Give Us Some Credit

We don't mean to "take all the credit" here, but we're pretty excited about our recent partnership with Visa, which now makes it easy to support HFHF with your everyday purchases! With the new Hope for Haiti Foundation Visa Platinum Rewards Card, you can show your support of HFHF's mission every time you shop. It couldn't be easier to give back, just by doing the things you already do everyday!

When you apply for and use your new Hope for Haiti Foundation card, the bank will donate $50 and a percentage of all your future purchases on the card to HFHF. Plus, you'll get all the benefits of a Visa Platinum Rewards card, such as bonus points for airline tickets, merchandise and a low introductory APR on purchases.

There is no annual fee, and you can pick from five different card designs. With gorgeous photos like these, it's easy to picture yourself somewhere warm and happy just by looking in your wallet!



You can learn more and apply for the card here: http://www.cardpartner.com/affinity/app/hfhf. Thanks for your continued support!

Rock your world!

Despite the serious work Hope for Haiti Foundation does, really, we ain't lookin' for nothin' but a good time...or at least that will be the case this Friday at our inaugural "Rock Your World! Tune in. Turn up. Reach out." benefit concert!

Band of Brothers, a party band covering songs from the 70s & 80s, will rock & roll all night at the The Pour House in downtown Raleigh on October 7. In addition to great music & dancing, we'll have drinks, a silent auction, door prizes and raffles, with Gino Anacleto from CW 22 there as our trusty emcee all night long.

Doors open at 7 p.m., with music starting around 8 and lasting until midnight. Tickets are $7 in advance/$10 at the door, and VIP tickets, which include a private bar, full buffet & special table seating, are available for $100. Tickets can be purchased online at http://rockyourworldraleigh.com/. This is a 21+ event.

All proceeds go to HFHF's work in rural Haiti, and you won't want to miss this great event!This is the first year that we've put on a benefit concert, but we hope to have the opportunity to make Rock Your World! an event that Triangle music fans can look forward to for years to come.

So if you Wanna Dance With Somebody, grab two tickets (to paradise) and come on out! Hey, we know it's only rock & roll, but we like it.

(Speaking of our fearless emcee, check out Gino & Hope for Haiti Foundation's TV debut in this TV spot about the concert!)

Hope in Haiti

This past week, a an allstar team from from Hope Community Church, one of HFHF's first and largest partners, has been down in Haiti helping out & surveying the work that HCC has played such a crucial role in making a reality. Karl Moraski, Hope's worship leader, has been faithfully blogging from the computer lab & we highly recommend tuning in for updates from the field!

Some highlights include:

• An inside look at the Gandou community, home of our next medical clinic
• A tour of the freshly painted school (& updates on some of the cool new technology coming out of Zorange)
• And a potential Bob Segar "NightMoves" reference? (plus, a definite Bon Jovi shoutout)

And as an added bonus because we love ya, an amazing photographer, Josh Hancock, has been snapping pictures all trip! If these don't get you packing your bags & Pricelining flights to Port au Prince, we don't know what will!

Enjoy the updates, try not to drool & have your people call our people when you're ready to river suit up & join us!

Take our hand & we'll make it, we swear,

The HFHF Team

P.S. Fun fact: Karl is also in Band of Brothers, who will be rockin it out at the Rock Your World concert next weekend -- more to come on that soon!

Denise returns to Haiti with a healthy heart!

Two months ago, we told you the story of Denise, a young Haitian woman in rural Zorange, Haiti, whose life was at risk due to a heart valve condition. The situation was grim. Without heart surgery, Denise's life would be cut drastically short.

Denise with her parents, HFHF founder Elade, and Dr. G. at the

HFHF clinic in Zorange, Haiti. 2009.

Today, thanks to Hope for Haiti Foundation's supporters, volunteer medical professionals, Rochester General Hospital, and a partnering non-profit Intervol, Denise's story is now a success story with a happy ending!

Denise prepares for surgery at Rochester General Hospital.

photo courtesy of RGH.

Denise receives heart surgery. photo courtesy of RGH.

Denise receives a check-up after surgery and passes with flying colors.

photo courtesy of RGH.

Denise (center), her brother Denis, HFHF's former medical director,

Gerta, Dr. G from Rochester General, and members of Intervol.

Read all about this happy ending: Haitian heart patient Denise Imbry to return home happy, healthy.

After successful heart surgery, Denise and her brother Denis enjoy

a ride on "The Maid of the Mist" to see their first waterfall before

returning to Haiti.

Thank you for being part of the success! We know there are many others like Denise who are in need of life-saving surgery who do not have access to such care. Will you join with us as we work toward saving more lives by providing surgical capabilities in Bainet, Haiti? Find out how.

