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Community Corner

For Haiti with Love: Local Charity Has Big Heart

Palm Harbor Co-founder of charity continues lifelong mission to help the people of Haiti.

What began as a mission trip to Haiti in 1968, quickly evolved into a lifelong commitment for Don and Eva DeHart, founders of For Haiti with Love, an all-denomination Christian organization which provides food, baby formula, medical attention, and new homes to those struggling in Haiti.

For Haiti with Love, based in the city of Cap-Haitien, targets the northern part of Haiti which is often neglected by other charitable organizations. While there aren’t any major sources of funding available, contributors now come from the U.S., Canada, Whales, Australia, Italy, Sweden and England.

Through monthly contributions, For Haiti with Love has set up a food program that provides nutritionally balanced meals to the hungry, formula to abandoned babies, 24-hour emergency medical care, and has built over 50 homes for the homeless since its official launch in 1982. The organization also has built churches, schools and marketplaces in six villages. As funding permits, tuitions for schools of choice, funerals, x-rays and other medical needs are granted.

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“Knowing how many lives we have saved over the years is incredibly rewarding,” said DeHart.

In 2006, after a long battle with cancer, Don DeHart passed away leaving his wife and daughter Roseline to continue the legacy he helped build. “It was a shared passion of ours and Don’s last question [to me] was ‘will you continue For Haiti with Love,’ said DeHart. "How could I not?”

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Today, DeHart works stateside while her daughter Roseline, along with husband Racine Presume, control everything in Haiti. Together, they run the clinics, food program, construction plans, maintain the headquarter facilities and juggle spending time with visiting volunteer teams.

Donations and medical supplies are shipped to Haiti on a monthly basis. “We have a 40’ container of donated food packets being shipped every other month for which we are responsible for land and sea shipping expenses which run between $8,000 to $10,000,” explained DeHart.

“Nothing is easy in Haiti,” she explained. “We strive to improve the quality of life for the poorest in Haiti and show them the love of the Lord.”

For Haiti with Love hosts many fundraising events throughout the year. On August 8 the organization will host its annual “Christmas in August” fundraising dinner and auction at the First United Methodist Church of Dunedin. This event will feature authentic Haitian crafts, artists, wood carvings and art.  All funds will assist the For Haiti with Love efforts.

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