HORP invites you to meet Detroit Lions’ Drew Stanton and Don Muhlbach at the Plymouth Fall Fundraiser hosted by the Zin Wine Bar & Restaurant (formerly Grape Expectations) in downtown Plymouth, Michigan.

It is official!   HORP is now recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit entity.

Special thanks to our board of directors for all of the time and effort they have contributed to helping HORP grow.

President:  Jim Perry

Vice President:  Anderea Fuhrel-Forbis

Treasurer: Chris Allen

Secretary: Julie Doman

Board Member: Donna Heiser

Two HORP  managing directors visited Haiti recently to do site evaluations on six orphanages in the UHOA union.  HORP Founders Mike Mahon and Michael Rath spent several hours at each orphanage speaking with directors and spending time with the kids.  We set out to identify six distressed orphanages and create a project plan for each orphanage.  After we have determined the needs for each orphanage, we will create a budget and submit this info to our board of directors for prioritization and funding.  ”There is a lot of volatility in Haiti right now so we need to have more than one orphanage project in our funnel at all times” claims Mahon.  We were very glad to get some time to meet with directors and establish a connection within the union of orphanges that we started last year. Michael Rath mentions  ”we have over 40 members in the orphanage union now which represents well over 1000 kids and there’s a lot of work to be done… we really needed to make this trip so we could do these special site evaluations, as builders, to determine what the best use of our funds will be.”

Both directors used personal airline miles to make the short trip to Haiti and spent their evenings sleeping int tents and not the balcony of the MHO orphanage in Bon Repos, the site of HORP’s first renovation project.

In April 2010, the Union of Haitian Orphanages for Action was created.  This is a grass roots organization dedicated to the long term care of abandoned and orphaned children in Haiti.  UHOA began with a simple concept: sharing resources.   There were 21 directors at the first meeting.

As the UHOA approaches their first year anniversary, membership has grown to 47 orphanages with over 1,100 children.  The UHOA has grown and so has its scope;  ”We have a goal to get all of the orphanages legally registered with the Haitian government and for all of the directors to attend educational seminars in the areas of health, nutrition, accounting and management”  says UHOA President Judith Baptiste.  ”we have a long way to go but we know that the answer to our problems is that we need to work together for a solution and to have a common voice”.

Union Des Orphelinas Haitien en Action

HORP co-founder Michael Rath helped organize the first meeting for the UHOA.  The founder of HORP, Mike Mahon realized that the HORP program for renovating orphanages could be a great motivator for directors to join UHOA and become actively involved with the program in order to be elidgible for the renovtion program.  ”It’s a win-win, claims Mahon, because the UHOA/HORP partnership creates long-term solution that ensures the ongoing improvement for the quality of life for the children living in these orphanages”  If we give a renovation benefit to a distressed orphanage, now they will become part of a family that has the resources to keep them on the right path.”   Mahon also states that Haiti lacks systems.  90% of the orphanages in Haiti are not registered with the government and are operating independently without any form of regulation or support.  We are very excited about the UHOA because it brings long term solutions to a broken system.

HORP Student Sponsorship Program Welcomes Faniel Perrin

Above all, I want to thank the almighty God for all he has been done and for this precious gift, life. I also want to thank my family and my friends for making me the person that I am today.

I am Faniel Perrin from Petitionville, Haiti. Haiti is a beautiful island that has so much to offer and that I call my paradise.  I grew up in a big family with three sisters, four brothers and many cousins.  Being the baby of this great family, I love and I am loved by everyone.  I am 24 yrs old and I just obtained a degree in computer science after 3 years of study in Haiti. I used to work for a Tour Company as a guide and translator that allowed me to show others the best parts of Haiti and help change their conception of it.  It was through my job with the tour company that I met Dr. Michael Mahon and his son, Mike.

I wanted to come to the US to obtain a better degree in Construction Management which was my first goal before Computer Science. But first, I want to improve my English because it will help me to better understand this discipline by reading a lot and will open my creativity while I’m sharing my thoughts with others.

In my opinion, “Life is a challenge and we all have the duty to take and make the best of it”. Hopefully after my studies, I’ll be able to share my knowledge with others and contribute to the development of my country. Being an example for my family and friends, I want to show them that everything is possible as long as we work hard. The people of Haiti can still do something together to make Haiti a paradise like we always dream about.

Finally, A great THANK YOU VERY MUCH to HORP for this opportunity, especially Mike Mahon and his family, for giving me the confirmation that: “If we can change one life (especially mine), why not change ten together and maybe one hundred million someday”.

