Gratitude and Renewed Hope: Friendship Village Recipients Share Inspirational Stories from Haiti

	Thanks to the generosity of the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Committee and Food For The Poor, Darline has expanded her tiny business into a shop where she now sells a variety of items. Her business also has a small open-air restaurant where she sells dinners at night.
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COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 3, 2013) – In areas once plagued by poverty, today live shopkeepers, seamstresses and bakers. Thanks to the generosity of the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Committee and Food For The Poor, hope has returned to the lives of hundreds of families who have received new two-room homes. Located in Pierre Payen and Michaud, Haiti, both Friendship Villages and their 115 homeowners are doing exceptionally well.

“When we hear about women earning a living sewing and selling school uniforms in their own communities and in neighboring towns, or that children no longer have to walk miles to buy bread because they can now buy it in their own village, these are the rewards of our labor,” said Angel Aloma, Executive Director of Food For The Poor. “It’s truly amazing to witness this positive transformation of so many families in a relatively short period of time. We can’t thank Boca Grande enough for their dedicated support.”

The residents in both villages want to thank their benefactors for providing the catalyst toward the priceless gift of self-sufficiency. To read some of the stories shared by the grateful individuals, visit foodforthepoor.org/storiesofgratitude.
There will be an inauguration of the Boca Grande Friendship Village II in Michaud, Haiti, January 14-17, 2013. Committee members and anyone who has a desire to experience this joyous celebration are invited to join the three-day trip with Food For The Poor.

“Meaningful change in Haiti will come through self-sustaining programs, allowing Haitians to take the reins of their own future by providing jobs that will help support the country’s people and local economy,” said Ben Scott, the Boca Grande Hope for Haitians Chairman.

Scott will address the Boca Grande Community at a reception on Feb. 21, 2013, at the historic Gasparilla Inn Beach Club, located at 445 Gilchrist Avenue in Boca Grande, Fla. He will announce plans for Boca Grande Friendship Village III in Manneville, Haiti.

Committee members include: Ben and Louise Scott, the Rev. Gary Beatty, the Rev. Brian Brightly, the Rev. Jerome Carosella, the Rev. Michelle Robertshaw, George and Lois Castrucci, Patricia Chapman, Ray and Iliene Corcoran, Randy and Sue Eddy, Charlie and Florita Field, Evelyn Finnegan, Lou and Corie Fusz, Stephen and Susan Jansen, Tom and Nancy Lorden, Colvin and Madelaine McCrady, and Peter and Elsa Soderberg. 

Food For The Poor, named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry 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.