On January 12, a devastating earthquake struck the Port au Prince area of Haiti, causing devastation and loss of life that is still untold.

As things would have it, a very close friend of the Dromedary family was just outside Port au Prince, delivering supplies to several Haiti’s many orphanages when the quake struck. While waiting for news of her safety and whereabouts, we began learning of the degree to which that country – already the most impoverished in the Western Hemisphere – was suffering.

While our friend is, thankfully, home safe, the same can not be said for hundreds of thousands of Port au Prince residents. With many still trapped in the rubble, the death toll cannot be reported even two weeks later. And the number left homeless, orphaned, or injured is massive – a humanitarian crisis like we’ve never seen in our part of the world.

During the week of January 18, we began to hatch a plan to release a benefit compilation, and make it available digitally on the internet. We began reaching out to some of our favorite bands – inside and outside the Dromedary family – and were genuinely moved by the generosity with which everyone responded.

The result will be _Make The Load Lighter: Indie Rock for Haiti_. Inspired by the Haitian proverb “Many hands make the load lighter,” the compilation will be available direct from the Dromedary website, as well as from traditional online retailers like iTunes and eMusic, with *all* proceeds to benefit “Voice Of Haiti”:http://www.vwaayiti.org/ – a volunteer organization headed by filmmaker/activist James M. Felter and Haitian-American businessman/educator Eddy Remy. While Voice Of Haiti has been funding and promoting environmentally friendly, self-sustaining community development projects in Haiti since 2005, all donations are currently going directly to providing medical care to earthquake survivors.

Featuring tracks from indie rock visionaries like The Mommyheads, Moviola, There Will Be Fireworks, Stuyvesant, the Gena Rowlands Band and more, _Make The Load Lighter_ should be available for purchase on the Dromedary website by early February – stay tuned for more information.

(photo credit to Suzanne Buchanan; we love you and we’re glad you’re safe)