Well the countdown has begun. In a little less than 2 weeks I will be heading back to Port Au Prince for my 2nd excursion to Haiti since January’s devastating earthquake. I was fortunate enough to be invited to go on a medical relief trip with an organization called New Reality International and I am thrilled to be going back with them again. I will be traveling with a small group of doctors, nurses and other relief workers to help provide medical care which is so desperately needed by the people of Haiti…and has been for many years now.
The last time I went to Haiti, I was very fortunate to receive donations from family and friends to help foot the rather hefty costs of getting there (and back). Thank you so much to all of you who donated and/ or sent me your well-wishes. This time around, I am footing the bill myself and have been very fortunate to have been busy enough this year to do so. But we still need supplies and we need them desperately. The medical staff are dealing with medications and supplies to treat patients. I would like to bring a couple of large bags full of baby bottles, diapers, vitamins, soap, toothbrushes and other basic humanitarian supplies. This is where I need your help, so that I can bring as much as I can possibly carry. If you would like to donate, you can do so here through Network For Good. Just put my name in the designation box if you would like for your donation to go towards the supplies I will be carrying there personally although please feel free to make a more general donation if you’d prefer that. Donations are tax deductible and even a small amount can do a great deal of good.
If you’re comfortable doing so, please leave a comment below to let me know that you’ve donated so that I can be sure to follow up with NRI. And of course I will be posting images when I return so that you can see exactly where your money is going. Every penny donated will go directly towards purchasing supplies.
Here are a few images from my last trip to Haiti.
My week in Haiti was one of the hardest and most gratifying experiences of my life. I have never come across people who are so eternally grateful for every little bit of help, kind word, smile, anything. Thank you so much for your amazing support!
xo,
Justine
Many of you know already that last month I traveled to Haiti with an organization called NRI, New Reality International. It was truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life and although I’ve had about 5 weeks to process everything emotionally, even now I can barely describe the amazing friendships I made, with both the North American medical team I traveled with as well as our Haitian translators.
I will share my images and some stories here on the blog over the next few weeks but in the meantime I wanted to share this little video/ photo slideshow I worked on over the weekend. I hope you enjoy. If you’d like to do something to help the people of Haiti who still desperately need the help, please visit www.newrealityinternational.org to donate money, tents, medical supplies or to find out what other ways you might be able to contribute.
Well something that has been in the works for a few days is now official, I am going to Haiti in about 3 weeks. I’ve been experiencing such a wide range of emotions from excited to scared sh*tless but mostly I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go and do whatever I can to help the people of Haiti recover from the devastation all around them.
So here’s the deal. I was invited to go with a group of doctors sponsored by New Reality International, an organization that helps provide free medical treatment to the most poverty stricken nations in the world. My job will be to photographically document the work they are doing in order to help raise money to make further trips to Haiti possible. I also plan to work in the makeshift clinic in whatever non-medical capacities that I can.
I’ll be flying to Miami on February 26th and will depart to Haiti on the 27th and stay there for a week. I am financing the trip out of my own pocket as are all of the volunteers to make sure that donations received by NRI go directly to provide medical supplies for those in need. So for any of you who might like to help me make this trip possible, I’ve set up a donation page through my paypal account. Just click on the “Donate” button in the side bar on the left side of the screen. Any amount is greatly appreciated and I will of course be sharing the images I shoot here on the blog when I return. Thank you so much!
