The goal of the “Homes for Haiti” fundraising campaign was to build much-needed housing in a nation where more than 1 million people have been displaced. Thanks to this collaborative effort between the baseball team and the charity the “Village of Inspiration” will soon be built.“I could not be prouder of what the Marlins and Food For The Poor have achieved. This village is aptly named. Anyone setting foot in the country will be inspired by the will of the people and the spirit of philanthropy that has driven this project. My season was shortened by injury, but aiding the Marlins and Food For The Poor in this process has resulted in my most productive season as a Major League Baseball player. March can't come soon enough. I can't wait go back to Haiti and be inspired again,” stated Florida Marlins Catcher, John Baker.
Baker, along with members of the Marlins’ front office and Kim Bacardi, traveled to Haiti on July 6 and 7 to see firsthand the destitute living conditions of families in Port-au-Prince, as well as in Cap-Haitien, where some of those fleeing the capital have moved.
“This is truly a blessing for the people of Haiti, and we are extremely grateful to the Florida Marlins for partnering with us to help build homes in order to provide as many people as we can with adequate housing,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “We understand that this is an ongoing task and that the tent cities are filled with thousands now homeless because of that devastating earthquake, but because of their generosity more than two dozen families will soon have a home of their own.”
Ground breaking for the “Village of Inspiration” will take place in an area just outside of Port-au-Prince where 25 two-room homes will be built. A community center also will be erected in the village thanks to donations generated by events local philanthropist Kim Bacardi has hosted. In addition to the two-room homes, Food For The Poor will install sanitation and water projects in the village.
On Friday, Nov. 5, Bacardi, founder of The Good Karma Group, has organized an event at Saks Fifth Avenue at Dadeland Mall with proceeds to aid in the construction of a community center in the Marlins’ “Village of Inspiration.” The event offers a 15 percent shoppers discount on select items for the day; coupons are available at the store’s registers. Five percent of sales generated will be donated to Food For The Poor. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Erwin Creed, heir to the CREED fragrance Dynasty, will be present. During the 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. cocktail reception, Food For The Poor will honor the Marlins’ completion of the “Homes For Haiti” campaign. 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Andre Dawson and Marlins’ first baseman Gaby Sanchez, will receive the honor on behalf of the Marlins organization.
Come celebrate fashion and shop for a great cause. Enjoy music by celebrity DJ Maximus 300, while mingling with baseball legends and enjoying light bites catered by Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and sweets donated by Cupcakes by Hilda. As a tribute to the Marlins generosity, celebrity designer Gustavo Cadile has created a Marlin blue gown for Bacardi to wear at the event. Winston Delawar Photography will document the occasion.
The campaign with the Marlins may have ended, but it’s never too late to support building homes in Haiti, go to the Homes For Haiti Web page.
Food For The Poor, the third-largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.
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