State Rehab (a Physical Therapy provider in the home) said, "It was really great to see all these local businesses joining together for such a good cause. Aimee Fink of Premier Home Health Care called me to tell me how local businesses were trying to help locals. I loved the idea of locals helping locals"

The first members of the local delegation left for Haiti the week of later this week to establish and set up the Occupational and Physical Therapy clinic. "I am excited and nervous as the same time," said Jim Ressler, Founder of Medical Angels. "On the one hand I am excited to get there ad start helping people who really need help, but on the other hand I am nervous. I am scared to see the conditions and how people are living in the face of this adversity. I think it is going to be heartbreaking."

The first team traveling to Haiti will consist of Jim Ressler from Medical Angels and Premier Home Health Care in Fort Lee, and Canellos from Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and Garden State Rehab. She is a licensed physical therapist. In addition, Arline Schwechter from Astoria Surgical Supply in Englewood will join the team. She is an occupational therapist and will assist in the initial rotation of therapists.

The trip will take the trio from Port Au Prince to Cap Haitien to Labedee. Working with The Burn Advocates Network they have shipped roughly 80,000 pounds of medical supplies to Haiti through a partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ltd. Ridgewood Moving Services and Port Jersey Trucking/Tyler Distribution have donated the local trucking and United Rentals has donated a forklift.

In addition to setting up the clinic, the team will assess the needs of other area hospitals and organizations including the For Haiti With Love Burn Clinic in Cap Haitien and CRUDEM, Sacre Couer Hospital in Milot. The trio will report back to the group who will assess the situation and attempt to fill any voids in their offerings. Any local business or individual who wants to help by volunteering time, donating services or products or any other contribution may contact Jim Ressler at Jim@medicalangelsdonations.org or Jordana Berger at jordana@burnadvocates.org.

Medical Angels provides durable medical equipment and supplies to those who cannot afford them. Jim Ressler and Aimee Fink opened the not-for-profit in Fort Lee. Due to the disaster in Hait,i Medical Angels has moved outside its core mission of helping local residents and is helping the victims of the Haitian disaster. Donations of top quality equipment are coming in daily from individuals who want to help. For more information, contact Ressler at 201-461 9595 or the e-mail noted above. Burn Advocates Network focuses on the advocacy, rehabilitation and reintegration of burn survivors. Many of the victims from the earthquake were burned as a result of hot oil being spilled from local street vendor carts. Many sought medical help and refuge in Cap Haitien and are now in desperate need of rehabilitative services. For more information on Burn Advocates Network, contact Berger, Haiti coordinator, at 201-600-7698 or jordana@burnadvocates.org.