Partnership with Food for the Poor

HHH first partnered with Food for the Poor to build Our Lady of Deliverance School.  They  price was right and members John and Lois Gracyalny, Barth and Mary Jo Wolf and Mary Van Den Heuvel who attended the dedication of the new school complex were impressed with the quality of the workmanship.  In addition to building a quality school at a good price, Food for the Poor will also provide a free food supply for the school while in session.  During their week stay in Haiti, members were able to view various community development projects that also impressed the group – a community with healthy chickens producing eggs sold daily in the market, and a goat program.  Part of the income went to the chicken and goat farmers and part of the income went back to support the community.  Local leadership teams appointed by the community planned and managed the projects, which aimed to make the community self-reliant in five to six years.  Another project that we saw that provided food and income for the whole community was a fish farm in rural Haiti.

Back home, HHH was concerned about raising funds to meet its ongoing annual commitment to support the projects we had started.  Our local parish support had not kept pace with past experiences, and we were worried about how we would be able to exit in the future.  HHH had implemented a goat program that has proven beneficial to families that received them. It would need to be scaled up, if the greater community is to benefit.

Partnering with an organization which has the capacity to raise funds on a broader scale was seen as a potential benefit for Noyau, and an exit strategy for HHH having to substantially fund the on-going costs of the school.  If HHH would no longer need to provide the current level of funding, it would enable us to leave without the community feeling abandoned and then be able to possibly go on to another chapel community.  With that in mind, and with confidence in the new parish Pastor’s leadership and organizational skills, HHH asked Food for the Poor (FFP) to consider working with the Noyau community as part of their Community Development process which focuses on making communities self-sufficient..  The initial assessment was done by FFP personnel in Haiti to see if the community exhibited the qualities that could lead to success in sustainability efforts.  Following the assessment,  FFP selected Noyau as one of it’s chosen communities; and plans to raise money for a number of infrastructure and sustainability projects in the community.  From the beginning HHH has communicated to FFP that we are interested in sustainability efforts.   Father Romel and his parish now have the possibility of working with an organization that has the potential to make a greater difference in Haiti.  As networking grows, so does a world where all are valued and needed.

For more information, visit the Food for the Poor website.