Haiti’s most devastating earthquake in 120 years hit the country on Tuesday. As it rated 7.0 on the Richter scale, the results and aftermath have been disastrous. The death toll is unknown, but it is estimated to be around 50,000. Even more are injured, rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings. People around the world are deeply saddened by this disaster.
Steve Coron, an art teacher at Community High School, feels that he should take action with his forum. As is known around the school, Steve’s forum sells pizza every Wednesday to raise money for Corner Health Center. Yesterday, however, they chose to give their profits to a more urgent cause. “We decided we’re going to give the money to the Haiti Relief Fund,” said Steve.
“At first we thought we would just send money,” he said, but Steve discovered an organization called Rays of Hope for Haiti, which runs out of Grand Rapids. They have a program called the “Bucket Brigade,” which does not send money, but provisions for the distressed citizens of Haiti. “They send you a bucket,” he said, “and they give you suggestions as to what you can fill it with.”
Rays of Hope for Haiti asks for themed buckets: food, “orphan buckets,” and personal care. The buckets are distributed free of charge; they can then ship the bucket for five dollars, and the victims of the earthquake will receive it soon after.
Steve’s forum has decided to donate some of their fundraising money to fill one or more of these buckets. “With some organizations, we don’t know if they’ll receive the money,” said Steve. “If we send the bucket, we can make sure the people who need it actually receive it.”
Steve hopes that his forum inspires other forums to do the same thing to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti. “It would be very wonderful,” he said, “if our school stepped up and did something.”
•