Additional News About Denise:

Video: YNN News - Humanitarian Effort Helps Haitian Woman

Video: 13WHAM - A Life Saving Journey from Haiti to Rochester

Article: Democrat & Chronicle - Haitian woman travels here for heart surgery

Article: Democrat & Chronicle - Haitian woman doing well after heart surgery

Article: Democrat & Chronicle - Recovery going well for Haitian heart patient Denise Imbry

Intern up(date)! - John

Bringing in the closer! John's update:

WOW! Everything is going great! This trip has already changed me in ways I had not even anticipated. The ride in from the airport was, as warned, very emotional. One of the first things I saw was the sea of tents of relocated families; it was truly shocking. It was hard to believe that so many families have been living like that. Once we got out of the city and onto the mountain roads, all the conversations in the car stopped. Peter, Emily and I stared speechlessly out the window overlooking the beautiful mountain ranges. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. We had quite the trip to Zorange--two road blocks and an episode of shark bone getting stuck in the mud. It was all very exciting nonetheless. We have all been adjusting very well here. I would say we are all used to the lack of AC and the river baths (which have turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the day). Working in the clinic has been an amazing experience. Miss Lusca is so funny! She is very keen on making sure we all understand what is going on and taking us along with her to watch everything she does.

Everyone here is very friendly. We have gladly adjusted to the slower pace. Who wouldn't like sitting and reading in a hammock over looking the Zorange mountains for hours on end?! It's incredible. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity and I am getting the feeling this will not be my only trip to Haiti.

-John

Intern Up(date)! - Peter

Part 2 of our updates from the HFHF interns spending the summer in Zorange. Peter's thoughts:

Zorange is an awesome place and I felt welcomed from the get go. Pierre, Nasson, Miss Luska, Pastor, and all the kids running around are an absolute blast and have made everything so much fun. The dorm, school and clinic feel out of place in this picturesque mountain scenery full of poverty, but we are truly blessed to be a part of it.

The clinic has been eye-opening for sure. It's obviously very different from U.S. clinics, and though it was a bit shocking at first how rudimentary it all is, after spending some time and hearing more about how people live, it amazes me how much they've been able to do out of nothing. Miss Luska has this contagious smile and laugh that keeps everyone's spirits up 24/7, and working with her has been great experience. She has shown us all how to put in IVs, take blood samples, run vitals, etc.

Daily life has been good as well. I really don't have any complaints. River baths are probably the most refreshing shower I've ever had, and the walk down the hill is always fun because a bunch of little kids always trail us and end up playing with us in the river. We've all been reading a lot in our down time (I'm almost done with all the books I brought; we're going to have to swap books amongst each other soon), playing frisbee, lounging in the hammock John brought, playing with Nancy and Chanika and some of the older guys, goofing off with Pierre, and of course napping here and there.

I know the next few weeks will fly by, but I'm going to do my best to savor each moment.

- Peter

Intern Up(date)! - Emily

The dog days of summer are officially here, and as they start turning up the heat and humidity here in the Southeast, we have no doubt that summer is even fuller swing for our interns and friends in the Southeast department of Haiti. It's been more than a month since we dropped our three brave adventurers off in Zorange, but don't worry, concerned parents of America -- we did not leave them stranded in Haiti with nothing but a blog post in their honor. Lydia, our Executive Director, has been checking in, and with the internet now all set up in the school in Zorange, they've been able to update us when they can. We thought we'd share some of their experiences and impressions of Zorange, with a post from each intern over the next few days. Here is some news from Emily:

We are all adjusting well. River baths are a lot more fun that I would have thought and the food is exceptional! The clinic is amazing and we are all enjoying our time there. Miss Luska is a great teacher. She always opens up the opportunity for us to share in her examinations and have a hand in it when possible. As healthcare hopefuls, we are getting to see a way of medicine up close and personal that we would never get to see anywhere else, and its a blessing to be a part of it. We are learning so much!

Last Monday we taught Computers and Photography to the older students at the school. We felt a little lost at first but once the students came in they were extremely receptive for us, and Nasson translated as we went along, making the experience a lot of fun. We are doing the same thing tomorrow and adding in and English lesson. The guys and I agree that this is a truly eye opening experience.

Haiti in reality is unlike any book, any story, or any description that I've come across. We went to Bainet and Jacmel for two nights last week, and the ocean scenery was breathtaking. What's also breathtaking are the buildings that are reduced to rubble from the earthquake. It seems a true testament to God that all the people here proceed with life as though the destruction isn't around them. I think my favorite activity thus far is COCONUT EATING! We've taken a few ventures to different houses to binge on their coconut, and each one that is chopped open is fun to watch...and delicious!

- Emily