After years of fundraising, and lots of work, the Mattituck Presbyterian Church’s Haiti Youth Team has nearly raised enough money to reach its mission’s goal.
The youth group has been working on the “One Hundred For Haiti – We Stand As One” campaign: a three-part project to create a new school and church building for the impoverished Haitian village of Betoti.
In 2014, 10 young members of the church traveled to Haiti and saw first-hand what living conditions were like for the Haitian people. They interviewed and filmed the people of Betoti with an eye toward having an East End filmmaker, Rory MacNish, produce a documentary about village life, then use the film to raise money to help the village.
The kids came home determined to make life in Betoti better for its people.
The church’s website explains that school in Haiti means more than just a place to learn to read, write and do math. Much, much more. School means the children of one of the poorest nations in the world have food each day. School means that the children have five gallons of clean water to bring home each day. “School would give to the children of Betoti the opportunity to rise above the devastating poverty that currently commands their little lives,” writes Danielle Durkin, the youth group’s advisor. In effect, school is a life-ring tossed to children drowning in a sea of poverty.
The Haiti Youth Team believes that school in Haiti is an absolute essential and so they and Rotary clubs across Long Island – from those on the East End to those as far west as Commack and Brentwood, have contributed funds to the project. Church youth from Hampton Bays, Riverhead, Mattituck, Southold and Greenport are participating in the project as well, many of them having taken the trip to Betoti to lay the bricks and mortar for the buildings.
The groups have already raised $60,000 and need an additional $20,000 toward completing the job.
And, if they can raise the $20,000, a generous, anonymous local donor has agreed to match that amount, helping bring the $100,000 project to completion.
The church is hosting a cocktail fundraising event on August 4 at Brecknock Hall to raise the additional capital needed to finish the final phase of the project. The party starts at 7 p.m. and will feature live music, cocktails, and hors d’oeuvres. Guests will enjoy a photo and video display to learn more about the small village of Betoti and see how the project has taken shape over the years. Pastor Agones Jean Jaques, who will run the school, will also be in attendance to answer questions.
Tickets are $50 in advance and $65 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the Mattituck Presbyterian Church.
All funds raised will go toward completion of the last phase of the project.
Phase one of the project was completed in April 2014 when students, church, and Rotarian volunteers built a small utility building to house a reverse osmosis water filtration system and solar panels, which were provided by Rotary. The system is the first of its kind in the village and provides up to 1,000 gallons of clean water a day, benefitting families across the village.
Phase two involved laying a foundation for the school and church building and starting to build the walls. It was completed in January 2016.
The final phase is to complete the walls, separate the space into classrooms and add a roof to the building. Once complete, Rotary clubs will outfit the space with blackboards, desks and furniture.
Pastor Agones Jean Jaques, who grew up in Betoti, has returned after seminary to help in the village where he grew up.
For those who are unable to make the event but would like to support the project, the church is also taking donations through its website. Click here to make a donation online.
For more information about One Hundred for Haiti, please contact Rory MacNish at 631-921-4555 or Laura McAllister at 631-593-8244.
