Helping Hungry Kids in Haiti

From BGR Executive Director, Kim Behan:

I would like to share the heartfelt communications from Margaret Trost, Founder of the What If? Foundation, on the occasion of the anniversary of the food program we support in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The need for these meals is still great, and many of the children coming to the food program are still living permanently in tents together with their families. For many of these children the meal they receive here is their only meal of the day.

It commonly happens that when the news disappears from the headlines, funds that would be donated to help people trapped in a crisis dry up along with the help those donations facilitate. But Buddhist Global Relief remains firm in its commitment to the poor children of Haiti. We have been supporting and renewing the food program in Port-au-Prince for the past few years and plan to continue to support it into the future. If you wish to show your own concern for the children of our island neighbor in the Caribbean, you can donate to BGR or directly to the What If? Foundation.

With metta,
Kim Behan

March 19th marks the 12th anniversary of
the food program we support in Port-au-Prince.

 “I don’t know what I would do without the food program. I love everything that happens there, especially the moment they hand out the plates of food, because then I can see all the joy in the children. I live in a tent with my mother and father, and they do not have work, so they do not have enough food for me.”

Jean Claude, age 10 (translated from Creole)

As I read these words, my heart fills with both joy and sadness. Joy at how much we’ve been able to do to help alleviate some of the suffering. Over the past 12 years, together with our Haitian partners, we’ve provided over 2.4 million nutritious meals to hungry children and some adults through this community-based food program. And yet sadness at the continuing reality of the severe hunger in Haiti. While Haiti is not as much in the news these days, the need for these meals is still so great.

I am inspired by your generosity, which has paid for this food program year in and year out. A group of students told us that they skipped a meal when their school agreed to send What If a check for the amount budgeted for those meals. One family recently wrote that their contribution to What If represented money saved by eating sandwiches instead of going out to dinner.

These and other stories from our donors inspire me to invite you to take a “special action” this week in honor of the food program’s 12th anniversary. You might decide to eat more simply and donate the difference to What If. You might share this email with family, friends or coworkers. Whatever you decide, it will make such a difference in the lives of children we serve in Port-au-Prince. It costs less than a dollar to provide a plate of hot, nutritious food at the food program.

Thank you for your help, your support and your prayers as we celebrate this special anniversary, and for standing in solidarity with our Haitian partners and all those who are hungry.

With love and hope,
Margaret Trost
Founder, What If? Foundation

The mission of the What If? Foundation is to feed and educate impoverished children in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, providing hope and opportunity for a brighter future.
Contact the What If? Foundation at info@whatiffoundation.org or 510.528.1100  /  www.whatiffoundation.org