On That Day, Everybody Ate

On That Day, Everybody Ate

On January 12, 2010, Haiti, a country occupying half of a small island in the Caribbean, was rocked with a massive earthquake that affected millions of people, leaving them homeless and without food, clean water, or schools.  Although aid was, for the most part, slow to arrive in Port-au-Prince and its environs, one small non-profit here in the Bay Area – the “What If? Foundation” – was able to rush food to those that needed it most.  The foundation, established by Margaret Trost in conjunction with Fr. Gérard Jean-Juste at St. Clare Catholic Church in the Ti Plas Kazo neighborhood of the capital, had already been working to feed thousands of children in Port-au-Prince before the earthquake hit, and so they were well placed to give immediate assistance to those in need.  Now, two years later, the work of the What If? Foundation continues, as always, through donations.  55¢ pays for one meal for one child; $250 pays for one year of education.  A little can go a very, very long way in Haiti.

You can see videos chronicling the Foundation’s work on their webpage (under “Blogs and News”), which also offers the opportunity to donate directly online or by mail.  Go to www.whatiffoundation.org for more information about this amazing program!  Or, read Margaret Trost’s compelling memoir, On That Day, Everybody Ate:  One Woman’s Story of Hope and Possibility in Haiti, available through your local bookstore or online.

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