2017 Haiti Relief Mission Trip
Dear Family and Friends,
This coming January, I will be going on another mission trip to Haiti. I will be going with the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Renewal. This will be my 'Seventh relief trip to Haiti. My wife., Helen, and my daughter Anna will accompany me for their third trip.
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As I'm sure you remember Hurricane Matthew went through the Island on October 1-2. The damage was significant. There were flooding, trees down but the worst damage was the people lost their homes and latrines. Because of the hurricane, the intensity of our trip has grown. We had already scheduled to build 45 houses and latrines for Blind families but now we have to also fix the houses for other Haitians in the village.
As in the past, there are many doctors and nurses who will hold free medical clinics. Last year, those clinics served well over 2,000 residents.
For the first time this year we will be starting a grinding project. We will take corn and grind it so that the Haitians can make corn meal for the kids in our school. Corn is relatively inexpensive and if we get this program up and running the kids can have breakfast in the morning.
We cannot do these relief missions without your financial assistance. Our needs have grown and continue to include medicine for the clinic, building supplies for the new houses and bathrooms and food for the families. We provide basic food items such as rice, beans and pasta for hundreds during the food handout, and the need increases each and every year.
All donations are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to "Friar Suppliers" and mailed back to me at 275 Swamp Road, Fairfax, VT 05454. You win receive a tax form in early February. If you have any questions) please feel free to e-mail me at greghelen@myfairpoint.net or call me at 849-6232. This giving season, we hope that we can count on your continued support of our relief mission.
Thank you once again.
Yours truly,
Greg Hartman