Community Organized Relief Effort

Origins

The organization was founded by actor Sean Penn in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. J/P stood for Jenkins-Penn, a reference to Sanela Diana Jenkins, whose foundation supported initial relief efforts with Penn. Before starting the organization, Penn had never visited Haiti and did not speak French or Creole. When asked for his comment on his critics, he said he hopes they "die screaming of rectal cancer".

In 2011, Penn said that he had a lifelong commitment to Haiti, and that when he was not working he would be in the country.{{cite news |last=Tucker |first= Daniel|date= January 6, 2011|title= Sean Penn: I'm in Haiti for Life |url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/natl-hollywood-humanitarian-sean-penn-to-live-in-haiti-for-life/1920913/ |work= NBCPhildelphia.com|location=New York |access-date= March 25, 2020}}

J/P HRO changed its name to CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) in 2019 as it expanded its relief efforts beyond Haiti. The organization added Ann Lee as an honorary co-founder.

Staffing

As of June 2020, CORE employs nearly 1,000 people working on COVID-19 response at 45 testing sites, including 10 mobile sites, across the United States.

In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, J/P HRO employed nearly 350 people, 95 percent of whom were Haitian, to provide health, education and community development, and housing and economic opportunities.

As of 2020, CORE employs a team of over 100 people in Haiti working to rebuild communities.

Operations

CORE treated 500,000 patients at two community clinics following the earthquake, providing free emergency and primary medical care for a nominal sum. The clinics also led broad public education campaigns on good health and hygiene practice.

Accounting

CORE has frequent turnover of its financial management staff, who have reported that the organization lacks the necessary accounting processes to handle the funds it receives. A 2020 independent audit identified seven areas of concern. At least one previous staff was received a salary after leaving the organization, even after reporting that he was still receiving payment.

In 2023, CORE announced that all issues identified in the 2020 audit had been resolved and published a clean independent 2022 audit in their annual impact report.

COVID-19

In response to the testing shortage in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, CORE set up and operated testing sites across the country, working in collaboration with local and state governments to open new sites as well as take over existing sites.

As of August 2020, CORE has administered more than 1.3 million free COVID-19 tests. The organization has implemented guidelines called "The Core 8" to combat the virus, which includes "delivering test results within 48 hours, a government-supported contact tracing system, food and hygiene kits along with financial aid for households with positive case results."

Site locations included Los Angeles, Oakland, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, New York, North Carolina, Navajo Nation, Napa, Bakersfield, and a "super-site" at Dodger Stadium, where up to 6,000 people are tested daily.

Tests are administered using a nasopharyngeal or oral swab via drive-through or walk-up testing. The organization is currently developing a contact tracing program as well.

CORE held a fundraiser for its work fighting COVID in Brazil after CORE had closed operations in the country. Funds raised from its efforts were held by the organization, used to pay staff salaries, and not directed to the region for six months.

Labor violations and complaints

CORE staff complained that they were forced to work 18-hour days, six days a week, without the opportunity to take breaks. Responding to the staff concerns, Penn excoriated the employees, writing in an email that "in every cell of my body is a vitriol for the way your actions reflect so harmfully upon your brothers and sisters in arms". Penn suggested that employees leave their work instead of complaining about conditions. In October 2021, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint that Penn and CORE violated federal labor law. According to the charge, Penn "impliedly threatened" his employees with reprisals. A 2021 California lawsuit sought civil damages, claiming that CORE failed o pay overtime and minimum wges, provide rest periods, reimburse for business expenses, provide detailed wage statements, and timely pay employees. CORE repeatedly delayed court deadlines in the matter.

Multiple reports of sexual misconduct by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel at CORE response sites were raised. The sole mechanism for reporting complaints was a Google Docs spreadsheets and an email address. One victim alleged that leadership said they were friends with one of the perpetrators and did not take action. Sites were run in conjunction with LAFD, whose administration was separate from CORE's. A lawsuit filed by one of the victims against Lee and another staffer was ordered to arbitration.

In 2022, a former CORE worker who provided support during COVID relief efforts in Georgia sued CORE for unpaid wages. According to the complaint, CORE deliberately misclassified staff as contractors to avoid paying overtime. CORE's contracts require binding arbitration, which prevents a collective action by multiple employees and keeps the proceedings private.

Hurricane relief and other activities

In the years following Hurricane Matthew, CORE has participated in hurricane relief efforts in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the United States.

