Crisis center hours extended for two more weeks

Updated: Thurs., Jan. 28 — An emergency resource center set up to assist the families of earthquake victims and survivors will continue to offer assistance for two more weeks, according to officials who run the operation. It is now located at the Mattapan branch library on Blue Hill Avenue. The center, coordinated by staff from the union and the Boston Public Health Commission, has been helping Haitian Americans connect to relatives and other services. The new number for the center is 617-593-0363.
Beginning next week, the City of Boston's Referral and Support Center will continue to operate out of the Mattapan Public Library at the following times:
Tuesdays: 2:00-7:00 pm
Thursdays: 2:00-6:00 pm
Saturdays 12:00-5:00 pm
Attorneys and mental health counselors will continue to be available during these hours.
Call (617) 593-0363 for more information.

The schedule for the Mattapan library center this week is (Jan. 25-28), 1-7 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 30, 12-5 p.m.
The center opened on Jan. 14 and helped 85 families in its first day of operation, according to George-Marie Jasmin, who is coordinating the center's work. Jasmin tells the Reporter that of the 85 families who visited the center yesterday 23 were able to get through to family members successfully and learned positive news: their loved ones had survived. Ten other families were not so fortunate and had their worst fears confirmed. Others simply could not get through at all.
The facility included free Internet and telephone set-ups for families to use in an attempt to make contact back home. They also provided mental health counselors and other services available on-site.
 Jasmin says that anyone who would like to help out should contact haitiansupport@bphc.org. The Mattapan library is located at 1350 Blue Hill Ave.

The Reporter's Bill Forry interviewed George-Marie Jasmin, coordinator of an earthquake crisis center on Jan. 15.