Invest in Haiti's Future

There are numerous ways to support THP at this time of year, some of which provide unique tax advantages!

Gifts of Appreciated Assets

By donating appreciated assets, like stocks and bonds, that you’ve held for more than a year, you can save on capital gains taxes and you can deduct the full market value of the gift, subject to certain annual limits. To give in this way, simply use this form to provide the necessary information to your broker and email us a copy so that we may properly credit your gift. 

Gifts from Retirement Accounts

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from taxable Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) allow individuals 70 ½ years or older to satisfy their minimum distribution requirements by donating up to $105,000 to charity. Get in touch with us at  [email protected] or by calling 401-351-3624 to make your gift or to learn more!

Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)
These dedicated charitable giving accounts have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, with DAFs now holding nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets ready and waiting to be designated to a donor’s charity of choice. With most donors aiming to distribute at least 20 percent of their DAF balance each year, this is a great way to give to eligible charities — like THP! 

Your gift can provide talented young men and women in Haiti with a top-notch, tuition-free, Catholic secondary education steeped in service and civic-mindedness. Contact us if you have any questions or would like more information!

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page

Jwaye Nwèl, Merry Christmas!

 As we celebrate Christmas, we wanted to share some thoughts from our students at Louverture Cleary School.

"In Haiti, Christmas is a time to be with family, to share love, and to feel thankful. I look forward to hearing the laughter of loved ones, enjoying delicious food like griot [marinated pork] and soup joumou [pumpkin soup], and seeing the beautiful decorations. Even with everything going on, the Christmas spirit reminds us to be happy and appreciate what we have."
— Gabriel M., Rhéto (12th grade)

"My favorite thing about Christmas is that it brings out the spirit of love and generosity, both as a religious and cultural celebration. I especially enjoy celebrating it with my dad, who embodies these qualities so beautifully. Given the challenges our country is facing, my greatest wish for Christmas is to live in a place where peace prevails, allowing me to spend quality time with my father."
— Sarah L., Rhéto (12th grade)

"My family and I, we hope to have a good Christmas. We usually do little activities where we sing, we joke, we dance and eat together. We also go to church to thank God for the year that has passed well. For this Christmas, I would like to spend a Christmas in peace and security with my family."  
— Assere P., Segond (11th grade)

"My favorite things for Christmas are the exchange of gifts, the time when family gathers, the Christmas songs, the celebration of the little things in life, and the time when people experience their feelings of unity and peace. I'm looking forward to having a nice Christmas in safety and going to church to thank God for the year and for a beautiful Christmas day."
— Lord'Hannah J., Twayzèm (10th grade)

Thank you for your support of, and prayers for, our community in Haiti. The students, staff and administration of The Haitian Project and Louverture Cleary School wish you and yours a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page

LCS Mommies, the Heart of the School

It would be difficult to find more dedicated and loving members of the school community than the LCS mommies.

A mommy, or manmi in Kreyòl, is just that — someone who is a nurturing source of emotional support and guidance. And that is what the cooks at Louverture Cleary School are called — mommies — as they are an integral and caring part of the lives of the young people on campus.

Ever present in the cafeteria, the 15 mommies at LCS are the heart of the campus as they connect with students d­ay in and day out.

Says Head of Kitchen Staff Marie Cléanta P., “The students and staff call us mommy for a reason. Here we replace the mothers of the students. They spend the whole week at the school, far from their parents. So we play this role for them. We enjoy this as well. We like caring for them, not just preparing the food.”

Providing three prepared-from-scratch meals a day at a busy boarding school is not the easiest of tasks. In fact, it can be very difficult work. The mommies cheerfully feed almost 500 people every day, including LCS students, children from the Koukouy Sen Klè (Fireflies of Saint Clare) early childhood development program, teachers and staff.

Students help with clean up and wash dishes after all three meals as the mommies look ahead to the next meal, because on a busy and active campus populated with a large group of teenagers, there will always be people who are anticipating the next meal of good Haitian food!

It is said on campus that if the cooks are there and the students are being fed, all is well. These hardworking and conscientious women are truly the heart of Louverture Cleary School.

Cook Vivienne S. adds, “Even after their [the students] graduation, they still call us mommy whenever they see us in the street. I am always proud to see my children as grown-ups and becoming exceptional people in the country.”

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page

The December Issue of Haitian Project News is Here!