Following reports of migrant abuse in Del Rio, Texas, CORE sent staff and COVID relief supplies. CORE lacked the necessary approvals and registration to provide medical care, and pivoted to distributing hygiene kits, warm meals, and baby formula.

In response to Hurricane Fiona, CORE raised over $200,000 in donations. When relief supplies arrived on the island, its sole employee had already departed for another assignment and materials were left sitting unclaimed in storage. However within days CORE was distributing tarps, generators, and supplies for diabetics.In the longer-run, CORE assisted with roofing repairs and provided staff to help residents fill out applications for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

Publicity and fundraising

The Travel Channel's food show No Reservations, hosted by Anthony Bourdain, featured Haiti as the 2011 season opener which first aired on February 28, 2011. Penn and J/P HRO were featured prominently in the show including a tour of one of the IDP camps.

On January 10, 2015, Penn held his fourth annual Sean Penn & Friends Help Haiti Home fundraiser in Beverly Hills, California, which raised over $6 million for the organization. The event featured many celebrities including former United States president Bill Clinton and performances by Coldplay's Chris Martin and Red Hot Chili Peppers, who closed the event with a 30-minute set.

The proceeds from downloading and streaming of "Saved My Life", a song by Sia, co-written by Dua Lipa and performed during the online COVID Is No Joke live comedy fest hosted by Americares during the COVID-19 pandemic, benefits AmeriCares and CORE.

References

References

1. Gardner, Chris. (2019-01-05). "Sean Penn's Haitian Relief Organization Undergoes Rebranding With New Name, Mission Statement". Hollywood Reporter.
2. Isaza, Marcela. (April 11, 2020). "Sean Penn wants to 'save lives' with free COVID-19 testing". [[The Associated Press]].
3. Jenkins, Diana. (2010-01-23). "Don't Let Haiti's Natural Disaster Become a Man-Made Tragedy". Huffington Post.
4. Heller, Zoe. (March 25, 2011). "The Accidental Activist". [[The New York Times]].
5. (5 January 2019). "Sean Penn's Haitian Relief Organization Undergoes Rebranding With New Name, Mission Statement".
6. "Staff".
7. (2020-08-27). "Sean Penn ups fight against COVID-19 with relief expansion".
8. Alexander, Sophie. (February 1, 2023). "Sean Penn's Disaster-Relief Charity Ended Up a Money Mess". Bloomberg.
9. "COVID-19 Relief Effort".
10. "About".
11. "J/P HRO, Haitian Relief Organization".
12. Community Organized Relief Effort. "Financials". CORE Impact Report 2022-2023.
13. Simon, Morgan. "Sean Penn On How To Contribute During The Crisis — And Beyond".
14. "The CORE 8".
15. (3 June 2020). "How Sean Penn Made the Biggest COVID-19 Testing Site in U.S.".
16. "CORE Open-Source Manual".
17. Madeleine Aggeler. (2021-02-04). "Sean Penn Sends Furious Email to COVID-Vaccine-Site Staffers".
18. Colin Moynihan. (2021-10-28). "Sean Penn the Focus of N.L.R.B. Amid Comments on Hours and Food at Vaccine Site".
19. (2021-12-10). "Labor Law Firms, Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC, File Lawsuit Against Core Community Organized Relief Effort, Alleging Unpaid Wages".
20. Saunders, Douglas. (April 3, 2023). "Sean Penns letter to staff did not violate labor law".
21. (May 16, 2022). "A Clayton County man says CORE owes him thousands in unpaid overtime. He's not the only one.".
22. Schultz, Abby. "Sean Penn's CORE Expands Beyond Haiti to the Bahamas".
23. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/no-reservations-haiti-anthony-bourdain-sean-penn_n_829182.html?ir=Travel Anthony Bourdain And Sean Penn In Haiti On 'No Reservations' Season Premier] ''Huffington Post'' February 28, 2011.
24. [http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Special_Features/ci.J_P_Hro_Hatian_Relief_Organization.custom Special Features J/P HRO, Haitian Relief Organization] Travel Channel web site.
25. "Sean Penn's Haiti Benefit Draws Bill Clinton, Chili Peppers and Nets $6M".
26. Kreps, Daniel. (2020-05-02). "Hear Sia's New Song 'Saved My Life,' Co-Written by Dua Lipa".
27. (2020-05-02). "Listen to Sia's uplifting new song 'Saved My Life'".