November 2021
Haiti Outreach
Program Updates
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Dear Friends,
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we are so very grateful for the outpouring of generosity at our Starry, Starry Night fundraiser and the volunteers and participants who helped create such a memorable event.
It was an inspiring night with a message of hope and love for Haiti. Bishop Desinord Jean’s video message laid out a vision for Haiti, one in which Haitians work hand-in-hand to “shift the paradigm” and achieve a brighter future. He thanked Sacred Heart Cathedral and the parish of St. Anselm for supporting the building of a new church in the parish of St. Michel.
“Your support and commitment continue to make a difference in the life of the community. More children have the chance to go to school, more people can benefit from health care, and more people are touched by the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
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Starry, Starry Night setting
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Starry, Starry Night fundraiser speakers: Father David Boettner, Dr. Jerry Punch, Matt Webster, and Frank Murphy.
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We are excited about the future and are exploring additional ways to support the mind, body, and spirit, including:
- Providing a daily meal to the high school students: About 90 high school students may not get fed during the day. We know that nutrition is the foundation of good learning—students that are hungry cannot focus on education. The estimated cost of feeding them one meal a day for the ten months they are enrolled is $9,000.
- Introducing post-secondary school scholarships: To really impact change in Haiti, higher education must be prioritized. Yet, the reality in Haiti is that rarely can a child afford schooling beyond high school. During last year’s Student Sponsorship Campaign, we introduced the option to provide a $1,000 post-secondary scholarship. We received funds for four students who will be able to advance their learning beyond high school, but we want to aim much higher! The selection process for selecting additional students is underway and we will share updates soon and hope to provide you some pictures and aspirational stories of these young adults making a difference.
- Offer pregnancy and prenatal care: Most pregnant women are malnourished, lack necessary vitamins, and proper nutrition to support a healthy pregnancy. As a result, newborns start out way behind in their development. Infant mortality rates were devasting before the creation of the Savannah Stair Bouly clinic, and there have been significant improvements achieved there. Much more can be done to support women and children through improved nutritional plans. Following the banquet, we have already had a very generous donation to help fund the start up of this effort.
- New church for the parish of St. Michel: Planning is already underway to build a new church in St. Michel, with most of the funding coming from St. Anselm and we will remain involved. Our biggest obstacle is the inflation costs of building materials due to the Earthquake rebuilding. The new church will be built to be earthquake and hurricane resistant.
Thanks for all your support!
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Our Mission
We are a volunteer organization and outreach program of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, dedicated to improving the lives of people in the poorest region of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation.
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