This is a moment of great pain for our Haitian community and we know that our network wants to come together and help. Haiti has a long history of standing by us in times of crisis and this moment is critically important to the large and vibrant Haitian diaspora who also call Miami home. We have been in conversation with many Haitian leaders on the ground in Haiti and in Miami and as you consider how you give in this moment, we wanted to impart their wisdom and recommend the following:
–Value the leadership of Haitian-led organizations that have context and relationships at the center of this crisis. Help strengthen the Haitian diaspora in Miami who are responding and invest in those who are always focused on building a stronger, more prosperous Haiti.
–Cash and medical supplies are currently the best ways to help. After similar crises, there is often excess of “stuff,” but not enough dollars to buy the local things that are actually needed by survivors. When possible, it is also valuable to allow organizations to purchase food/necessities locally to invest in local businesses and sustain the local economy during a time of pain. One critical, ongoing need is transportation costs for medical supplies, and of course, donations to organizations working on the ground.
Below is a growing list of organizations we encourage you to learn more about by visiting their linked websites and consider supporting. We trust their leadership and want to amplify their voices.
Thank you for your generosity and for standing together yet again in a moment of need.
Ayiti Community Trust (ACT) is a community foundation for Ayiti (Haiti). Consistent with their mission, ACT has established an Earthquake Relief Fund that will support local Haitian-led relief efforts in Ayiti. Our Foundation has worked for many years with Ayiti Community Trust and a member of our team serves on their board of trustees.
Family Action Network Movement (FANM)
A Haitian-led advocacy and social service agency in Little Haiti, serving the needs of low-income families. They are currently collecting monetary donations for those in need in Haiti. FANM is a long-time grant partner of our Foundation.
A Haitian-led organization providing healing and wellness services for community members of the Haitian and African Diaspora. They are currently hosting rapid response virtual healing sessions, and are accepting donations to assist in providing these services. Fanm Saj is a recent grant partner of the Foundation through our Community Grants program.
Global Empowerment Mission (GEM)
A Miami-based organization working around the world to respond to disasters. The group is already in the process of shipping containers of supplies, food, and medicine to Haiti and was on the ground after the earthquake in 2010. GEM is a recent grant partner of our Foundation and we witnessed firsthand their effectiveness in responding to the Surfside tragedy.
Haitian American Nurses Association of Florida, Inc (HANA)
A Haitian-led membership organization providing services to promote the health and welfare of Florida communities. The organization launched their Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund to provide relief and support to affected communities in Haiti. HANA is a recent grant partner of the Foundation through our Community Grants program.
Man Dodo Humanitarian Foundation, Inc
A Haitian-led organization dedicated to providing social and economic support to families in Southern Haiti. The organization is accepting relief donations to be distributed immediately to partner organizations on the ground in Haiti. Man Dodo has been connected to the Foundation for several years as a nonprofit participant in Give Miami Day.
An international relief organization that has been working on the ground with a staff of 70 in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake providing clean water, supplies, mental health support, shelter, and other relief. We partnered extensively with Mercy Corps in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Office of New Americans of Miami-Dade (ONA)
Haitian-led Office of New Americans of Miami-Dade is hosting a monthly Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Clinic for Haitians, in partnership with several other local organizations including Catholic Legal Services, Family Action Network Movement (FANM), Americans for Immigrant Justice, American Immigration Lawyers Association – South Florida Chapter, HIAS, Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center, and the Florida Immigrant Coalition. They are currently accepting donations and sponsorship for this effort. ONA is a recent grant partner of the Foundation through our Community Grants program.
United Way of Miami-Dade and Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald, in partnership with Haitian-led Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center, Univision, and Miami-Dade County have activated their Operation Helping Hands Haiti Relief Effort to provide support with short- and long-term needs of those in Haiti affected by the earthquake. The coalition behind Operation Helping Hands has extensive experience in post-disaster recovery and is a regular collaborator with The Miami Foundation.
Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center
Haitian-led Sant La Haitian Neighborhood Center has launched a Konbit for TPS campaign to raise funds to assist Haitian migrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) application filing fees and offer application filing assistance free-of-charge. Sant La is a long-time grant partner of our Foundation.
A Miami-based organization working in partnership with other grassroots organizations and leaders within the Haitian community to collect monetary donations and medical supplies to support relief efforts on the ground in Haiti. We have been working with The Smile Trust on various relief efforts across our community since Hurricane Irma.