Update on Fundraising efforts

February 2010
I wanted to give everyone an update because of the earthquake in Haiti.
I arrived back in Vancouver 4 days before the earthquake hit Haiti. Thankfully, I was able to be in touch with the orphanage within minutes of it happening. The Hope for Haiti Children’s Orphanage (http://www.danitaschildren.org/) was not damaged. The school was evacuated as it was swaying back and forth but no damage has been detected.
There is now a team including Danita Estrella and Brittney Hilker in Port au Prince to bring home more orphans. There have been bunk beds put up in the church and school. (School has been shut down in the entire country) A team including Karris Hudson has been to Santiago, DR purchasing beds, food, clothing and supplies for all the new children to be added.

Check out http://jeninhaiti.blogspot.com/2010/01/newest-addition-to-hope-for-haiti.html to keep up to date on the newest additions to the orphanage.

I have been blessed to be able to partner with some amazing people since this has happened. People who are helping raise funds for the orphanage!
One of those people is Mike Estrella who is Danita’s brother! He is in Langley, B.C (Estrella’s Montreal Deli) and he has International Support Ministries Canada already in place to raise Canadian funds for the orphanage!

http://www.ismcanada.ca/

This allows you to donate via Paypal, receive a tax receipt and the funds will go directly to the Hope for Haiti Children’s Orphanage!!!

In partnering with Mike, I am able to raise support for my move down to Haiti this spring. If you want to help you can make a cheque out to International Support Ministries Canada and tag it Jen Wride. You can mail it to 6215 Mackenzie St, Vancouver, BC V6N 1H4

You can use the paypal link on ISMCanada.ca with a credit card. Please email me at jen@jeninhaiti.org when you make a donation so we can tracking accordingly! THANK YOU!

http://www.ismcanada.ca/index.php/donate/

Other fundraising efforts!
UBC Athletics (http://www.gothunderbirds.ca/) have been so supportive and have arranged for every adult ticket that I can sell over the last 4 weekends of the season, half will go to the Hope for Haiti Children’s Orphanage via ISM Canada!! Even better – every $5 from a ticket and every donation will be matched by the government before it goes to Haiti! I will have a booth set up at War Memorial Gym for basketball this week vs UVIC and Feb 13th vs Trinity. Come by for a visit and get your ticket to the game!

Thank you to Les Robertson for working so hard to get the word out! Stan Wong and Megan Robinson for getting this going on the UBC Athletics side!

Also Pasha Bains and Chad Clifford of Drive Basketball (http://www.drivebasketball.com/) have had a 2 day shoe collection and fundraising effort for Haiti! Former UBC basketball players, Pasha and Chad organized the event at their facility in Richmond for Jan 23 and 24th. Donations will go to the Hope for Haiti Children’s Orphanage. Thanks Pasha and Chad!!!

With this collective effort I hope we can help support the orphanage and all the new additions for some time to come. The tragedy and loss from this earthquake is overwhelming but there are amazing people on the ground in Haiti who are working so very hard to love and care for these children.

One sweet little girl who has been added to the orphanage has been told she may have trouble learning to walk. Because no one is ever going to put her down!!!

Thank you to everyone who has donated, asked how things are, prayed and listened! I am very blessed to have so many wonderful, caring people in my life!

Jen