Haiti Food Distribution Moves to Coupon Model

GivingTracker| Officials in Haiti are admitting that the food distribution system has become a failure.

Food giveaways have recently devolved into blood sport as day after day trucks ran out of food before long lines of people were served. In a few cases, aid workers protected by only a few police officers were overrun by thousands of Haitians, as men with muscular arms stampeded children and reached beyond barriers to grab what they could.

In other cases, the NYTimes reports, United Nations troops have resorted to tear gas and warning shots, followed by a quick escape before they could hand out all of the food.

The German Red Cross has operated an effective coupon-distribution system for two weeks, giving each coupon holder a 55-pound bag of rice. This distribution system will become the new model.