Helping out in Haiti
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
In light of the recent tragedy in Haiti, we know that many of you are using your gifts, talents and resources to provide various types of aid and support to those suffering in the Caribbean. We are truly blessed to be in community with such people as yourselves. Mark Rogers and the Wedgwood Circle team would like to extend our gratitude as your continue to care for the “least of these.” We have received several updates about how some of you are making a tangible impact in Haiti and below you will find the details of how a few friends of Wedgwood Circle are involved in disaster relief projects. We encourage you to visit the following links and help support those in need.
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Foster and Lynn Friess Pledge to Match Donations made to the Haiti Renewal Fund – www.HaitiRenewal.org
Would you like your Haiti donations doubled? Foster and Lynn Friess give $2 million match grant to the Haiti Renewal Fund. Tell your friends and visit www.HaitiRenewal.org!
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Roger and Melissa Thompson support an orphanage in Haiti near Jacmel and plan a BENEFIT CONCERT- www.handsandfeetproject.org
“Some friends and I are already hosting a fundraiser Jan 30th for the orphanage and a benefit concert Jan 31. Both of these are in the Ventura area. The fundraiser is a poker tournament at my friends pub targeted to our community leadership and people who aren’t Christians. The second is a benefit concert at our church for the Christian community. Mark Stuart (lead singer of Audio Adrenaline) started the orphanage and his parents run it. He was going to headline both the poker tournament and concert however he is in Haiti now with his wife. The kids at the orphanage are all ok but there is death and devastation all around him. There was a church group there with him and last I heard they were trying to unbury people nearby.
My friends and I are quickly ramping up efforts here locally to get support for a relief effort. We are also suggesting that since our place survived fairly well we use it as a relief center for children (and families) in the area. I’ve already heard of several children who’s parents died and are wandering the streets. I think we can deliver resources to the area through the orphanage (I’m still finding out about this). Obviously this all unfolding in front of us but I wanted to make you aware of what we are doing and ask about a few things:
- Let me know if you know anybody I should be talking to that is involved with Haiti…particularly on a government/logistics basis. Once we get some resources flowing we may need help getting it there.
- Is there anybody in the LA area that you think would be interested in being a part of what we are doing. Since Mark probably won’t be back to do the concert we may be able to use some talent at the concert and/or poker tournament. Our back up plan is to use local worship bands.
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John and Jean Kingston use SixSeeds.tv to continue relief efforts in Haiti – http://sixseeds.org
“Since the earthquake, we at SixSeeds.tv have been using our platform to:
- shed light what is most urgently needed in the first days of a disaster;
- highlight the human side of the humanitarian work, through the voice of our WorldVision partner Steve Haas;
- direct people to the donation pages of a range of agencies, including WorldVision, Partners in Health, and others;
- stimulate conversation about how we talk about natural disasters with our kids;
- share stories from everyday parents and families who are wrestling with these big ideas;
- and engage the community in our thinking about making donations/contributing family-style;
We have also committed a certain amount of our own financial support as a first step, with additional support coming over the next few weeks as we collectively decide how to leverage our community’s family-style giving.”
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International Arts Movement supports ArtUnderground – http://artundergroundstl.org/?p=329
ArtUnderground (STL) – a local movement to impact St. Louis, connected to a global movement (IAM) – both visions and involvements are key to this mission to rehumanize and create the world that ought to be, and they are not just about IAM or just about the arts, but rather artists giving what they have to offer (art) on behalf of all of humanity, in this case, those suffering in Haiti.
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Kim Alexis and World Vision – www.WorldVision.org/Haiti
“I went to Haiti Nov 2001 for a missions trip with World Vision. I taped TV ads asking people (in Canada) to sponsor a child. I personally picked a little boy from a village that did not have a sponsor. The World Vision people were very helpful and it really opened my eyes to the care that these people showed to the Haitians. The village was very poor and I saw the small huts with newspaper for wallpaper and 1 single bed for a family of 6 in a hut smaller than my smallest bathroom. I learned that just a handful of peanuts a day would help stop malnutrition in the children and my biggest memory was taking my son’s cast away clothes with me into the village and after getting permission, clothing small boys with their first pair of shorts ever! It is still one of my most cherished memories. After seeing the devastation there now, I cannot imagine how much more suffering these people could take. I made a hefty contribution to World Vision because I know that the organization really cares about the people there.”
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Ed and Cathy Gillespie support the efforts of The Louverture Cleary School in Haiti – www.haitianproject.org/donate.htm
Ed and Cathy Gillespie support the efforts of Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, Virginia to help their sister Haitian school, the Louverture Cleary School. Louverture Cleary, located 10 miles from Port-au-Prince, is one of the finest schools in Haiti, providing more than 350 students from the poorest neighborhoods of Haiti with a top notch, tuition free Catholic Education, boarding 5th graders to seniors on school grounds. Additionally, the school opens its door in the afternoon to neighborhood children for lunch, playground time within the walls of the school, and tutoring. Each year members of the Haiti Club at Bishop Ireton High School travel to Haiti over Thanksgiving break, and work with teachers and students to help the school, and surrounding neighborhood children. Our daughter, Carrie Gillespie, a Bishop Ireton junior, travelled with the Bishop Ireton students to Haiti over this past Thanksgiving break, and returned stunned by the poverty she encountered. And this was pre-earthquake! Now, the need in Haiti, and at the Louverture Cleary school is infinitely greater.
