Chattanooga aid group is hunkering down in Haiti for Hurricane Matthew

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – An international aid group based in Chattanooga is closely watching the forecast for Hurricane Matthew.

The Children’s Nutrition Program of Haiti is a faith based organization based here.

They have 70 employees now in the country right in the path of the storm.

Most are Haitians, with an American director and international fellows.

The CNP headquarters is in the city of Leogane in the southwest section of the island nation.

“We are taking this storm seriously. We have instructed our staff to make precautions for themselves and their families, and we are preparing our headquarters for what could be a severe situation. More importantly, we have asked our employees to prepare and then be ready to help when and if an emergency strikes,” said Chris Devaney, the executive director of CNP.

The organization attacks malnutrition and works with women and families to build healthier communities.

“CNP has been around since 1998, so we have seen our fair share of catastrophic events, but we are concerned about the vast amounts of rain that this storm could produce. Many of our employees live in remote mountain communities where mudslides could occur, and our office is in the plains where there could be severe flooding,” said Devaney.