Friends,
As Hurricane Matthew's impact on Haiti becomes more clear, we’ve heard from many of you asking about our team and the communities we serve in the Central Plateau. We’re grateful and moved by your thoughts and concerns.
Tucked in the mountains away from the coast, the Summits Network emerged relatively unharmed; seven of our schools suffered structural damage due to the hurricane’s heavy winds and rain. We’re working to address those needs thanks to the support of donors and the majority of our students returned to school this week.
Our thoughts are now are in Haiti’s Southwest, where entire cities have been leveled and where the death toll continues to rise.
Summits is directing supporters to Partners in Health and the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, two organizations that have worked to deliver high-quality health care in Haiti for decades. These organizations are mobilizing teams to address the most pressing needs in the areas most affected by Hurricane Matthew.
It has been difficult for our team to see another part of the country suffer from such immense destruction. While being careful not to inject ourselves in the middle of emergency efforts, our team is in the process of gathering supplies requested by relief organizations including food and cleaning supplies.
We’ve all struggled with feelings of helplessness. The greatest comfort has come from the belief in the work we do; we are deeply committed to investing in long-term impact and development through the power of a high quality, holistic education.
This is just the beginning of a long recovery process. We hope your support of Haiti will continue beyond the immediate aftermath of this terrible disaster.
In solidarity,
Team Summits