An Easter Message from Deacon Patrick Moynihan

Dear THP Community,

When I heard that Mass had been canceled by Seán Cardinal O'Malley (Archbishop of Boston) to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, I understood, but was immediately sad. It is true that I did cause a lot of trouble in Mass as a child—enough to get my mom to send her eighth child out of church on a number of occasions. However, as an adult, I go as often as opportunity allows. Since I am a deacon, I may even have reason to go more than once a day.   

In that moment, it also occurred to me that Easter is canceled—at least, as a public liturgy. 

What is a year without Easter?

Left without the opportunity to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord as a community, we may feel we are indeed in a Easter-less year. However, the Lord has risen! 

Entombed in our homes, we must work extra hard this year to have Easter bloom within us.

The gift gained for all humanity in the resurrection of the Lord is not reliant on the Easter Liturgy, no matter how important this Mass is to the community, especially our brothers and sisters who have prepared to join the Faith. 

However, it may be difficult to really be joyful with a pandemic blackening the sky. This is especially true for those who have lost family and friends.

But, Easter will bloom in our hearts nonetheless.

Because Easter is not simply an annual liturgy—it is a people! We are the Easter people. We shall soon emerge from our homes—hopefully with an even greater commitment to the Light, to life, and to others. 

Deacon Patrick Moynihan is President Emeritus of The Haitian Project.

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

Good Friday: No Greater Love

Since we are unable to gather together as community during this Holy Week, we want to bring community to you in the ways that we can to be present to one another in faith and spirit during this difficult time.

Each Holy Week, before departing school to observe the Triduum and celebrate Easter at home, Louverture Cleary students enact Shadow Stations of the Cross. Though the beautiful event was missed this year, our community—in the U.S., in Haiti, and around the world—are united in prayer and solidarity. We wish a blessed Triduum to all.

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: love one another as I have loved you. —John 13:34

While so many aspects of our lives are different this Holy Week, something that cannot be canceled or taken away is Christ’s immense love for us. Though we are sinners, Christ endured the suffering of the cross and laid down his life for us that we might live with him eternally.

As we remember his suffering, let us renew our love for others that we may always love one another as Christ has loved us.

Join Us for Stations of the Cross

THP invites you to join the community to virtually pray the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, April 10th, led by THP Staff and LCS Campus Minister Amanda Haluga. If you would like to participate, please email us at [email protected] for information to join. All are welcome.

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

Holy Thursday: No Boundaries

Since we are unable to gather together as community during this Holy Week, we want to bring community to you in the ways that we can to be present to one another in faith and spirit during this difficult time.

Following Christ's example, our Louverturians serve others at LCS and in the Santo 5 community at LCS each and every day by sharing their knowledge. When they return to their homes, they do the same for their families and home communities. Pictured: LCS students tutoring in the Koukouy Sen Kle (Fireflies of St. Clare) Early Childhood Development Program.

Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. (John 13:12-15)

Today on Holy Thursday, we remember Jesus gathering his friends together, washing their feet, sharing a meal. His service of washing the feet of his disciples demonstrated limitless kindness and love, rejected societal norms and hierarchy, showed humility, and calls us to go and do the same for others.

This Holy Week, let us serve others in all the ways that we can. Pray for those who are in need of prayers. Visit the lonely with a phone call or note. Remember our brothers and sisters around the world, including in Haiti. Give charitably as we are able.

Though we may have the physical boundaries of our homes, the love of Christ for us knows no boundaries. Let us follow His example and love and serve likewise.

Join Us for Stations of the Cross

THP invites you to join the community to virtually pray the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, April 10th, led by THP Staff and LCS Campus Minister Amanda Haluga. If you would like to participate, please email us at [email protected] for information to join. All are welcome.

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

The CARES Act—What Donors Should Know

On March 27, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act"), which includes incentives for individuals and corporations to make charitable donations.

What donors need to know:

• Under Section 2204 of the Act, taxpayers who take the standard deduction on their 2020 tax return can claim up to $300 for charitable contributions made this year as a deduction from their gross (taxable) income.

• For individuals who itemize their deductions, Section 2205 of the CARES Act increases the limit on deductions for charitable contributions in 2020 from 60 percent to 100 percent. 

• For corporations, Section 2205 of the Act increases the limit on deductions for charitable contributions in 2020 from 10 percent to 25 percent.

