HUFH IS LEAVING A LEGACY OF HEALING AND HOPE
Dear Supporters of Hands Up for Haiti,
These are challenging times for humanitarian work worldwide. As a valued donor, volunteer, or team leader of Hands Up for Haiti, I want to share our current status and future plans.
For 15 years, Hands Up for Haiti has been a beacon of hope in Northern Haiti, adapting to overcome numerous challenges. This year, we face unprecedented hurdles, necessitating a stronger collaboration with like-minded organizations. We are excited to announce our partnership with Second Mile Haiti.
Starting September 1st, we will merge with Second Mile Haiti, which will manage our programs, and we will dissolve our 501(c)(3) status. I have accepted a position on the Second Mile Haiti board to represent the HUFH mission and serve as an advisor for the pediatric programs.
Our leadership will continue to support the Kairam WellBaby program and expand it to three centers, significantly increasing our impact with an anticipated 2,000 births this year. We will also support the Hands Up-Second Mile Field Nursery to give struggling newborns a fighting chance after birth and keep mothers and babies together.
Second Mile Haiti will maintain its outstanding prenatal and maternity services along with their innovative malnutrition programs that are caring for many of our HUFH children previously in our Medika Mamba program.
HUFH was co-founded by Dr. Jill Ratner, who had the vision—after the 2010 earthquake—to create HUFH and bring much-needed medical care to the people of northern Haiti. Jill led the organization for many years and inspired many of us to join this mission.
Thank you to all of our countless volunteers, team leaders, and board members who have supported our mission over the years in so many ways.
We are thankful for the many Haitians who have been part of the fabric of HUFH over the years, working tirelessly to provide care, even in extraordinary times. They have been our “hands” on the ground, when we could no longer be there. We are very grateful for their dedication and hard work.
We also honor the memories of two members no longer with us: Judy McAvoy RN, who was also a co-founder and started our maternal and prenatal programs, and Dr. Hemant Kairam, who dedicated his career to helping children everywhere and whose legacy will live in in the Kairam WellBaby Clinic.
To all of our donors, thank you for your steadfast support over the years. Your contributions have been crucial in sustaining our efforts, and we hope you will continue this journey with us through our new partnership.
As a co-founder and having been involved in every aspect of HUFH for the past 15 years, I am confident that these collaboration will ensure that our past work will continue to make significant difference in the health of Haitians in northern Haiti.
Yours truly,
Mary Ann LoFrumento MD
Executive Director
Hands Up for Haiti
