Haiti

One of the big reasons I like working in a non-profit is the people I work with all want to make an impact on the world we live in. Whether that be by helping promote change in our government or by helping feed the rural poor, we all want to make this world a better place to live in, fundamentally.

Everyone has heard about the earthquake in Haiti, by now. A former colleague of mine is in Jacmel right now. She stopped off on her way to a wedding in the British Virgin Islands. She left a hotel in Port au Prince the day before the earthquake demolished it. She’s ready to leave but there still isn’t a way out.

At any rate, I’m proud to say that some of my organization’s donors are pooling their money in a fund that we administer, called the Relief and Reconstruction Fund. One of our major donors recommended $600,000.00 worth of grants to large aid organizations yesterday for this cause. When Katrina happened, it felt so far away and I don’t remember feeling like I could make a difference. Same when Myanmar suffered from a tsunami and China was hit with a large earthquake shortly thereafter.

With this earthquake, I feel like I’m part of a community of people who care and are doing something about it. It makes me feel proud of my organization and the community of people I’m a part of. Maybe it’s because we’re reading our friend’s daily blog posts, maybe it’s because some of our staff have a real connection to Haiti, maybe it’s because Haiti is like the dog that keeps getting kicked when it’s down. Maybe it’s all of the above. All I know is I and my friends and colleagues are awake to this tragedy. It is not lost on what we are capable of.