About our project.
Helping Haitians is project that began implementation in the Summer of 2017 by the Lansing DeWitt Sunrise Rotary. The club submitted and was awarded a grant through the Rotary Foundation in the amount of $5000.00. These funds, in addition to those funds raised during our fundraiser, will help support our efforts as a pilot team in planning, purchasing materials, building, travel and other costs associated with building a home for a family in Haiti. Through this pilot, the team will work to develop and write a grant application to the Rotary International to support a sustainability plan for Haitians, building homes and access to clean water.
From the desk of Dr. Tim Brannan.
Dear Friends, family and the business community;
After an initial visit to Haiti in 2016, I returned to my Rotary club to describe the profound impact the visit had on me. During my first visit I had the opportunity to meet and build a house for a deserving family; this home was not much bigger than a walk-in closet we have in our homes, yet twice the size of their current dwelling! I witnessed more poverty and poor living conditions than I have ever seen in my lifetime – including an overseas deployment to Guatemala, yet every person I met was happy and full of life! In 2017 the Lansing DeWitt Sunrise Rotary applied for, and was awarded a District Grant focused on Helping Haitains - specifically one family in need of a low cost shelter, a true home! After receiving the grant award we held our first fundraiser to supplement grant funds awarded. It was a great success and we were able to provide another deserving family a home in Haiti. We hope to mirror that success again in 2018! We’ve once again been awarded a District Grant. I’m asking for your help to once again raise money to continue building homes, and more importantly, provide the people of Haiti with a sustainable model to replicate. On October 23 rd we are going to host a basketball fundraiser at DeWitt Junior High from 6 – 8 p.m. Please consider making a tax-exempt donation to help Hatians!
Some facts about Haiti:
Population: 10,746,000 (824 persons/sq mile)
Life expectancy: 62.7 years
Yearly income per capita: $817 (poorest in Western Hemisphere, 3rd poorest in world)
Persons per physician: 4,000 (385 in US)
Infant mortality per 1000 live births: 59 (7.5 in US)
Maternal mortality per 100,000 births: 160 (12 in US)
Yearly health care expenditure per capita: $77 ($2765 in US)
Tax deductable donations can be sent to DeWitt/Sunrise Rotary Club, 1754 Clark Rd, Lansing, MI 48906. Business donations will include advertising on our fundraising t-shirt…please include Haiti 2018 on the check!
Help us help those who need it most!
Best Regards,
Dr. Timothy Brannan