Last week, the government of Haiti bulldozed to the ground the community of Shada. Victims of a disastrous situation not of their own making, the more than 1500 families who lived there are already among the poorest of the poor. Here is the story of HUFH’s commitment to the people of Shada.

What makes us care? What makes us want to help another person? What makes us want to make the world a better place? Is it empathy, compassion, or understanding? Is it learning the facts and educating oneself about the reality of another? In other words: walking a mile in another’s shoes. At Hands Up for […]

The Hands Up for Haiti family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Judy Rhineschmidt McAvoy, our dear friend and a founding member of HUFH. Judy served on the Hands Up for Haiti Board of Directors since its inception and was an active trip leader and program director. Judy was a registered nurse whose […]

Women in Haiti are the backbone of the country, strong and resilient, but they face multiple health challenges and risks throughout their lives, especially in the child bearing years.  HUFH remains dedicated to the support of our programs that help to improve the health of women throughout their lives.  To celebrate International Women’s Day, a […]

Hurricane Matthew roared through Haiti Tuesday as a Category 4 storm, causing much destruction along the south and west coasts, including the cities of Jeremie and Le Cayes. Roads are washed away, farmlands destroyed just as they were ready for harvesting, and water sources are at high risk of contamination. 10,000 people are displaced from […]

On December 18, 2014 the Middle School Student Council at Wooster School in Danbury Connecticut ran a very successful Holiday Shopping Bazaar to support the work of Hands Up For Haiti. The volunteers who travel to Haiti with Hands Up for Haiti on our medical missions become our best ambassadors. Last October, Dr. Eliot Barsh, […]

by Mary Ann LoFrumento “There is a place in the city where no one goes and the children are very sick.” So reported Francisco, a doctor on the medical staff of the UN Peacekeeping force in Haiti. Our friends at Haiti Hospital Appeal had introduced us. Francisco is an officer in the Chilean battalion, the […]

By Mary Ann LoFrumento MD It had finally stopped raining and the floodwaters were receding from the city and the countryside. As team leader, I breathed a sigh of relief. We had held one large pediatric outreach clinic the day before but the week was only half over and we needed to find more locations. […]

by Mary Ann LoFrumento MD It had been raining for days in Cap Haitien and the city and surrounding areas were suffering from serious flooding. The community of Shada, one of the worst slum areas of the city, was particularly hard hit. Many families who live in poorly built huts by the river lost all […]

by Dr. Mary Ann LoFrumento This was my seventh Global Health trip to Haiti, and I felt very confident leading this team of fourteen doctors, nurses and volunteers. We had been planning for months and preparing for weeks. The plan was to arrive in Cap Haitien and then head west to the remote fishing region […]