BRINGING HOPE. We are so blessed in our lives and hope is something we have all been fortunate enough to have in abundance.  For far too many in this world, that is not the case.  I’ve been fortunate enough to see many of those places firsthand and none are more deserving of our attention than one in our own back yard…. Haiti. 

In January, my youngest son Nick and I will be traveling there to bring food, school supplies, clothing, love and attention.  We will visit 5 orphanages and schools on the western and northern coasts as part of a relief organization that has been working there since the earthquake in 2010.

To be successful, we need your support.  Nick and I will cover all our own expenses for the trip and more, but need your help in reaching our goal of $5,000.  Please join us in Bringing Hope, One Child at a Time.

You can donate using the link to the right and I guarantee you that 100% of the money will be spent on the children in the places we will be visiting.  Anything counts!!  Please consider joining us in supporting these very deserving Haiti Orphanages.

Why Haiti?

Haiti is THE POOREST country on the Western atmosphere and one of the poorest countries in the world. YES one of the poorest countries IN THE WORLD is only 689 miles from the US coast (Oklahoma city is at about the same distance from Minneapolis that Haiti is from Miami).

Educational attainment and literacy rates are particularly low in Haiti as you can imagine. More than half of Haiti’s population lives on less than $1.00 a day, while about 80% of the country lives on less than $2.00 a day.

Haiti has many issues :  Environmental issues that include a severe deforestation problem, overpopulation, a lack of sanitation, natural disasters and of course food insecurity.

We can’t save the world but we can certainly show love and compassion. That being said, I have decided to associate myself with Headwater Relief organization. Headwaters Relief is a small NON-profit organization that helps and support 3 orphanages and 2 schools in Haiti and has been helping there for the last 7 years.

Why am I doing this?

As some of you may know, Medtronic put me into a program 2 years ago where I was given over to a non-profit for 6 weeks (half of that on the ground) along with 4 other amazing Medtronic colleagues.  We were sent to a rural village in India (Kaiwara) to develop a strategy to address the Diabetes epidemic there.  We met with family’s in their homes, children and teachers in the schools, and healthcare workers in the public and private systems.  The experience was overwhelming and life-changing.

I also found that while I have been fortunate enough to work for a healthcare company working to address the needs of 100s of millions and to help a rural village of 20,000, I wanted to make a difference to one person at a time.  I have found that opportunity with Headwaters Haiti and would welcome any and all of you to join me in that effort.

Aside from this trip, Melissa and I plan to sponsor a child on our own and to see him or her find hope, finish school and have a chance at a better life.  Unfortunately, there are 111 children in those 5 orphanages we are visiting and most of the time even basics like rice, beans, food and clean water is not even there.

What will the money be used for?

Nick and I will be joining 5 wonderful people who have been to these orphanages before and who have inspired us to get involved.  On a first trip for three of them they built a wall for a school/orphanage that was exposed to thieves all the time and could now guarantee the safety of the children. They (AND THEIR SUPPORTERS) also paid for water system in an orphanage that was exposed to cases of Cholera. They (AND THEIR SUPPORTERS) also repaired a disgusting sewer that was broken – one of them commented “I couldn’t breathe in that place…imagine the kids were sleeping there (50 kids in 2 rooms with this insane odor).

The money you contribute will be well invested and decided by the volunteers (myself included) on what is needed as a priority. That is why I love Headwaters Relief Organization. It is a small non-profit but they let the donors decide where we should put the money after we see the need firsthand.  The administration is all volunteer-based so no administrative cost dilution of your contributions!!

Please help us raise $5,000- let’s do something together. Anything you do counts. Anything. But I need you. I can’t do it without you.

In this Holiday season and the best gift you can give is to change the life of a child in need.   I know it sounds cliched, but it is true.

Please consider a donation. Thank you so much.

Mark

In mid-July, a team of Headwaters volunteers will arrive in Haiti on the 17^th relief mission to this impoverished country still recovering from 2010 earthquake. Continuing our ongoing work there in support of several partner schools and orphanages, volunteers will make an impact by bringing school supplies, clothing, shoes, health care supplies and buying and delivering food.

In this country where one out of three children are malnourished and orphanages can barely support the basic needs of children, the efforts of organizations such as Headwaters can make an enormous difference, bringing hope and smiles in addition to a nutritious meal. Your gift will support our volunteers and provide the resources to bring hope and build resilience for the children of Haiti. Please give today. Thank you.