But this isn't just any bike trip. This is a quest -- a mission to help and serve the people of Haiti, many of whom are in desperate need. And for that, I need your help.
Remember last January, when a terrible earthquake struck Haiti, killing some 230,000 people and leaving well over a million homeless? Remember how many millions of dollars and hundreds of organizations streamed into Haiti to assist in the relief efforts? Now, some 18 months later, much of the money and many of the relief agencies have moved elsewhere, but life can still be tough for the average Haitian.
Some weeks ago, my good friend Dustin, executive director of Sustain Haiti, called me up, just to catch up on life. Last year, in response to the quake, Dustin and a few others started Sustain Haiti to help Haitians build a better future. As we conversed about the difficulties ordinary Haitians face on a daily basis, I felt a deep desire to help in some way.
I quickly arranged to come down to Haiti and work with Sustain Haiti on their small business development and microfinance projects, which I'll be doing for much of August.
But I still wanted to do more.
A few days later, I woke up with an idea, the kind that grabs you by the soul and won't let go. I decided to ride my bike to Miami, and raise funds and awareness along the way. Three of my favorite things in life are bicycles, helping people and big adventures, so I figured why not slap them all into one gigantic sandwich and take a bite?
Here's where you come in: Sustain Haiti and I need your support. We currently have several projects we're working on that require more funding, projects that will do enormous amounts of good for the community in which we work. If you can pledge some financial assistance to Sustain Haiti, I'll do the hard part. Please sponsor me on my ride by donating however much you can afford. Even a penny or two per mile ($10-20) will go a long way toward building a better, more sustainable future for Haiti. Click HERE to donate!
Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity! Keep track of my trip to Haiti and my ride to Miami on this blog, via Twitter @Eric4Haiti and via the 1,000 Miles for Haiti Facebook page. I look forward to sharing your goodness with the wonderful people of Haiti!
Mèsi anpil!
Eric
Eric, I'd love to work with Sustain Haiti, but currently live in California and will move to D.C. in about a month - so I'm definitely not going to be anywhere near Provo. But it doesn't seem like you are, either... If you know of any way I can volunteer from a distance and contribute to projects, I'd be glad to hear it! Good luck with your trip (I'm hoping to go sometime in the next couple of years) and with the ride!
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your interest in Sustain Haiti! That's great that you're moving to the Washington DC area - that's where I live. We'll have to get connected once you get out here and I finish my ride!
As far as supporting Sustain Haiti, right now the most important thing is financial contributions. We'd be extremely grateful for any donation you can make. If your friends, neighbors and relatives can also contribute, that's even better. If nothing else, just reminding people about Haiti and the difficulties the people there face is a huge boon.
Once you get out here to DC, look me up. Some other leaders of Sustain Haiti are moving out here soon as well, so we'll certainly be active in the DC area.
Wish you the best!
-Eric