VANCOUVER, B.C. (Feb. 26, 2010) – As the world has come together in Vancouver for sport, two-time gold medal winner, Cassie Campbell-Pascall will join with Best Western International and World Vision in support of Haiti.

Tomorrow, at the Best Western Sands hotel in downtown Vancouver, World Vision will unveil a self-serve kiosk to collect donations for Haiti. The first of its kind in the NGO world, the kiosk makes it easier than ever for Canadians to support relief and development efforts in Haiti.

Campbell-Pascall will on site tomorrow to make the first donation using this new technology. She believes that Canada has a distinct connection to Haiti. “Haiti is the poorest country in our hemisphere; many Canadians have a special link to the region. We have to work together to help our neighbours. The people of Haiti are counting on us,” says Campbell-Pascall.

Best Western International Communications Director, Troy Rutman supports Campbell-Pascall’s take on giving back and believes that the Hospitality industry has an important role to play when disaster strikes. Best Western, the World’s Largest Hotel Chain®, is running a fundraising campaign for Haiti. “Corporate social responsibility and giving back to the communities in which we do business is central to our corporate culture,” says Rutman. Funds raised by member hotels, guests and employee, are being designated to the Haiti fund of World Vision, an NGO partner of Best Western.

The new kiosk, which has been nicknamed “Heart for Haiti” will make its debut appearance at a news conference tomorrow.

Contact a World Vision PR rep or set up an interview

Photos from Haiti

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Update on World Vision’s relief work in Haiti

• World Vision conducted a survey which found that more than half of respondents, whose families include 632 children, said they are living in exposed shelter and reported security concerns, including fear of robbery and rape.
• World Vision has provided 4,300 metric tons of food to more than 819,000 people, distributed shelter supplies to thousands in camps, opened five mobile clinics and distributed medical supplies to 11 hospitals, and reached 32,000 people with survival items such as basic hygiene kits, cooking sets, blankets and mosquito nets.
• To help protect and care for children in camps, World Vision has established safe places for children to play and learn in seven locations, with additional sites planned.

World Vision self-serve kiosk

• First of its kind in the NGO world, the kiosk provides a low-cost and efficient method of fundraising while putting flexibility and control into the hands of the donor.
• Based on the same system used for self-serve flight check-in at airports, the kiosk was developed by IBM and engages touch screen technology as the primary user interface.
• World Vision is launching two varieties of the kiosk. One for Child Sponsorship, which allows donors to sponsor a child in another country and give a certain amount each month in support of that child and the community in which they live. One for the Gift Catalogue, where donors make a one-time gift of items like goats, warm clothing or supplies for a classroom.

Resourceful links

Cassie Campbell’s Bio
More on Haiti