Those concerned about targeting your donations to most vulnerable in Haiti may consider a donation to L'Arche who have 2 communities and a school in Haiti. L'Arche is a close partner of PLAN and PLAN Institute - we have learned so much from their work and their leader Jean Vanier. As an added bonus any donations made to L'Arche Haiti will be matched dollar for dollar by our federal government.
News Update February 5, 2010:
Dear Friend of L’Arche:
I have a brief update to give you regarding L’Arche in Haiti. I begin with a few words written yesterday from Jonathan, one of the L’Arche assistants who is “on the ground” in Haiti. His words are a strong affirmation of the need for all of us to stay close to these people in Haiti whom we do not know personally, but who are our brothers and sisters in the beautiful and sometimes very suffering human journey that we are on together.
“You who are praying, giving, crying, supporting; you who have been thinking of us daily over these past weeks; you are our silent weapon, our reason for staying the course, our source of survival... You have a part to play in the story of humanity unfolding before our incredulous eyes. Friends—friends of L’Arche or friends who are L’Arche—more precious than sunscreen on the beach, you give us the strength that would fail us on these gray mornings. It is feeling supported and loved by so many people that make us smile during prayer. This is not trivial, only to be our moral support from one day to the next.”
We have been able to provide our people in Haiti with basic food and drugs and various supplies. We have just purchased two large prospectors tents at a cost of $1,500 and are arranging to transport these to Haiti. They are large, durable, and will provide protection from the sun and mosquitoes. Also, a small organizing group is creating two budgets, one for the immediate day to day needs of the many people who are part of the L'Arche, and a second budget for the rebuilding that needs to happen in the time to come. When these are ready I will be share them with you.
Thank you for joining others with your support . Life moves on very quickly for most of us. Let us remember that this is not the case for others .
If you recently received, by mail, a copy of the letter we just sent out to all our donors regarding Haiti, please understand that we are NOT inviting you to make an additional financial contribution. Your incoming on-line donation just crossed paths with our outgoing letter!
In gratitude;
Nathan Ball
L'Arche Canada Foundation
905-770-7696 X112
News Update January 17, 2010 from L'Arche Canada Foundation: L’Arche in Haiti
Some of you have phoned us wondering how L’Arche is responding to the crisis in Haiti. In 1976 the Haitian ambassador to Canada asked Jean Vanier if he would start L’Arche in Haiti. For over 30 years L’Arche has been active in Haiti providing homes, community and other supports to people with intellectual disabilities.
There is a long and active partnership between L’Arche Canada and L’Arche Haiti. For example, every year core members (those with a disability) , assistants, and staff from L’Arche across Canada contribute their own funds to support their sister L’Arche communities in Haiti and in other places in Latin America. This friendship between the people of L’Arche in Canada and Haiti continues to be a great gift for all!
Today, we do know that all of our people are safe though there has been substantial material damage. It will take time to know what the needs are for L’Arche in Haiti.
We have two communities in Haiti. The largest is in Port au Prince. Fifteen people with disabilities, a number of whom had been abandoned, live in the community. Another fifteen come from their families to L’Arche each day. We also run a school for 20 children. Another 20 people with disabilities have made our second L’Arche community in Haiti, Chantal, their home and family. This community is in the process of building a woodworking shop and a new program that will combine banana harvesting with a composting project.
How is L’Arche responding today? We are collecting funds internally from L’Arche members across Canada and inviting you to join us to support people with intellectual disabilities in Haiti, people who are more vulnerable now than ever. Simply follow this link: http://larchehaiti.org
We do not yet know exactly how the funds will be used; this will become clear in the days to come. What we can tell you is that 100% of all gifts will go directly to the work of L’Arche Haiti, or to support people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Our support will be direct and personal.
As we have done over many years we will continue to do everything we can to care for, honour and protect people with disabilities in Haiti. You know that L’Arche is not a large aid organization. We are small but this means that we are very responsive and there will be no administrative expenses for this relief effort. We are directly connected with the work of L’Arche in Haiti and with others working along side of us, and our L’Arche Canada Board of Directors will carefully steward the allocation of financial gifts that are given to us for Haiti.
You may also know that individual gifts to L’Arche for Haiti will be matched by the Canadian Government who will place their matching gift into the Government run “Haitian Relief Fund”. We will attempt to have those funds directed to the work of L’Arche in Haiti.
Please follow the following link to make an online gift or send your donation to the L’Arche Canada Foundation.
May we stand with the people of Haiti,
Nathan Ball
Executive Director
L'Arche Canada Foundation
905-770-7696 X112
Click here to make a contribution
Or call with a credit card 1-800-571-0212
Or send a cheque: 10265 Yonge St. Richmond Hill, ON L4C 4Y7
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A post from Jack Styan, ED at PLAN, is at http://www.jackstyan.com/my-blog/2010/02/family-movement-wiki.html
And, Stefan has posted a video of Jack Collins speaking to the same theme at http://www.stefanlorimer.com/2010/02/the-family-movement.html