Things We Need, Things We Don't . . . Summer 2008 ~ Starthrower Foundation urgently needs donations to pay tuition and buy school supplies for 100 + students who are hoping to enter / return to school in September, 2008. As well, monies are needed for apprentices in various trades, and to buy food for students and their families. Medical needs are ongoing, and unpredictable, and some funds may be used for health care. Please help us to help them, by making a donation using the Paypal 'Make a Donation' or Canada Helps button. If you prefer to mail a cheque or money order, make payable to Starthrower Foundation, and mail to the address on the contact page. Please include your full name and address so we may issue you a charitable tax receipt (Canada). Photo Sen Rafayel school where some Starthrower Foundation-sponsored students attend class. For many of these students, our support offers then their first chance at an education. (More information about donations in kind)

Cap-Haitien family has new bed, thanks to our donors

Summer 2008 ~ Things We DO Need in Haiti Here is the updated list for current campaigns ~ Things We Need. The good news is Starthrower Foundation is getting assistance with one of its major ongoing needs -- access to safe drinking water -- thanks to a water purification system. Please refer to the Starthrower Foundation Blog for details. We only ask for hard goods donations in kind for items we cannot purchase in country, in order to continue to facilitate justice for these young people. As always, we purchase as much as possible in Haiti, but with current shipping issues, these items are requested from those who are travelling TO Haiti. If the shipping/customs issues are resolved, we will post it here. Things We Need hand sanitizer (large refill size preferred) Benadryl-type antihistamine TABLETS with a long expiry date pencil cases back packs ball point pens sun glasses * baseball caps vitamins (chewable and non-chewable) water bottles bar soap, face cloths, hand towels twin sheets, pillow cases toothpaste and toothbrushes plastic drinking glasses (not disposable) empty peanut butter jars with lids Iams brand dry or tinned cat food protein powder large size (vanilla) protein bars Ziploc bags Things We do Not Need At This time We currently have a sufficient supply of these items, therefore they are NOT NEEDED at this time: pencils • dictionaries • scientific calculators Things We Do Not Need coloring books, crayons (Our students are in High school and post-secondary) Please do not send used clothing, used shoes, bubble bath or bath salts. Please DO NOT send prescription medications (especially expired ones) for medical conditions that our young people do not have. If you would like to donate pharmaceuticals that HAVE NOT expired, please contact a hospital or clinic. Please do not send the 'Gummi Bear' style of vitamins -- hungry people think are candy or food, and this can be dangerous. NOTE: For those coming to Haiti : If you are bringing new items to Haiti, PLEASE remove all packaging, price stickers etc. as these things add weight, and add to the garbage disposal problems. If you think some items need to be covered (eg new underwear), please repackage in Ziploc bags, as we always need them as well.

The easiest thing to ship to Haiti . . . The easiest thing to transport to Haiti is money. Many needed items that are available in Haiti are purchased there, which helps support the local economy. However, Guilene needed a brailler that was not available in Haiti. A plea went out, and was answered by 'angels' in the U.S.A. (see below). To sponsor one child for one year in school costs between $250US and $500US; the fees vary with the grade level. Funds pay for tuition, text books and school supplies, and pay for materials and local tailors to make school uniforms. These children are very proud and pleased when they are able to dress 'just like everyone else' and attend school. Given an education and training, they are better equipped to take their place in the work force, to teach school, to apprentice in a trade. Ideally, help from international aid agencies should be a short-term solution, not the cultural and financial model for a nation.

Guilene M., at home with her siblings

Guilene M. now has a Brailler, typewriter and cassette player

Donated :: Typewriter, cassette player and Brailler Meet Guilene, a young Haitian girl (shown above with her family outside her home) who desperately needed a manual typewriter, a brailler, and portable cassette player to transcribe her notes. Thanks to donors in Pennsylvania, Don H. and wife, Sharon, along with the Lions Club, who purchased a Perkins Brailler, and to Cindy W., who found a manual typewriter as well as a portable cassette player, Guilene now has 3 machines to help her further her studies. Currently we are sponsoring 72 students in school and trades. This is down from last year (due to lack of funds) when we sponsored 134 students, including 11 in trade apprenticeships, 75 in schools in Sen Rafayel, 34 in school in Cap-Haitien, and 3 in either Port-Au-Prince or Grande Riviere du Nord. More names have been added to our waiting list. Sadly, we have to turn away dozens more. Generally, we bring from North America only items that are hard to find, or that are not available in Haiti, such as back packs, pencil cases, multivitamins, some toiletries and medicines.

Things we DON'T need for Haiti Starthrower Foundation is unable to use items that are commonly donated to charities, such as clothing, shoes, surgical equipment, eyeglasses and canned goods or other foods. For more detailed information about these types of donations, and why we aren't able to make use of them, please see donations in kind. Due to an excessive strain on available resources Starthrower Foundation is not able to accommodate volunteers who wish to help out IN Haiti. However, we DO welcome any and all volunteers who wish to help out with fundraising and administration. Use Paypal Or use Canada Helps

Guilene M., Cap-Haitien