Creative ways to help Haiti
Jack’s goals for Haiti
On most days, Jack is like most 14 year olds. He plays Xbox nonstop and drives his sisters crazy by leaving his smelly sports clothes everywhere. But there’s something different too, something deeper. Listening to a news story about Haiti’s terrible problems after January’s earthquake on the way to an early morning swim practice, Jack knew he had heard something important.
The idea of all those suffering children kept popping up in his head throughout the day. By the end of that day, Jack decided to combine his passion for soccer with helping those children. Jack had a name, Goals for Haiti, an idea of $5 per goal, and one more asset, his sister, Meghan. She helped by creating a website enabling people to contribute directly on-line.
The response was tremendous from everyone. Local businesses offered great support; Sharlie Joseph of the New England Revolution was an enthusiastic supporter as well, offering to host a local soccer clinic with all proceeds going to Goals for Haiti.
The on-line response was equally overwhelming. People from all over the world, few of whom knew Jack personally, dug deep into their pockets to contribute over $1100 in just three days. Tracy Allen, a guidance counselor at Jack’s middle school, also pitched in to help in this effort for Plan. What began with a simple car ride has grown. This is a project that seems to touch people’s hearts, and Jack’s goal of raising $10,000 seems well within reach.
Seventh grader beats her goal for helping Haiti
“We first came up with the goal of $1,800 because, in Hebrew, “18” is the number chai, and it also means ‘life’, and we felt that the money we raised might save people’s lives in Haiti.”
Mimi, 13, is a smart, friendly seventh-grader, and, like many people her age, she has a lot of interests that take up much of her time: friends, family, and school. But she also wanted to help the people of Haiti to cope with the devastating earthquake that struck on January 12. That’s why she decided to create her own walkathon as part of a community service project for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah.
“I knew Haiti would need a lot of help, not only a few days after the catastrophe. People might stop giving because they might think that Haiti wouldn’t need it, but Haiti will need help for a long time after this.”
Through flyers and posters, Mimi and her family sought to reach their goal of $1,800. They even included an insert in her Bat Mitzvah invitations asking friends to help support her by giving money to her cause.
And give they did. Friends from the Temple Emanu-El (Providence) religious school were inspired by her project and they joined her on April 18 as she walked 3 1/2 miles along Blackstone Boulevard in Providence, Rhode Island. “Once I told people what I was doing, everyone was willing to give,” Mimi tells us. Even though she put a lot of energy into getting donations, she was surprised by the level of generosity that she encountered. In the end, she easily surpassed her goal of $1,800, and raised $2,231 dollars.
Mimi and her family are no strangers to Plan. Her parents and grandparents have sponsored children. Knowing the long-standing work that Plan has done in Haiti, she knew that the money would be put to good use. She said: “I knew it would be more meaningful if we gave through Plan.”
Mimi isn’t done helping Haiti. She and her family purchased school supplies instead of decorative flowers at her Bat Mitzvah, so that they can be sent to Haitian students, along with her best wishes. She tells the children of Haiti “I hope that everything is OK, and that their families are all right. I’d like to tell them that I will help them again as long as they need it.”
You can help
Become a monthly donor to support relief efforts in post-earthquake Haiti. Your support can help us provide children, families and communities with long-term development programs needed to rebuild lives.