Bishop Ireton has received reports of terrible devastation in the area. There is at least one Louverture Cleary student critically injured. Many of the students’ families live in Port-au-Prince and the students have no idea if their families survived. The buildings at the school are still standing, but the gate and the wall surrounding the property were damaged. Security is of great concern, so they need funds to repair the school wall and gate immediately. The Louverture Cleary school is lifting the brightest young people in Haiti out of poverty, and providing them with a wonderful education. The students are Lights of God in Haiti, and all have the goal of using their education, for which they are immesely grateful, to give back to their country as future leaders in business and government. Their goal is not to leave Haiti, but to better it.
Bishop Ireton has been conducting mission trips to Louverture Cleary School for seven years and thanks to the Ireton community’s generosity, nearly $100,000 has been donated to date. Feel free to join our collection efforts over the next two weeks and mail checks made out to Bishop Ireton High School, memo: Help Haiti, 201 Cambridge Road, Alexandria, VA 22314, attn: Mary Kelly, Director of Campus Ministry. All monies will be mailed to the Haitian Project and will directly help the Louverture Cleary school community.
Or donate directly online at: www.haitianproject.org/donate.htm or by check mailed directly to:
The Haitian Project
PO Box 6891
Providence, RI 02940
With so many large organizations collecting funds, it is difficult to know if your contribution is actually making a difference. A contribution to the Haitian Project, which funds the Louverture Cleary school is an investment in Haiti’s future, and with so little overhead, the majority of the funds donated reach the school, and address the students’, teachers’, building, and neighborhood children’s needs.
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John and Kathryn Seel offer support through Samaritan’s Purse – http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
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Karen Goodwin and the Crudem Foundation – www.crudem.org
“People the world over are in sorrow for our neighbors in Haiti and all they are suffering from yesterday’s devastating earthquake. If you are seeking a way to contribute to the relief efforts, I recommend Hopital Sacre Coeur in Milot, in the northern region of Haiti. I support the Crudem Foundation whose mission is to support the hospital. I know the group well from close friends who are intimately involved. In fact, two of those families just returned from Haiti this past Sunday after spending a week on a medical service trip.
The Milot area was not harmed by the earthquake, so many of those injured in Port-au-Prince will be transported to Hopital Sacre Coeur. The hospital is already running low on supplies. Even a small donation of $5.00, up to whatever amount you can give, will yield great benefits to the hospital, caregivers and patients. Please visit the website: www.crudem.org. You will find a video that highlights the history and work of the hospital. If you go to the Give link, you will find a way to donate online, or you can download a donation form to include if you choose to mail a check. If your company or faith community supports your personal philanthropic efforts, please pass this request along to the community service rep, and feel free to pass along the request to any friends you think might be interested.”
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Barbara Bryant works with local church to support Partners in Health and C.U.R.E. – http://pih.org/
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Kirk Franklin partners with Song Music & Gospel Music Channel to raise money for UNICEF – www.kirkfranklin.com
Seven-TimeGRAMMY®AwardWinnerKirkFranklinPresents: ArtistsUnitedForHaiti. GospelMusicAllStarsrecordan inspiring song to aid relief efforts in Haiti. “Are You Listening” features performances by GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award Winning Artists CeCe Winans, BeBe Winans, Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary, DonnieMcClurkin,ShirleyCaesar,FredHammond,SmokieNorful,MarvinSapp,KarenClarkSheard,andmanyothers. “Are You Listening” will be available to purchase January 22nd, 2010 beginning at 5pm at www.verityrecords.com.
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Thomas and Mara Lehrman support Haiti through AmeriCares Disaster Relief – http://www.americares.org/
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The extended Murdock Trust family works with Medical Teams International - www.medicalteams.org
“Within the first two weeks after the earthquake hit Haiti, Medical Teams International sent 8 teams with more than 35 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals and airlifted more than $1.5 million in emergency medicines and medical supplies. Our teams provided disaster relief aid through medicines, supplies and medical services in hospitals and in the tent cities all around Port-au-Prince.
Medical Teams International is committed to providing long-term support to Haiti. Our relief operations are transitioning from relief work to rehabilitative services in order to meet their ongoing health needs. Eventually we will move to the recovery and rebuilding phase in which we will help rebuild health facility and train local health workers.”
The Daylights played a show at The Hotel Cafe in Hollywood & gave all their proceeds to Haiti relief efforts
That is so great. We love those guys – thanks for the update!