What's featured in this issue?

Welcome to Louverture Cleary School: In years past, people from both the United States and from within Haiti would regularly visit LCS. Those visiting ran the gamut from U.S. supporters and parish groups to U.S. ambassadors. Since then, times have changed. But last month, LCS welcomed a team from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to campus — virtually. 

The Heart of LCS: A mommy, or manmi in Kreyòl, is just that — someone who is a nurturing source of emotional support and guidance. And that is what the cooks at Louverture Cleary School are called — mommies — as they are an integral and caring part of the lives of the young people on campus.

Meet The Haitian Project Board of Directors: The members of The Haitian Project Board of Directors bring a wide range of expertise, skills, and professional experience that ensures that the Project remains aligned with its mission, values, and Charism, or spiritual identity. Meet the dedicated and hardworking members of the THP board.

Great Ways to Give: There are numerous ways to support THP this time of year, some of which provide unique tax advantages!

And much, much more!

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page

A Virtual Visit to the LCS Campus

LCS Economics Dept. Head Djim G. (LCS ‘14) was one of the group’s inspiring guides for the tour. Watch the video clip below to "visit" the LCS Chapel, see the Paul Mulé Memorial Garden, and visit a classroom in the Agora building.

Last month, LCS welcomed a team from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) to campus — virtually. The virtual site visit was part of The Haitian Project’s ongoing relationship with WKKF, which is one of the largest foundations in the U.S. and has staked out a bold, generational commitment to support Haiti’s emergence as a thriving nation. 

LCS Economics Department Head Djim G. (LCS ‘14) and several Philo (13th grade) students served as the group’s inspiring guides for the day. After the tour, participants remarked about how it had been one of the best virtual tours they’ve ever experienced — a compliment that fully belongs to the commitment and talent of the LCS leadership team and Djim, the students, and the entire school community.

Tour guide Frantz M. explained that it made him happy to have the opportunity to “share all that makes LCS unique, from our programs and services, to the way we see leadership, to the students and the staff. I am beyond grateful [for LCS].”

We invite you to watch the video clip below to "visit" the Louverture Cleary School Chapel, see the Paul Mulé Memorial Garden, and visit a classroom in the Agora building, so you can see for yourself what makes LCS unique!

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page

LCS Supports Students in Mind, Body & Spirit

 Students stretch in LCS's Stress Less Club, which is co-facilitated by school psychologist Frantzdy V.

At first glance, the hiring of another staff member when the need arises seems routine enough. However, when the new staff member is one of less than 200 licensed psychologists in Haiti*, it goes beyond routine; it reveals a community that values the formation and well-being of students and staff alike.

In an example of Louverture Cleary School’s commitment to excellence, earlier this year the school’s leadership team hired psychologist Frantzdy V. to provide mental health support to the LCS community. Frantzdy’s hiring adds to the growing list of qualities that distinguish a Louverture Cleary School.

The idea of expanding services at LCS to include mental health support and social-emotional learning began in earnest under former LCS Head of School Ernst V. (2018-2023) as the environment in Haiti became increasingly unstable with the consecutive traumas of peyi lòk (country lockdown), the COVID pandemic, and multiple crises following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenal Moïse in July of 2021, which continue unabated today.   

LCS Psychologist Frantzdy V.

While a number of qualified candidates applied for the position, Frantzdy’s investment in learning new skills and his varied experiences serving individuals of all ages at international nonprofits impressed the team. Upon his hiring, the leadership team very quickly involved him in consultations with the academic, student behavioral, campus ministry, and nurse’s offices to establish a referral and case review process. 

To best meet the needs of students, Frantzdy has adopted a varied weekly schedule which includes three regular workdays and two evenings on campus, so that he is present to meet with students after school hours and to provide crisis intervention if needed. He has drop-in hours throughout the day and a group facilitation schedule to ensure that he works with each class at least three times monthly on skills for stress reduction, conflict resolution, healthy relationships, self-regulation and care, navigating grief and loss, cultivating joy, and more. He also co-facilitates the weekly Stress Less Club, which is open to all students.

Frantzdy’s presence during play and study hours has allowed him to quickly build rapport with students and staff, who have noted his approachability and kindness. As a result, he has been instrumental in identifying and linking students and their families to outside agencies and specialists when additional support is indicated.

