He is also helping United Sikhs there in its humanitarian aid effort.

Last week, during a city council meeting, Mayor Susan Fennell announced Dhillon was due to leave for Haiti.

Dhillon, who left over the weekend, will be in Haiti until Feb 22.

He is carrying 1,500 shirts, printed 'Brampton Care Haiti', lots of tooth-brushes, dry food, shoes, etc.

Fennell had also appealed to Bramptonians to donate summer clothes for our friends in need in Haiti.

"City of Brampton and the Sikhs have a strong and vibrant community and we want our Bramptonians to have an opportunity to assist Haiti once again to become a strong and vibrant community," Dhillon said.

"Together we can make a difference during this extremely difficult time," he added.

Community initiatives

A number of community organizations through the GTA have continued to raise funds to help alleviate the plight of Haitians.

Both Mississauga Ram Mandir and Brampton's Hindu Sabha have collected funds for Haitians in distress, as have several gurdwaras, Islamic centres and associations.

Humanity First, a Canadian relief organization, also held a successful fundraising event early this month at Woodbine Banquet Hall in support of Haiti Earthquake Relief. More than 500 people attended the event and $124,000 was collected.

Humanity First volunteers who recently returned from Haiti after the relief work gave an eyewitness account of situation on the ground and how Humanity First is helping the affected people.

More than 55 volunteers including aid workers, doctors, surgeons and paramedics have been on the ground in Haiti to provide medical aid and logistical support to the victims of the earthquake. Thousands of patients have been treated at its three camps.

Volunteers are also assisting a local orphanage and a camp of more than 5,000 people with food and other logistical support. The team on the ground is also assessing future rebuilding and rehabilitation projects.