Hearts with Haiti
The Belinda Project
How You Can Help
How you can begin to help the Belinda Project
Write an appeal letter!
We are gathering as many letters possible from those that support this project. In Haiti, we are writing an appeal letter that will be signed by all of our staff at Wings. We are also gathering letters from other homes and organizations that have gone through similar situations. These will be sent to various hospitals and government venues on a certain date in Haiti. State-side, we are also gathering as many letters possible from those that support this project. These letters will be assembled into a packet and sent to the Clinton Foundation on the same day we send in the appeal letters in Haiti. The same day that we will send our packet, we will ask you to resend your letter to The Clinton Foundation email account so that they will be flooded with emails that have the same subject that the packet does.
We are not requiring a certain format to your letter; however, we’d ask you to include the following:
1.How you are connected to Wings of Hope
2.If you have met Belinda, write one personal story (one paragraph long)
3.What your initial thought was when you heard Belinda was denied 4 hospitals because of her disability, shortly thereafter passing away—what is the injustice in this circumstance (remember you aren’t a Haitian hospital, so keep your thoughts culturally sensitive. Be aware that we are not naming these four hospitals because we don't want to make it all about those particular institutions. That would make the focus too small and a larger change would be ignored. This is a systematic problem and we want to effect change in the way people with disabilities are treated by ALL institutions. These four hospitals are only a symptom of the overall problem.
4.Why we are writing to the Clinton Foundation, and what you expect them to do (we are hoping that they will make an effort to work alongside of the Haitian government to provide laws that would require hospitals accept people with disabilities. Furthermore, that they would equip the hospitals to train medical professionals and send equipment to do so –eg way to test blood levels for seizure meds). We hope this will get some public attention around the country (of Haiti). The overall goal is to see that persons of disabilities begin to receive equal access and opportunity in the culture, especially in medical care.
Suggestions: Keep the letter personal, yet professional. Keep it one page. Be honest about the travesty of the situation, but don’t shoot accusations at the hospitals. We'd like to deliver with some force, but also with wisdom and tack. We don't aim to defame, we aim for change. Here is the key: write from YOUR heart. Each of you has a story, a conviction, something to say.
Why we chose the Clinton Foundation? President Clinton is very active in earthquake recovery, and the rebuilding of the structural portion of the country of Haiti. Not only has he invested foundation money, but his own personal money. He has a very prestigious role, but is also concerned with grassroots projects. He has a direct “in” with the current Haitian president and high powered NGOs. It would be more advantageous to write Mr. Clinton than any of your Senators or the Haitian President himself.
Please send your letter to thebelindaproject@gmail.com within the week of Sunday Sept. 25-Saturday Sept. Oct. 1 Attach your document as a .pdf or .doc We will not alter or edit your letter unless it is deemed terribly inappropriate or includes incorrect information.
Once we have received your letter, we will contact you on the exact date to resend your letter to the Clinton Foundation through email.
You are welcome to share this project to anyone you feel would make a positive impact. Remember the "like" the Belinda Project on Facebook, as well, to stay in touch.
Thank you for your support. You will be part of a great movement of change in Haiti.