His invaluable presence at LCS shows once again that the school is a leader and trendsetter in supporting students in mind, body, and spirit.  

* While exact numbers are difficult to determine given rising levels of immigration and the displacement of the population over the past several years, 2020 estimates from Health Equity International put the number of psychologists in Haiti at just 124.

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page

Mèsi Bondye pou tout ou bay nou: Thank you, God, for all you give us.

A Special Thanksgiving Reflection

“On this Thanksgiving, in the midst of uncertain times in Haiti, we offer thanks to God for the gift of each of you, who have sustained the Haitian Project community throughout our history.  ”

On the morning after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Louverture Cleary students cleared the soccer field where they had slept under the stars the night before, then gathered for their typical morning assembly. It was “typical” in that they practiced a solid and beloved routine, though of course the moment was anything but typical or routine. I recall watching in awe as two Philo (13th grade) students led in song and prayer.  

And the song that they chose for this most bewildering moment, when most had not yet heard from their families and the earth had literally rocked them to sleep on the grass outside the night before?  

“Mèsi Bondye pou tout ou bay nou.”  
Thank you, God, for all you give us.  

It seems that these young people understood intuitively what so many of us struggle to justify intellectually or explain theologically. Gratitude is not only for the good times, and faith is not about certainty. Rather, gratitude is for all times, and faith in uncertain moments allows us to rest in the embrace of our God who knows only love for us.  

James Finley, a Thomas Merton scholar and contemporary mystic, often exclaims that “God protects us from nothing, and sustains us in all things.” At first glance, perhaps it's jarring to consider that God protects us from nothing! Yet in our lived experience, we all know that this is true. We’ve all experienced the absurdity and tragedy of life, even in the midst of our sincere faith and our prayers for protection.  

What if, then, our gratitude is not only to God for gifts of love and abundance and beauty, but also for sustaining us in moments of fear and grief and uncertainty?  

When I consider the ways in which God has sustained our Louverture Cleary community over the years, through so many profound challenges, it is clear to me that each one of us has been God’s heart and hands in this labor of love:

• Our young people and their families who sacrifice so much to pursue this dream of education

• Our staff and colleagues in Haiti who face uncertainty with grace, creativity and intelligence 

• Our neighbors in Haiti who partner with us to keep the community safe 

• Our staff and board in the U.S. who plan with prudence and heart, and who facilitate a sort of multiplication of loaves and fishes year after year to provide the material resources that allow the community in Haiti to thrive 

• Our Haitian Project community as a whole — donors and supporters and cheerleaders and prayer partners — who recognize that this work is ours to do for the healing of the world

On this Thanksgiving, in the midst of uncertain times in Haiti, we offer thanks to God for the gift of each of you, who have sustained the Haitian Project community throughout our history.  

May you and your families enjoy peacefulness and joy during this holiday season, as you keep Haiti in your hearts. And may we all remain steadfast as we continue to do the hard work to support our Haitian Project community into the future.  

“Mèsi Bondye pou tout ou bay nou.”  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Betsy Bowman

THP Volunteer Teacher, 2009-2010
Board Member — The Haitian Project 

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

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An Appeal for Peace and Unity from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti

Most Appreciated Community Members,

We wanted to share a letter signed by the members of the Permanent Council of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti, which was published earlier this week at their headquarters in Port-au-Prince.

Titled The Catholic Church's call regarding the country's situation to appeal for peace and unity among the nation, the letter stresses the grave security issues and violence devastating the country and expresses the importance of working together to build a future for Haiti where justice prevails, and life is respected and protected.

As always, thank you for your support and prayers, not only for the mission of The Haitian Project and Louverture Cleary School, but for all of Haiti. Throughout this multiyear crisis, we have remained a lifeline to our students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding neighborhood only with your support. And as difficult as it is right now for our community, it would be much worse without the prospect of a brighter future that Louverture Cleary School represents.  

To all our brothers and sisters, 
And to all people of goodwill,

We, the Catholic Bishops of Haiti, are deeply troubled by the political situation and the grave security issues devastating the country, especially the rise in violence in several areas of the capital and its surroundings. Once again, we raise our voices to call for peace and unity among the nation.

