St Paul's Episcopal Church: South Florida Haiti Project

South Florida Haiti Project

Haiti Response

We are continuing to support the first responding agencies while we plan for the next wave of support for the people of Haiti and most especially for our partners at St Mary Madeleine in Bondeau.

Update from Bondeau

There are now at least 1,000 refugees in Bondeau who are returning there from the city and are camped out near the church and school. Pere Kesner Gracia has been able to secure food from nearby Miragone and they re-started the feeding program that we at St Paul's fund. This week we will be able to resume ordering the food for the program from Our Lady Bakery here in Delray Beach, which arranges for the food to be sent from Miragoane to Bondeau. We will double our food order so that we are able to feed not only the children at the school, but also their families and many of the refugees.

Stay tuned for a list of relief supplies as well as development needs.

Local Response

Our response to our local community remains strong. A community Interfaith Memorial Service has been scheduled for Thursday February 18 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Atlantic High School. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. This service is being planned by the Haiti Coalition of Palm Beach County and the Delray Interfaith Clergy Association.

MISSION AND OUTREACH SUPPORT

St Paul's has taken responsibility for the feeding program at St Mary Madeleine's School, providing a daily meal during the school year and the summer programs.  The Mission and Outreach budget has allocated $16,000 for this program.

Photos from Mission Trip 2009.

HISTORY OF THE HAITI TASK FORCE
St Paul's has joined forces with St Gregory's Episcopal Church in Boca Raton, Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach and Toussaint L'Overture High School in Delray Beach to reach out to St Marie Madeleine Church in Bondeau.  St Marie Madeleine is a 'station' or mission of St Mark's Church in Jeannette, Haiti and is under the supervision of Fr Kesner Gracia and the Diocese of Haiti.

In 2007, St Gregory's raised $50,000 to build a school in Bondeau, a rural town of about 2,000 people.  150 students attend the school and St Gregory's contributes $20,000 annually to support salaries for administration and teachers.

Early in 2008, Deacon Anita Thorstad and Fr Andrew Sherman, both of St Gregory's, expressed an interest in having St Pauls partner with them in the mission to Bondeau.  They felt that the two churches working together could make a greater impact in the community. Subsequently, Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach and the administration of Toussaint L'Overture High School for Social Justice also expressed interest in a joint effort.

Toussaint L'Overture is a charter school in Delray Beach founded by Major Joseph Bernadel, a Delray Beach resident and activist for the Haitian Community and Dr Diane Allerdyce, principal of the school.  A sizable part of the student population of Toussaint L'Overture is of Haitian descent.

Photos from Mission Trip 2008.