[act-ma] Fwd: Haiti Hub - Whats happening Around Boston

Tue Feb 16 13:56:59 PST 2010

>> From: Seth Hunter <sethismyfriend at gmail.com>
>> Date: February 16, 2010 1:39:23 AM EST
>> To: Rebecca Roseme Obounou <rroseme at mit.edu>
>> Cc: Sally Susnowitz <susnowit at mit.edu>, Diane Louise Hendrix <dhendrix at mit.edu 
>> >, Sarah D Hendrick <hendrick at mit.edu>, "haiti2010 at media.mit.edu" <haiti2010 at media.mit.edu 
>> >, "HaitiProjectClass at media.mit.edu"  
>> <HaitiProjectClass at media.mit.edu>, "haitistaff at mit.edu" <haitistaff at mit.edu 
>> >, "haiticoordination at mit.edu" <haiticoordination at mit.edu>,  
>> Nathaniel W Nickerson <nnickers at mit.edu>, Camilla M Brinkman <camillab at mit.edu 
>> >
>> Subject: Haiti Hub - Whats happening Around Boston
>>
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> There is a lot happening in Boston and at Institutions (Tufts,  
>> Harvard, MIT, Sloan & others) - but not enough awareness between  
>> groups. So, we are looking into putting together a comprehensive  
>> database of projects and initiatives in development during the last  
>> month since the Jan 12 earthquake in Haiti.
>>
>> That will take a while to develop, so for now, I put together a  
>> list of what I could gather from the five groups I have visited in  
>> the boston area.
>>
>> They are located here:  http://fluid.media.mit.edu/courses/2010-haiti/index.php?n=Main.Resources
>> Password: haiti10
>>
>> Please add links, organizations, notes at the bottom of the page by  
>> clicking "edit". Use wiki formatting. Feel free to add details if  
>> your organization is listed.
>>
>> There are also reports from the Boston Crisis Camp, and DUSP  
>> Brainstorm on the site.
>>
>> Best,
>> Seth
>>
>>
>> -------------
>> Seth Hunter
>> Research Assistant & PhD Candidate, Fluid Interfaces, MIT Media Lab
>> work: http://www.perspectum.com  (updated 2010)
>> group: http://fluid.media.mit.edu
>> pics: http://flickr.com/photos/sethismyfriend/
>> -------------
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 3:45 PM, Rebecca Roseme Obounou <rroseme at mit.edu 
>> > wrote:
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> Unfortunately I'm sick and cannot attend this evening's event. I  
>> think I've emailed the activities of my nonprofit before to the MIT  
>> email but I did not get a response. Below is the email with updates  
>> that I recently sent. I look forward to getting the outcome of this  
>> meeting and I'd love to talk to whomever is necessary to get  
>> involved with the efforts of the institute and talk to whomever  
>> necessary. Best regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Within the past few months, CHES (Christian Haitian Entrepreneurial  
>> Society, Inc.) has been deeply touched by the outpouring of support  
>> and love of everyone; we are so grateful. We especially thank you  
>> for your prayers. Many Haitians have lost loved ones but many loved  
>> ones were also spared. I personally lost 5 close cousins but  
>> thankfully got news of 10 family members who are safe. There are  
>> still some missing in my family but my story is much like many  
>> Haitians and friends of Haiti. It has been so emotionally grueling  
>> for all but I think we’ve all have drawn so many lessons from this  
>> unfortunate event in history. CHES is prepared to act upon those  
>> lessons learned and contribute to rebuilding a better and stronger  
>> Haiti through its mission. Since our series of prayer conference  
>> calls CHES has engaged in the many activities.
>>
>> As usual, we have continued praying together as we always have  
>> weekly. We believe prayer is key and we give God the first place in  
>> all we do.  We welcome all to join us in our open prayer conference  
>> calls and ask that you always keep us in your prayers.
>>
>> Saturdays
>>
>> 9 AM EST
>>
>> (712) 432-1630
>>
>> Code: 540550#
>>
>>
>> We’ve been raising funds to help maintain the relief efforts  
>> already in place in Haiti through our online fundraising  
>> capabilities on our website (www.chesinternational.org) and other  
>> online media. Thank you so much to those of you that have already  
>> donated. We truly hope that you can turn your one time donation  
>> into a continued donation.
>>
>>  We have been raising funds for Hopital Bon Samaritain (HBS) in  
>> Limbe, (Northern)Haiti. They’ve received an influx of patients for  
>> which they were not prepared. So far we’ve been able to donate $500  
>> to them so far and we look forward to sending them more funds as we  
>> raise them.
>>
>> We are looking to raise funds for Universite Chretien du Nord  
>> d’Haiti (UCNH). Below is the message I received just this morning  
>> from the director of the university that speaks for itself:
>>
>> "Becca, It's been pretty overwhelming here, plus we've been passing  
>> a virus around. UCNH is opening its doors on faith to take students  
>> from Port who want to come here, although we know they will need  
>> scholarship help, and we have NO money. Also, many of our students  
>> have lost all their support, some of them their homes or their  
