Frequently Asked Questions
A: We have donors who offer funds for our overhead costs, and we appreciate that greatly, because it allows us to continue, and also ensures that expenses for the website, fees for sending money, and operations etc, don’t have to come out of our pockets. We are committed to having your donation go towards your intended result by responding to the needs of our partners in Haiti and sending money to where it will actually be used by the people doing the work. When we can we visit Haiti and work side by side with them and work on ideas for long term solutions not just short term assistance.
A: There are a few ways: seeing the photos we post in “latest news”, watching the videos we post after trips to Haiti that show what has been accomplished, and also of course by taking our word for it. We create results, as shown from our partners in Haiti, and as proven by our track record. That said, we understand skepticism. There’s reason to question others. But after direct conversation with us and from testimonials from the people we’ve served, you will be more assured in the results we create with your generosity. Get in touch with us directly anytime if you have questions.
A: We know. And since we’re already working in Haiti, we invite you to get involved with the domestic causes you believe in and start your own development/relief organization. We were called to work in Haiti by our passion for the people there. If you feel that your priority should be here in the States, then by all means spend the next year creating a network, an action plan, and an organization. That’s what we did. From scratch. And you can do it too. We’ll even advise you if you’d like support and ideas. That said, we believe that the word “community” and the word “neighbor” need to have their definitions expanded. When we restrict ourselves to those within eyesight as neighbors and when we consider only those in our immediate vicinity as our community, we restrict ourselves and exclude others. So to us, Haitians ARE us. They are neighbors, and part of our community as well, and as a result are in a direct line of response from us in terms of need demanding action. In the next year we are developing domestic education initiatives around race and history in the USA. Look forward to more information in 2021 and beyond.
A: We use that term inspired by our friends who are involved with direct action campaigns around the world for various causes. They do not sit idly by and pay lip service to change. They take action. And that is what we do as well. The humanitarian aid portion speaks for itself. Combine them together and what you get is a group of people unwilling to sit idly by as people are in need, but instead who take action on their behalf, either in person or from afar.
A: We started as a relief organization after the quake in 2010. We provided food, medicine, helped to facilitate survival and care of people. But then we realized that we wanted to be more than that and more importantly that people needed more than that. We wanted to be a development organization and to support transformation from within Haiti, not just handouts from outside of Haiti. We aim to initiate and continue with projects that provide opportunities for Haitians to work, to create, to guide themselves…rather than to be dependent on others for their needs.
A: We’ll take it, and we’ll put it to great use in Haiti, AND, we’ll treat you like you gave us ten times as much. Many of our campaigns have been funded on small donations from countless numbers of people. While of course we always appreciate larger donations, we turn no one away who is interested in helping.
A: We are a fully fledged 501c3 federal non-profit. As a result, yes we can offer an official receipt for your taxes. Check with your accountant for more information, and if you need an accountant who can advise you about this, let us know and we will connect you with ours. Email us anytime for a receipt for your donation.
A: Haiti is not for everyone. It is occasionally unstable in terms of its social structure, economy, political situation and more. As a result, its not a place that is easy to travel to or through for all people. We’d advise anyone interested in going to Haiti to consider the idea, and if you are still devoted to it after doing research on your own, get in touch with us and we can discuss volunteer opportunities whether through us or others. We like to go to Haiti every few months, so if the time and project are right, there is a possibility of making something work. The most important thing: we never want to take away work that a Haitian could do by inserting ourselves into their world.