International organizations and big-name entertainers are raising millions of dollars for relief efforts to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti: a telethon with Wyclef Jean and George Clooney, millions of $10 phone donations to the Red Cross, Kanye West and Snoop Dogg singing “We Are the World.”
But there are also many smaller-scale fundraisers going on. Organizers of last Friday’s Haitian art sale at St. James Episcopal Church in Minneapolis say they hope that people realize it’s not only the amount of money raised, but the way it’s used that can make a big difference in Haiti’s recovery.
For the past 15 years, three Episcopal congregations in Minneapolis and Edina have collaborated with local organizations in Haiti to help feed and educate some of its most impoverished children. Volunteer workers from St. James, along with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Minneapolis and St. Albans Episcopal Church in Edina, have made regular trips there, building relationships within communities and working under the guidance of the Haitian Episcopal Church to build and maintain schools.
Members of these congregations have personal and emotional ties to the people of Haiti. Photographer Gary Eckhardt, a member of St. Albans, donated some of his photo collages to the art sale. He showed me pictures of children and their school, where he had worked during his most recent trip to Haiti last fall. He’s heard that the school was destroyed by the earthquake, adding, “all these kids, we have no knowledge of whether they survived or not.”
Jane Peck, a member of St. Luke’s, said her trips to Haiti have taught her that a little money can go a long way. “We’ve realized that if you want the money to work well and if you want projects to work well, you have to be working on a grass-roots level with Haitian people themselves,” she said. “You have to have people on the ground working for years in that country.”
Herb Grika, who is not affiliated with the sponsoring churches, was asked to coordinate the art sale and readily agreed after learning the money would be used for immediate lifesaving expenses through two organizations, Episcopal Relief and Development and Partners in Health.
Haitian artists created most of the items up for sale. Grika was able to obtain many pieces of art, and also donated several from his own collection. “We were able to get works, not only from Haiti, but from Africa and by Native American artists, donated from friends and members of the churches,” he said.
Grika told me that most of the art was sold during the six-hour sale at St. James lastFriday. The remaining items were put up for sale the next day at a similar event held at Alliance Française in Minneapolis. The three churches raised about $7,000.
Want to know how the money is being spent?
The Rev. Lauren Stanley, the Episcopal Church’s appointed representative
to the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, will be speaking on Sunday, February
14, at 6:30 PM, at Messiah Episcopal Church in Saint Paul. A discussion
will follow. All are welcome.
Rev. Stanley’s focus is on both immediate humanitarian assistance to Haiti
through Episcopal Relief and Development, and on long-term development,
specifically through the Haiti Parish Partnership program. The
partnership program matches Episcopal parishes in the U.S. and Haiti for
long-term relationships.
Messiah is at 1631 Ford Pkwy., St. Paul, MN 55106; 651-698-2590.