Earthquake Update

Since the catastrophic earthquake of January 12th, the food program team at St. Clare’s has worked night and day to bring relief to the area.  The What If? Foundation’s earthquake relief fund has made it possible for truckloads of food and water purchased in the Dominican Republic to be delivered to St. Clare’s and distributed to thousands of people in need.

On Monday, January 25th, the food program meal (described below) started serving hot rice and beans to over 3,000 people a day, Monday – Friday.  So now, instead of 7,500 meals/week (which is what was being served prior to the earthquake) the courageous, devoted cooks of the food program we have been supporting for ten years are serving over 15,000 meals/week.  Your donations are needed now more than ever to help us continue this critical service.

Visit our gallery to see photos of our earthquake efforts and read our blog for the latest news.

Below is a description of the food program prior to the earthquake.

Up to 7,500 Meals Served Every Week

What If? Foundation donations fund a five-day-a-week food program that serves up to 1,500 children/day. Some walk miles to attend.

Members of the St. Clare’s community of Port-au-Prince lovingly prepare and serve the nutritious meals. Each child receives a large portion of fresh vegetables, rice, beans, and meat. Food is purchased at the Port-au-Prince farmers’ market, helping support the local economy. It costs about 70 cents per plate. After the children eat, if there is food left over (the cooks try to see that there always is) adults are served.

With the recent rise in global food prices, these meals are needed more than ever. Over half of the Haitian population earn less than $1 a day and 78% earn less than $2 a day.  The price of rice has more than doubled since January 2008.  This makes it nearly impossible for most people to feed their families.

The What If? Foundation is the only source of financial support for this food program.

Food Program History

We started small in March 2000 – funding just one meal-a-week on Sundays for 500 children. Thanks to increased donations over the years, we were able to build a kitchen in the St. Clare’s rectory and expand.

In March 2004, the program added a second day. In March 2005, a third. In July 2005, a fourth, and in March 2006, day five began.

To see photos of the food program, visit our Photo Gallery.

Founder Margaret Trost reflects on her recent trip to Haiti and the food program: