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Last issue, we featured some local efforts to help Haitians after the devastating January earthquake rocked the Caribbean country.

Jean and Shella Michel, pastors of First Community Haitian Church in Mesa.

Today I received an email from Karen Kohl, who is featured in this week’s piece and is involved with Haitian Disaster Relief of Arizona. She reports 8,000 square feet of warehouse space were donated to the relief effort. The grand opening of the warehouse — which the relief effort has for six months — will be from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 11 at the warehouse, 3164 S. Country Club Drive, Suites 8 and 13, Mesa. That’s between Guadalupe and Elliot.

Haitian Disaster Relief or Arizona is a joint effort that began last month between St. Andrew Parish in Chandler and First Community Haitian Church in Mesa.

Kohl says she’s looking for volunteers to help at the new location.

“We have so much space, I am thinking of selling Haitian coffee and having a coffee station,” she said. They might even have a project area, a display area and a sewing area, along with the storage space, she added.

Kohl also noted the upcoming Gilbert Global Festival, April 17, at which folks can call attention to Haiti.

If you want to get in touch with Karen Kohl, drop me a line at jdlgarcia@catholicsun.org and I’ll pass along your information.