About
We are a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization- Tax ID upon request
Forgotten Children of Haiti (FCH) evolved in response to the urgent need to help maintain programs with a proven record of providing relief to children in distress. Our organization was officially established in January 1993 by a group of concerned individuals from various sectors of the community – physicians, teachers, artists, business persons , who have rallied under a common purpose: to improve the quality of life of Haiti’s poorest citizens, its children.
Member participation is entirely on a volunteer basis and the non-profit group is strictly apolitical.
FCH raises private funding in order to support the Cantine Notre Dame du Perpetuel Secours, one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Haiti, founded and operated by the “Daughters of Mary”. We also support St. Helene Orphanage and Hopital Pere Damien, two projects operated by “Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs” – an extension of “Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos” (NPH) in Latin America.
NPH provides shelter for homeless children. Cantine Notre Dame du Perpetual Secours provides nutritious meals to the poorest elementary school children of Bel Air, a deprived area of Port-au-Prince. The cantine is an integral part of the educational program of the school, for a hungry child cannot learn. The program began over 30 years ago with the distribution of 250 meals daily. Today, there are more than 1,000 school children in need of this vital meal, which is their only source of nourishment for the day.
St. Helene Orphanage in Kenscoff is home to hundreds of boys and girls, more than 530 of whom are below the age of ten. In addition to the dormitories and kitchen, the orphanage operates a clinic, “Kay Kristin” – a home and therapy center for disabled children, and a school. Before admission to the orphanage the children are screened and treated at the Hopital Pere Damien, for life-threatening illnesses such as tuberculosis, skin infections, pneumonia, severe malnutrition and AIDS.
No child has ever been turned away and the numbers are constantly increasing.
Hopital Pere Damien in Petion-Ville, is a medical center for children. The more than 175 bed hospital is professionally staffed and, since its opening, has operated at full capacity. There are over 2,000 outpatient visits per month. A new Hospital in Tabar opened in 2005.
In addition to supporting the above institutions in Haiti, FCH has flown two children to New York, for physical therapy and heart surgery at North Shore Hospital.
Our efforts are limited since they are individually supported. With the help of Corporations much more could be achieved.