As you know, half of my family is from Haiti and I've been involved with a number of Haiti-related projects. Here's the scoop....

First, with a bunch of friends, we began raising money for an initiative that I started for Haiti with my best friend from Union School, a school that was located in Port-au Prince, Haiti. Our initiative is called Hearts and Hands to Haiti, sort of a bucket brigade, and there is a link online: http://www.causes.com/causes/433147?recruiter_id=13530475

To date, with the help of many of you, we have raised about $26,000 and have been able to land 2 tons of food and medical supplies. In addition, we sent a team of construction and medical workers to Haiti (they raised their own funds for the trip) to build a temporary health clinic and train medical staff. The clinic is located in Leogane, Haiti. We also were able to staff the clinic and arranged for a doctor to visit once each week. The work is not done, but at least we have started in a small way.

So what now?

The cameras are mostly gone and the devastation remains. On June 1st I'm headed to Haiti and I need some help...

As part of this trip, I plan to visit the clinic that our organization built and staffed and bring in more supplies. I also plan to visit an orphanage run by a non-profit that we are working with, a school that is the sister school to an elementary school here in Cambridge, and, as noted above, meet some of Haiti's business leaders.

Many of you have asked me to update on you this work and asked if there is anything that I need. The answer right now is Yes! Here's what I need:

1. Apparel/Toys for Kids: I would love to bring apparel/toys for kids - Shirts, hats, paper, pens, pencils, small toys. These kids need to play and have fun and I would love to give them a few things to distract them, if only for a moment. Again, mail donations to me at: Cherie Miot Abbanat, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 9-367, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139.

2. Medical Supplies: I would like to fill a couple of duffle bags with supplies to bring to the clinic. If you would like to contribute to these efforts, you can donate things like flashlights, pain relievers, tarps, anything that you might find at a drug store, and I will bring it all in with me. You can mail or drop off donations to me at: Cherie Miot Abbanat, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 9-367, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139. (I can write receipts for all donations from the non-profit 501(c)3 that we are working with on these efforts.

3. Ask Kids to Write Care Notes -- If you have kids ask them if they might be interested in writing notes and/or drawing pictures for Haitian kids -- Kids love kids and my kids want to do something for the kids in Haiti. (I've posted a few beautiful pictures that I will take with me.) I've asked my kids and their friends to write notes to kids in Haiti asking questions, expressing ideas, and relaying thoughts that they care -- a little letter writing campaign that I thought I would try out. As noted above, I plan to visit children in schools and in orphanages and in tent camps and would love to bring notes from kids here to kids there (we will translate these for the kids). Mail them to me (see address below) or scan and comment here and I will tell you where you can e-mail them.

4. Donations: If you prefer to write a check, sometimes this is easiest when people are busy, checks can be made out to "Shunem" (and write "Haiti" in the note section). Shunem is a 501(c)3 that has agreed to cover all of our overhead costs. You can also donate on-line at: http://www.causes.com/causes/433147?recruiter_id=13530475.

Thanks in advance for your help and support with these projects.

Also, if you want to remain in the loop in terms of this project, I will be blogging about the trip at: http://heartsandhands4haiti.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Kenbe La!
Cherie