>> workplaces. Over 50 of the Continuing Ed and Masters students in  
>> theology will have great difficulty paying the second semester and  
>> may not be able to return at all because they lost almost  
>> everything, and in many cases, everything. If we add our full-time  
>> undergrad students to the list of those affected, we will probably  
>> exceed 100. The requests from students from universities that were  
>> destroyed are coming in, over 60 so far. Three teachers from St.  
>> Trinity School have asked to come here...music teachers...and I  
>> want them! How will we pay them when students can't pay? So I pray,  
>> pray, pray the CHES will be able to raise awareness and interest in  
>> helping students in Haiti. Especially the young Diaspora...perhaps  
>> they can imagine what it must feel like to have all your dreams  
>> destroyed, and feel a bit of compassion for those here...I pray so.  
>> I pray people will open their hearts and their checkbooks. I pray  
>> they will get involved in long-term rebuilding. We want to have art  
>> and music therapy options. I'm contacting people to see if we could  
>> have someone come train students here to work with children who  
>> have been traumatized by the quake. We are hosting people. Several  
>> of the families on campus have taken in family members or friends  
>> from Port. We have eight living with us. As I said in my other  
>> message, lots of our students suffered great loss, and many lost  
>> family members. We have lost a niece...missing...we pray for a  
>> miracle still. We have friends who lost 4, some 7, others all their  
>> children, one lost wife and children...what can I say? God have  
>> mercy on the broken hearts of Haiti Pray with us. Love you...and  
>> thank you!" – Laurel Casseus, UNCH
>>
>> We have been also raising money for the CHES branch in Northern  
>> Haiti to distribute aid to the displaced victims from Port-au- 
>> Prince that have migrated to the North of the country. After  
>> following many reports and speaking to those in the country. CHES  
>> saw that there were many areas in the country that were still  
>> underserved, such as the North, despite all the reported aid going  
>> to the country. There were multiple reports and primary accounts of  
>> poor distribution methods of the donations millions have been  
>> making. The members of CHES in Northern Haiti requested that we  
>> send essential items and they would distribute them to the needy.  
>> For this reason, CHES decided to run a basics drive throughout New  
>> England. We knew that we could successfully coordinate a drive but  
>> most importantly coordinate the distribution on the ground. Many  
>> people have been looking for such an organization and for this  
>> reason our drive has been wildly successful. We have collection  
>> sites at Harvard University, Northeastern University, Pheonix  
>> University, The Liberty Hotel and many more.  This past weekend, we  
>> had a first collection at Northeastern University where we loaded  
>> over one hundred boxes. We were joined by volunteers including two  
>> young earthquake survivors, Peralte and Iraldine Preval (siblings),  
>> who came to help us despite never suffering such cold weather.  
>> Peralte didn't even own a good coat. Thankfully we found him one in  
>> the collected items. We have found cost efficient ways to  
>> coordinate this large undertaking but the reality is that there  
>> still some costs and we need your help in raising more funds or  
>> helping us save funds by helping us reduce our spending.
>>
>> Donations are tax exempt and can still be filed for 2009 taxes  
>> through March of this year. CHES is very pleased to announce that  
>> Foley & Hoag law firm is working with CHES probono through its  
>> 501(c)3, tax exempt,  application process.
>>
>>
>> CHES is pleased to announce that it will be part of another Bentley  
>> University Social Media Course. We will be working with Bentley  
>> students to address bettering CHES’ online presence.
>>
>> Saturday, February 27, CHES will be participating in a business  
>> plan competition, Pitch for Change, at Harvard University’s Social  
>> Enterprise Conference hosted by the Business School and the Kennedy  
>> School of Government.
>>
>> Join us to pray for Haiti
>> Sunday, February, 21, 2010
>>
>> 4 PM EST
>>
>> Location TBA
>>
>> (Please email to express interest of attending
>>
>> or check our facebook group page)
>>
>>
>> You can Help us Help Haiti!
>>
>> Make a financial donation and make a long-term commitment to our  
>> work.
>>
>> Volunteer some time to help in our massive drive.
>>
>> Spread the word!!! Please pass this email along. We’re on  
>> facebook.  Join our group, invite your friends, fan us. Tell someone!
>>
>>
>> God bless you and thank you for your continued interest and support  
>> of CHES
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Rebecca Obounou
>> President and Founder
>> CHES (Christian Haitian Entrepreneurial Society, Inc.)
>>  www.chesinternational.org
>> (617) 299-0564
>>
>>
>>
>>
>

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