For more information, please consult your tax advisor.

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our 360 students in Haiti rely on our support. Please give today if you can.

Then and Now

The Haitian Project President Reese Grondin

Dear Haitian Project Community,

The current crisis has led me to reflect on the year I first came to The Haitian Project (THP). It was 2001 and I had just graduated from the University of Notre Dame. I was in the first two weeks of my service as a year-long Volunteer teacher at THP’s Louverture Cleary School in Haiti when 9/11 happened and the world changed.

Even before the school year had officially opened, my fellow Volunteers and I faced a tough decision to remain at the school with no prospect of seeing our families until Christmas, or to go home immediately without knowing if we would later be able to return to Haiti. We all decided to stay at the school. Everyone is accustomed to the TSA drill now, but traveling through the newly implemented security at JFK that December was a surreal and sobering experience.

Almost twenty years later, I am now President of The Haitian Project and we are facing another world-changing situation. This time, however, with schools and borders closed in Haiti, the decision to return home to the U.S. was effectively made for our current missionary teachers. As it was for our Haitian colleagues and students who had to return to their homes in Haiti.

We are encouraged by THP President Emeritus Deacon Patrick Moynihan’s exhortation to take the story of the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1-4) to heart. As he says:

We are better people for doing good in the most difficult times. It is easy to help when we have much; much harder when what we have is in question or already vanishing. We need to do the most we can in times when the least are going to have even less.

Our experience in Haiti tells us that the practice of social distancing will be nearly impossible for the people of Haiti. Without funds or refrigerators, the idea of not making the usual daily trip to the market is inconceivable. Houses are closely situated and perpetually open to the air, making sheltering in place an ad hoc gathering.

We recognize with gratitude the incredible sacrifice that healthcare providers and essential personnel (many of whom are lower-income workers) are making here in the U.S. and across the world. For our part, The Haitian Project is focused on supporting our employees here and our colleagues in Haiti to make sure they have the financial resources available to navigate this situation, and on being ready to welcome back our students once schools re-open.

So during this difficult and unprecedented time, I want to offer our heartfelt thanks to you. Your dedicated support helps get us there.

We hope and pray that you and your loved ones remain healthy and safe.

Peace,

Reese Grondin

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

THP President Reese Grondin on GoLocal LIVE

The Haitian Project President Reese Grondin was interviewed this morning on GoLocalProv where she discusses COVID-19's impact on Haiti, the nonprofit sector, and how to support The Haitian Project tomorrow through 401Gives.

"It [is] very difficult to look outside our own situations right now, very challenging here... but what we're trying to do at The Haitian Project is really focus on our long-term mission and keep that in mind, and education is really for long-term change in Haiti."— THP President Reese Grondin, GoLocal LIVE, March 31, 2020

Starting at 6:00 am tomorrow morning, visit www.401gives.org to support The Haitian Project's mission to transform Haiti through education. You will have 24 hours to make your donation, and all giving will end at 5:59 am on April 2nd.

The first $50,000 worth of donations through 401Gives will be matched by the Rhode Island Foundation, and there are additional prizes for organizations who get donations before 10:00 am, so please donate early.

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships. 

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can still give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

THP is Participating in 401Gives and You Can Double Your Support!

These are challenging times for all of us, but we wanted to let our community know about 401Gives, Rhode Island's first statewide day of giving! We hope that everyone who is in a position to participate, will. 

No matter if you are a Rhode Islander or not, everyone is invited to participate in 401Gives and support Rhode Island-based nonprofits like The Haitian Project on April 1st.

You can:

Donate at www.401Gives! Starting at 6:00 am on April 1st, visit www.401gives.org and make a donation to support education in Haiti! You will have 24 hours to make your donation, and all giving will end at 5:59 am on April 2nd.

The first $50,000 worth of donations through 401Gives will be matched by the Rhode Island Foundation, and there are additional prizes for organizations who get donations before 10:00 am, so please donate early.

Share and share alike. Help us grow our network by sending this email to your network and ask your friends to do the same. Use your social media networks and post on Facebook, tweet about 401Gives, and share your enthusiasm for transforming Haiti through education. Ask others to do the same!

Questions? If you have any questions or would like more information, let us know by calling us at 401-351-3624 or by emailing [email protected].

