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Plano’s Links move toward rebuilding Haitian orphanage
By Kim Nguyen, Staff Writer
The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti last week took a devastating toll on the island nation, flattening buildings including the president’s palace, hospitals and schools as well as entire neighborhoods.
A huge number of those affected by the quake are orphans.
The Plano North Metroplex Chapter of The Links, Incorporated adopted the Religieuses St. François d’Assise Sacrè Coeur-Preventorium orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1992 and has been regularly sending various supplies to the children.
Helen Watkins, Links president, said the earthquake amplified the need for significant contributions to the Third World country.
Phynes agreed.
“If anything good comes out of this situation , it’s that the world knows of the great need in Haiti,” she said.
Watkins said that upon hearing word about the orphanage’s destruction, the Links have begun moving toward relief and rebuilding efforts.
“We will initiate a North Texas cluster, Link-wide campaign to raise funds, goods and all the necessary supplies for the children,” Watkins said. “There’s a potential that we start a citywide campaign as well.”
The national office of The Links organization will also be contacted to begin a campaign throughout the North Texas Links chapters, including the Dallas, Fort Worth, Mid-Cities and Trinity chapters.
The collaborative effort of all the North Texas Links to help the Haitian orphanage fits in perfectly with The Links’ motto.
“The Links is a national nonprofit whose objective is to provide help to those in need and providing service where ever we can make a difference,” Watkins said.
The Links’ movement toward helping rebuild the physical building will also help rebuild the children’s self-esteem during this time of devastation, Phynes said.
“It’s extremely important to let them know that they’re not forgotten and that someone cares,” she said.
In 1992, five Links members traveled to the school in Port-au-Prince to evaluate and perform a needs assessment at Religieuses St. François d’Assise Sacrè Coeur-Preventorium orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
The chapter believed it could make a difference to the lives of the Haitian children with their support and initiated the “Our Neighbor’s Children – A Global Issue” program to adopt the orphanage.
For the last 18 years, the Plano North Metroplex Chapter has continued to support the school and make a difference in the lives of 800 students by continuing financial support, installation of solar panels, purchasing two propane tanks and a generator, assistance toward the security wall, hygiene items, school supplies, teacher salaries and gifts.
The chapter has also been assisting the orphanage and school to gain self-sufficiency.
In keeping with the chapter’s programmatic theme for 2009-2011, “Healthy Women-Healthy Families,” The Links provided food supplies to ensure the students’ health is enhanced by the basic accessibility to good nutrition in December 2009. Other supplies and necessities are also being provided.
The Plano North Metroplex Chapter of The Links, Incorporated is one of the 270 chapters of The Links, Incorporated, which is one of the oldest and largest volunteer service organizations in the country. The Links, Incorporated is a nonprofit organization of more than 12,000 women of color committed to enriching the quality of life in the communities they serve.
contact at knguyen@acnpapers.com
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