Our prophetic mission as Bishops compels us to denounce these acts of violence that are destroying the country and sowing endless suffering. These acts have caused the death of many innocent people, forced numerous others to flee their homes, and spread widespread fear and anxiety. In these dark days, many of our brothers and sisters live in terror, deprived of their fundamental rights, such as the right to security, the right to life, and freedom of movement. Even airplanes are not spared. Toussaint Louverture Airport is closed, isolating us from the rest of the world. The capital is blocked, schools are closed, and all activities are paralyzed. There is no real life in the country.

No one can accept such a situation. These events are the result of actions that go against God's plan and human dignity. This situation exacerbates the misery of the people, who are already suffering from severe economic and social issues. We cannot remain indifferent to this tragedy.

Violence cannot bring solutions or deliverance to anyone. We cannot hope for peace by sowing violence. Peace is a gift from God, but it requires the efforts of all people of goodwill to build a society as God intended (cf. Introduction to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church).

We encourage those responsible for governing the country to act decisively to restore security and protect citizens, as their primary mission requires: to serve the common good of all (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 74 §4). This necessitates the restoration of state authority and, at the same time, the reconciliation of the nation with itself.

We invite everyone — those governing the country, members of civil society, and all actors involved in this crisis, whether armed or not — to recognize that this situation cannot continue. It is imperative to find better ways to govern the country and resolve this relentless violence. The future of the people is in danger. Something must be done.

In the name of God, who desires life for all His children, and in the name of respect for human life and dignity, we urge everyone to respect human life and, without delay, make the necessary sacrifices to find solutions to this crisis. Every Haitian must work for peace and reject all feelings of hatred, revenge, and division.

We encourage the Christian faithful not to let despair overcome them. Faith in God must inspire us to work together to build a future where justice prevails, and life is respected and protected.

We extend our sympathies to all families mourning the loss of loved ones due to these events. Together with all the People of God, we pray for the recovery of those in hospitals, for courage for those on the streets or taking refuge in a neighbor's home, and for strength for all the people suffering in body and spirit.

Let us hold firm to our hope in God, pray without ceasing, and remain in solidarity with one another. May God grant us grace, bless us, and protect the Haiti we all love!

This note is published in Port-au-Prince, at the Headquarters of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti, on November 15, 2024, on the memorial of Saint Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

Here are the signatures of the members of the Permanent Council of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti:

Msgr. Max Leroys MESIDOR
Archbishop, Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince
President, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti

Msgr. Joseph Gontrand DÉCOSTE, SJ 
Bishop of Jérémie
Secretary General, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti

Msgr. Désinord JEAN 
Bishop of Hinche
Treasurer, Conference of Catholic Bishops of Haiti

Chibly Cardinal LANGLOIS 
Bishop of Les Cayes
Advisor

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

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THP's $250,000 Christmas Match is ON!

It’s that time of year!

The Haitian Project's End of Year fundraising campaign and Christmas Match is ON! Thanks to the generosity of some stalwart supporters, we have $250,000 in matching funds available to double qualifying gifts!

What gifts qualify for the Christmas Match?

1. Gifts from donors completely NEW to THP!

2. Gifts from returned donors who have not given this year or last—if your last gift was in 2022 or before, your gift qualifies!

3. Additional gifts of $500 or more! If you have already given any amount this year and are in a position to give again in the amount of $500 or more, your gift will be matched!

Please consider making your year-end gift today...one less thing to think about during the busy holiday season! And, please share this opportunity (and this email!) with your friends and family, especially those whose gift will qualify to be MATCHED!

Despite the ongoing instability in Haiti, education continues at Louverture Cleary School, thanks to the dedication of the administration, staff, and teachers, the persistence of the students, and the generosity of people like YOU. Your help is the help we have to give our students, and we are grateful to have you in our community! Mèsi anpil!

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

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It's Election Day

“The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

— Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1861

This famous quote from Lincoln’s first inaugural address came up in THP’s morning meeting, and it was a reminder that at the heart of the great American experiment is our collective choice to always strive to nurture the “better angels of our nature.”

The cornerstone of our democracy is our own participation in it. So please vote today.

Second to voting, we believe that education has been, and remains, fundamental to enduring, democratic freedom and progress, here and around the world.

As President John F. Kennedy said, "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource."

Even though a single vote, much like a single donation, may feel small, collectively each one matters in determining the future of communities, nations, and the world.

So vote for democracy.

And donate for education.

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“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

Go to Community Updates Page