NEWS RELEASE

Educate & Celebrate: Hope Rising for Haiti will continue in Vero Beach as the theme for Haiti Partners’ annual Treasure Coast fundraiser to be held Thursday, March 12 from 6-9 PM at Grand Harbor Club.  The non-profit, headquartered in Vero Beach, will focus its efforts on raising scholarship funds for the Class of 2030. Local supporters have helped to ensure more than 1200 students returned to school at the Children’s Academy and Learning Center (CALC) and six partner schools.

“While it breaks our hearts witnessing Haiti spiral downward with insecurity and economic decline, we draw inspiration from our Haitian colleagues who are making sure that children are receiving a quality education each day. It’s also been amazing to witness the well-managed construction of the 3rd floor of our second school building now nearing completion. Three new classrooms will be completed and put to use in April! We’re grateful for generous donors who have helped to make the Children’s Academy a beacon of hope.” said Merline Engle, co-founder of the Children’s Academy.

CALC serves as an incubator for the approaches and ideas that Haiti Partners – Haitians and Americans in Haiti and around the world – believe will reshape education toward a stronger, more democratic Haiti. Combining a high quality school, a social business, and a learning center for local residents and visiting Haitian educators, it has proven a catalyst for rethinking education and the role of schools in community development. The Children’s Academy works hand-in-glove with the partner schools, where multiple environments help to refine and contextualize new ideas and practices for quality education and social business throughout Haiti.

Educate & Celebrate: Hope Rising in Vero Beach follows successful fundraising efforts in Hershey, Pennsylvania, San Francisco and Venice Beach, California where a growing network of support led by Haiti Partners international Board of Directors continues.

The Vero Beach evening of music, food, and art will be highlighted by current news on school and community progress in Haiti from Alex Myril, Children’s Academy Coordinator and, new this year, attendees will have an opportunity to further support the community development programming in Haiti to be presented by local businessman John Moore .

Reservations may be made before March 9 by phoning  772-539-8521 or online at haitipartners.org/e&c2020 and are $125 per person. Haiti Partners is a 501(c)(3) certified organization. To learn more, visit our website at www.haitipartners.org or our new work and gathering space at 1531 US Hwy 1 (Kmart Plaza) next to ACT Computers in Vero Beach.