SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - It's been one year since an earthquake devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti, and Yellowknifers are continuing their efforts to help those in need.

Over the Christmas holidays the Yellowknife Vineyard Church managed to collect more than 180 pairs of shoes, and 300 pairs of underwear and socks for Haitian children.

"They're still hurting," said John Westergreen, who has been helping gather clothing with his church.

"If they're dressed they can go to school."

A lot of the clothes were collected through people dropping items off at the church but also through the Yellowknife Salvation Army. The thrift store told Westergreen that used underwear usually doesn't sell.

"Our garbage is the essence of life to them," he said.

The church's relief effort started before the earthquake hit the country. Yellowknife resident and Vineyard church member Greg Brady had left Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, just hours after the earthquake hit on Jan. 12 2010.

Brady was helping orphanages during a two-week stay in the country.

One of those orphanages, Haitian Children's Rescue Mission, is in Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.

Since the last time Brady visited the orphanage, in October, the number of children living there had doubled to 119.

"Food prices, as well as prices of everything has increased," said Brady. "The electricity there is sporadic and cannot be relied upon."

Through donations the Yellowknife resident also helped open a tuition-free school in the nation's capital.

Brady is currently on deferred salary leave as an employee of the GNWT and is travelling in South Africa and Asia. He plans to return to Haiti in May.

"Greg's been going (to Haiti) every six months to bring both resources and continue following up on things," said Westergreen.

On one of his trips back to Haiti, last September, Brady was joined by Yellowknifer Jamie Lynn Schaap and her husband Tim.

"They wanted to get married, but to get to know each other they went on this help-Greg-adventure for two weeks," said Westergreen.

On their trip the couple brought seven duffel bags full of clothing donated from Yellowknifers.

When the couple arrived in Haiti the destruction was still visible, with large piles of rubble stacked in the streets and tents full of homeless people.

"Greg was there directly after the earthquake and he said between his last trip and ours there were far fewer tent communities," said Schaap.

"To us it looked like it just happened yesterday."

The majority of their trip was spent visiting orphanages and delivering the clothing.

"They (the orphans) were super exited that they each got a new outfit," said Schaap.

"It made me happy that I could bring a smile to their faces, how precious these little things truly are and what it means to be grateful."

Now Westergreen is anxious to send the latest delivery of clothes to the country.

"We have a shipment of 150 pounds ready to go and we're looking for someone who's going to take a weekend and go to Haiti," he said.

Westergreen had many reasons why he chose to get involved in humanitarian aid.

"I think it keeps us alive," said Westergreen. "It helps us to not be selfish and think about other people."

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