Though we're all spending time apart, we can all make a change together! Thank you in advance for your support!

A Note from The Haitian Project

These are challenging times for all of us, and we at The Haitian Project understand that giving is simply not possible right now for many people.
But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will.

Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

We Stand with Our Haitian Colleagues

The Haitian Project wants its employees, who have proven their loyalty to our joint mission through government failures, political unrest, a hundred-year earthquake and a cholera outbreak, to know that we are with them.

Therefore, we are not only dedicated to meeting our payroll for our teachers and staff in Haiti while schools are closed as part of the Haitian government’s social distancing measures, we are paying them two months in advance. This will make sure that each team member can prepare well for the possible disruption of banking services and food supplies.

Haiti is an island. But, our colleagues are not. We stand together.

Louverture Cleary School teachers and staff, serving through very thick, and very thin:

From left: LCS Director General Ernst V.; LCS Director of Operations Esther P.

From left: Marly M., teacher in LCS's Koukouy Sen Kle Early Childhood Development Center; Señor E., LCS Spanish teacher.

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These are challenging times for all of us, and we at The Haitian Project understand that giving is simply not possible right now for many people.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students whenever schools re-open. Please give today if you can.

Share the Good

People are understandably concerned and experiencing a sense of uncertainty because of the coronavirus. We get that, and we understand if donating is not possible at this time. Right now, we all have a responsibility to support each other as friends, family and neighbors—as citizens—to collectively manage the situation until the outbreak has ended. Nevertheless, The Haitian Project continues to be responsible for the health, safety and futures of our 360 students and our community in Haiti. This means we still have to ask and pray that those who can contribute at this time, will; because we know that for others giving is simply not possible right now. So, be well. Be safe. We are in this together.  —Team THP

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Over the next few months, millions of Americans will be receiving their tax refund. While everyone’s situation is different, if you are fortunate to receive a refund this year, donating a portion of your refund to The Haitian Project can be a great way to Share the Good this season.

Your gift can cover the cost of...

Thank you to everyone embracing the spirit of almsgiving this Lent. We appreciate your support as we work to build The Louverture Cleary Schools Network in Haiti!

Your gift could provide textbooks for one student or for an entire class.

From Jimi's Journal

THP Director of New School Construction Jimi Grondin started his new position with The Haitian Project on January 1st of this year. He spends much of his time in Haiti where he focuses on helping to move The Louverture Cleary Schools (LCS) Network forward and further developing the facilities program at LCS Santo 5. The updates below from "Jimi's Journal" chronicle a recent morning in Haiti. 

THP Director of New School Construction Jimi Grondin (left) and civil engineer Odson F., alumnus of the LCS University Scholarship Program and former member of the LCS Junior Staff, check batteries outside the depot.

Saturday

5:05 am  Just looked over my notes from the past couple of days working with Mickey Ingles [solar expert and former THP board member] who has played an integral role in bringing solar power to the LCS campus. Fifteen plus years later, he is still helping us work through the evolving solar environment at the school and planning for the solar systems at the new schools in The Network. On this trip, we performed a thorough assessment of the current systems. 

5:36 am  Early morning at the home of Patrick B. [THP board member and Haitian private sector leader]. We had productive talks with Patrick and Salomon A. [LCS '98, director of Haitian solar company Energy Central]. The overriding theme is strorage. An ideal system at LCS would provide three days of battery power backup—a significant improvement over the current battery banks. The other issue at LCS is ageing equipment, and we will be looking to replace some of the equipment with more recent models. Having universal equipment will greatly improve the ease of service in years to come.  

6:44 am  On our way to drop off Mickey at the airport. He has spent the last two days at the school gathering info. When I get back to campus, Odson F. [civil engineer and LCS physical plant superintendent] and I have some maintenance work to take care of. The rest of my time here will be spent at LCS with Patrick B. working on the new science building, along with more planning/strategizing for The Network.

10:37 am   We dropped off Mickey, and I am back at LCS. Salomon and his Energy Central crew are in the process of installing the solar panels. Time to get to work!

Salomon A., LCS '98 and director of Energy Central with Claseen, a technician with Energy Central, during the solar panel installation at the new LCS Santo 5 science building:

With your continued support, we can build more schools in Haiti. Please consider setting up a recurring donation by clicking the button below.