We raised approximately $6,500 at our first HORP fundraiser on Oct. 2nd, 2010 in Long Beach, CA. These funds will be used for the next orphanage project in Tabarre, Haiti.  A special “Thank You” to the Weinberg Family (Molly, Isreal and Rami) for opening their home and their hearts and sponsoring a gathering of extraordinary friends to make this event a success!

The orphanage in Tabarre is run by Madame Andre.  Her family owns the land and the home that was destroyed in the Jan.12th earthquake which had been used to shelter over 30 abandoned and orphaned children from the area.  The project will be called “The Long Beach Project” and we will have more information about the layout and design of the temporary structure we are planning to build this spring.

Please stay tuned for more to come on the Long Beach Project!

Thank You,

HORP Board and Founding Members

This is one of the orphanages in the UHOA.  It is located in Tabarre.   It was severely damaged by the earthquake and 33 children are currently living in a makeshift tent in the side yard of the destroyed building.  The owner has hopes of rebuilding but even though she owns the land, she has no funding.  HORP is working on identifying orphanages like this one for our renovation program.  Even though the cost to renovate the building exceed the average cost for an orphanage “makeover” renovation, we hope to provide a better structure for the children by building a stable, temporary structure out of lumber and plywood.  This project will be considered for our 2011 renovation program as we review our available funds and associated costs.

All of the beds are grouped together under tarps in the side yard. Rain is a major problem but the children are doing well despite the conditions.

The yard is a mess, filled with rubble from the earthquake and junk from years of neglect. The owner has no resources to clean it up.

This girl is about 18mos and suffers from frequent fevers. If you pick her up, she won't let go until you put her down...

Click here to see VIDEO of the area where the children live and sleep.

HORP is proud to announce our collaboration on a new orphanage project in Pignon, Haiti.  The supporters of Calvary Cross Orphanage in Pignon, contacted HORP in August about their plans to build a new orphanage.  The  team leader for fundraising is Roger Rowe from Wisonsin.  The design team at HORP volunteered to provide the sustainable designs for the new orphanage and to post the project on our website to help them raise money.  The current estimate for the new 2,000 square foot facility is approximately $125,000.00   HORP plans to assist Roger and his group by creating a fund for contributions that are earmarked for this project.  We will keep this account separate from our  funds that are being used for our renovation program.

The children are under the care of Pastor Francois and his wife, Elvie.  They are currently renting a house near the building site.  A new security wall has been built around the property.  The children sleep on the floor of the rental house after the owner locked all the doors forcing them to sleep in the dining area.  They have a lease that will expire in March so time is critical.  There are 18 children in the orphanage ranging from 1 to 13 years old.  Below are a few pictures of the children, the building site and the designs for the new orphanage.  If you would like to contribute to this project, please make sure you specify that your donation go toward the Calvary Cross Orphanage project or “Pingon” to be sure the funding is allocated properly.  Click here to donate.

Floor Plan with Dimensions 9_14_10

Roger visiting the kids

Pastor Francois & Family

Constructing the base for the security wall

Life at the rental house... the lease is up on March 1st, 2011.

Construction of the perimeter wall "Haitian Style"

The children of the orphanage

Water for concrete delivered from the river by donkey...no wells in Pignon.

Special consideration to work around the one shade tree on the site.

The wall is finished... now the fundraising for the orphanage begins...

Kids sleeping on the tile floor of the rented house prompted HORP to purchase new mattresses to be delivered October 28th.

Aerial view from the east.

Aerial view of the west side

The finished wall, Nov. 1

Kids testing out the new beds they received from HORP last week.

Sweet dreams about the new orphanage. We really need to help CC raise the money now!!

Dressed up and ready for school.

Personal Property is not common in Haitian orphanages.  We wanted the kids at MHO to have something they can call their own.  We gave them all backpacks filled with surprises like picture books about adventurers, animals, flashlights and radios… some new clothes and most importantly, photographs of friends and of themselves.

Renovations for Melissa’s Hope Orphanage are completed.  Total cost approximately  $7,500.  We hired over 25 Haitian laborers and purchased over $5,000 worth of Haitian building supplies  including tools.  New paint inside and out.  New storage for the kitchen and bedrooms.  New toilets and sinks in both bathrooms.  New mosquito screens for all of the windows and doors.  7 tons of gravel were delivered to spread around the house.  90′ trench to irrigate the flooding waters from the foothills out of the yard.  New water pump and new generator.  New inverter and new batteries.  Satellite hook-up for wireless internet. Decorations and some furnishings.  We want to thank everyone who helped, especially our hard working friends in Haiti.  After pumping out the septic tanks we discovered that new tanks will be necessary.  This is a big problem.

To see more pictures of the MHO renovations click on Building Projects / 2010 MHO Renovation.