Food For The Poor In Haiti

By Lessie Kaufman


There are many poor countries in the world, but one of the most poverty-ridden is right in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti, which shares an island in the Caribbean with the much-more-prosperous Dominican Republic, ranks at the bottom of the economic scale year after year. Many humanitarian organizations work to help the ten million plus people of this nation. One of the largest that seeks to help is Food for the Poor in Haiti.

Food For The Poor is an international organization that serves Latin America and the Caribbean. It is one of the largest charitable organizations in the world. It depends on donation primarily but also receives government grants to assist in its efforts. The aid is delivered in many different ways, although food is one of the major needs that must be addressed immediately and continually.

Haiti shares an island with the more prosperous Dominican Republic. It is made up mostly of mountains with little population; there is a small amount of coastal plain and river valley. Most of the ten million people live in city slums. Discovered by Christopher Columbus, the island was home to a indigenous people that were unceremoniously replaced by imported slaves and their colonial masters. Haiti was born in a slave rebellion.

the early days of hope lasted about ten years. Politics here have always been tumultuous, with coup after coup ushering in dictators that plundered the nation of all wealth and hope. Most people live with little hope for employment or education. There is a overwhelming lack of sanitation, medical care, and opportunity for improvement.

Food For the Poor maintains a center in Port-au-Prince that feeds over fifteen thousand people a day. It also establishes water distribution and chlorination facilities, as well as sanitation, for many communities. It offers help in starting micro-enterprises to help people make a meager living - which raises them above the average - and builds houses for families with no shelter. They maintain medical clinics, hospitals, and orphanages. They build and restore schools.

It is hoped that by providing more than temporary and immediate help, things can gradually improve for the people of this island nation. If children can survive, get food and medical attention, and get an education, they may be able to rise above the miserable existence they face without help. Less than five percent of the monies this organization receives goes for administration and fundraising expenses; the rest goes directly to humanitarian efforts. Independent groups that evaluate charities give them a high rating.

There are several ways to help this organization. People can make a one-time donation online by check, credit card, or Paypal. They can become a monthly contributor and make an automatic donation each month. They can sponsor an individual child for under forty dollars a month, giving the child food, education, and vocational training. They can build their own webpage to raise money for the charity in their home communities.

Go online for more information. The organization posts upcoming events, like 5K runs that are great ways to raise both money and public awareness. There are also many pictures of children needing sponsors, on-going projects, and success stories.




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