Today is the last day of our January social-media campaign to spread the word about how Haitian Families First works to preserve struggling families in Haiti. We are a small organization with a handful of staff members—the majority of whom are volunteers—and a shoestring budget. Still, as I look back over the past three weeks’ worth of blog posts, I’m struck by how many people from all walks of life the work of Jamie and Ali McMutrie has brought together.
There are, for example, HFF’s employees, volunteers, and colleagues in Haiti with whom HFF partners. There’s Junia, HFF staff person extraordinaire, whose efforts to help other families, let alone her efforts to help herself, her birth children, and her soon-to-be adopted child, are nothing short of heroic. And there’s Sherry, who has been brave enough to let a painful past inspire her to help others get involved in HFF’s work. Board member and “professional volunteer” Vivian Croft has described how touched she was to visit Jamie and Ali in Haiti, even though she has traveled widely and been involved with many other volunteer organizations. Another volunteer, Ross, also describes a visit to Haiti, where he learned some valuable lessons about HFF’s work (not to mention the value of a good set of tires).
We’ve seen how people from around the U.S. have been inspired by Jamie and Ali’s dedication to the children of Haiti. We’ve witnessed the enormous outpouring of love and respect adoptive parents from all over the world feel for the McMutrie sisters and the appreciation they have for the care Jamie and Ali gave their children.
And we have seen glimpses of the insides of a Haitian hospital’s maternity and pediatric wards, where directors, doctors, and nurses work with HFF staff to care for children and bring hope to families.
What we also see in those videos, of course, are glimpses of the faces of those we work for: a single father struggling to feed his infant son even as he mourns the loss of his wife; a little boy lovingly receiving medical treatment; a mother and a family receiving a few seeds and a new chance for a better life.
I am deeply humbled by these stories, by how many difference lives, world views, and circumstances they encompass, by the sheer amount of miles that separate them. And I am in awe at what brings them together.
There is one story—just one—that made all of these others possible. Over a decade ago, a very young woman in her early twenties got on a plane bound for Port-au-Prince. She had no solid plans for herself once she arrived, didn’t know how long she’d stay, and did not really know what she’d find once she got there. She had little money and fewer connections. All she really had was a love of children, a hatred of poverty, and a vision of a better world.
Except for the occasional visit to her family, she’s never left. Jamie has learned a great deal since then, of course, as has her sister, Ali. They have endured hurricanes and an earthquake as well as the pain of having to watch many children suffer and many families be torn apart. But a few things have not changed. They still work tirelessly and mostly thanklessly. They are just as dedicated to Haiti’s children and to a vision of a better world as they were over a decade ago.
And, although Jamie won’t like me telling you this because she’s still too unpretentious to take a complement, we continue to be inspired by them.
–Jean Griffith, Executive Director, Haitian Families First
Today’s post was written by HFF volunteer Sherry Cluver, who gives some great advice about how ordinary people can take small actions that can make a big difference to families in Haiti.
Believe in the work of Haitian Families First and yearn to help, but aren’t sure what li’l ol’ folks like you and I can do? That was exactly my question when I was given the reassuring answer–“Any little thing will help!”
So, that’s precisely where we began–with a small idea from my husband Chad, a high-school coach, to dub an upcoming home basketball game “Hoops for Haiti” night. After checking for approval from our building principal and the head coach of the team we would play, T-shirts were ordered and public service announcements written. Then, friends decided a banner would lend legitimacy to the atmosphere, and they covered the cost and delivery. Another friend, who works in the non-profit world, disseminated a press release, and two different papers and a pair of radio stations came calling.
That was it.
Net profit from T-shirt sales totaled a surprising $1,200, and an additional $800 was given in unsolicited donations–several of which were $100 or more each. Providing an outlet for people’s desire to help is all we did, and the community stepped forward with a deep interest and generous hearts.
Having done one fundraiser, we could easily decide that our work is done, at least for now. But support and enthusiasm from our community keep coming in beautifully unexpected ways. Two days after mailing off the proceeds from “Hoops for Haiti,” a former student approached me with a $70 donation.
So, because of the palpable enthusiasm of our local community surrounding this cause, as well as the hunger Chad and I have for healing from our unusual adoption journey, we are forging ahead with our work. My friends suggested that I form a local fundraising committee, and all dozen women of different personalities and talents whom I invited to join replied with warmth and energy. So onward we go to approaching civic organizations and large corporations, sending out small business mailings, and conducting follow-up radio interviews and newspaper stories.
To get you started on your own “any little thing,” perhaps consider selecting a comfortable task or two from the list below. If you wish to contact me, I’ll gladly share with you tips I’ve learned and samples we’ve created along our grassroots journey.
Family preservation makes good, plain sense to people, and it’s easy to support an organization that operates without overhead–frugal, smart, and dignified. It takes only small steps to get that sort of word to spread and the inspiration to catch on.
Sherry Cluver, proud supporter of Haitian Families First