Operation Green Leaves 22nd Anniversary September 29th
The entire month of September Operation Green Leaves has been celebrating 22 years of service in South Florida and Haiti with an online campaign to create awareness and raise funds for our projects both here in South Florida and Haiti. We h
ope to be able to continue to provide our urgent environmental programs and projects 22 more years and beyond. We know however it will be challenging without the financial support of members and friends. Tomorrow September 29th is the actual Date, so if you have not had the opportunity to make your tax-deductible anniversary gift, please consider doing it today. Any amount will contribute to help us continue to reach our goals. Simply go to http://www.oglhaiti.com/ and click make a donation. We are counting on your support.
PICTURE DESIGNED BY JR. GREEN LEAVES CLUB AT HUBERT O SIBLEY ELEMENTARY.
Peace & Blessings,
Nadine C. Patrice, Executive Director
Operation Green Leaves Inc.
Merry Christmas Haiti! May Santa Bring You A Better Life
On 12 January 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked a densely populated area of Haiti, near the capital of Port-au-Prince. Damage was extensive. Death estimates top 300,000, but noone knows for sure. More than 1 million people were left homeless, most of them remain in tent cities nearly 2 years later. No electricity. No sanitation. Few paved roads. Deforestation. Soil erosion. Yet, a spirit of hope and optimism remains.
Pictures by Brian Machray of Yosemite Lakes Community Church in Coarsegoldm CA. The Haitian National Anthem is sung by Yvon ‘Capi’ Andre, a founding member of Tabou Compo. Pastor Audley Wisdom provides Holy Night from the 17 December 2011 Sabbath Service. Video produced and distributed by Ken English.
Global Giving BONUS DAY Oct. 19th
Global Giving Bonus Day Challenge: October 19
Please support Operation Green Leaves Environmental Center & Volunteer Village Project posted on Global Giving. Please help us meet the challenge on October 19th, by visiting http://www.globalgiving.org/6060 . On October 19, GlobalGiving.org is matching at 30% all online donations up to $1,000 per donor per project! There is $100,000 available in matching funds starting at 12:01 am EDT.In addition to the 30% match, GlobalGiving is offering a $1,000 bonus to the project that raises the most funds that day and a $1,000 bonus to the project that receives donations from the most individual donors! Donations are tax-deductible
GLOBAL GIVING CHALLENGE OCT. 19TH 2011
Global Giving Bonus Day Challenge: October 19TH 2011
Please support Operation Green Leaves Environmental Center & Volunteer Village Project posted on Global Giving. Please help us meet the challenge on October 19th, by visiting http://www.globalgiving.org/6060 . For additional info on the project visit http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/oglhaiti
On October 19, GlobalGiving.org is matching at 30% all online donations up to $1,000 per donor per project! There is $100,000 available in matching funds starting at 12:01 am EDT.In addition to the 30% match, GlobalGiving is offering a $1,000 bonus to the project that raises the most funds that day and a $1,000 bonus to the project that receives donations from the most individual donors! Donations are tax-deductible. MOST IMPORTANTLY SHARE THIS INFO. WITH YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY.
Peace & Blessings,
Thank You.
When the economy improves,Earth’s environment will improve
Please take a look at this great interview, “When the economy improves,
Earth’s environment will improve. The economy and environmental issues are truly connected. That has been our message at OGL for years. To find real solutions to Haiti’s environmental issues, we need to provide sustainable economic alternative as well as alternative energy sources. I spoke to a friend today in Haiti, she was sadden by the fact that in some part of Haiti, people are still cutting trees on the side of the roads. She explained to me although it is sad, we need to provide an economic alternative. I am calling for a National Reforestation Plan in Haiti, which will include the alternatives mentioned above, & education. All the sectors of the society need to be involve, goverment, private, professional, schools.
Haiti’s New President Speaks at the U.N General Assembly
On Friday September 23rd Haiti’s new President, Mr. Michel Martelly spoke at the United Nation’s General Assembly. I am so please to see that he mentioned that addressing the urgent issue of deforestation and Global Warming is a top priority to the sustainable reconstruction of Haiti. I am so delighted that Haiti’s leadership is going in the right direction finally. It has always been Operation Green Leaves message from day one, and now for 21 years that “any sustainable reconstruction of Haiti must include restoring Haiti’s environment, specifically an agressive national reforestation plan.
Our Vision: A Green & Sustainable Haiti!
Peace & Blessings,
Nadine C. Patrice
Executive Director, Operation Green Leaves Inc.
NOTE: Operation Green Leaves is celebrating its 21st Year Annivesary this september with an online campaign instead of a gala or dinner, reducing our carbon footprint. Join our campaign & make a tax-deductible donation at http://www.oglhaiti.com click on give 10
Sustainable Reconstruction of Haiti
Kenscoff, Haiti
Denuded mountains of kenscoff
Good Morning, Members, Friends & all earthlings!
As probably most of you know as it has been reported in the news 14
months after the devastating earthquake, progress is still so slow in Haiti
Tent Cities are still there. Last week 3 people died as a result of the
2010 earthquake when a house collapse on them. With that said, there
are still some steps being taken by various non-profit organizations, such
as Food for the Poor, Ecoworks International, and some socially councious
businesses.
Members of Operation Green Leaves’ team working on the Environmental
center & volunteer village in Archaie. Haiti just came back from Haiti.
The mission was very productive. We are blessed to have Architect for
Humanity and other great Architectural firms donating their time and
talents to the project. We however need your financial support to make
the center a reality. Our goal is not only reforestation, but education &
training as well. to learn more about the project and to make a tax-
deductible donation, please visit http://www.globalgiving.org/6060
Restoring Haiti’s environment is a key element in the sustainable
reconstruction of Haiti. We must address the root cause of the
ecological destruction in Haiti. Provide alternative fuel souces and
energy & economic empowerment. Our motto is “Help Haitians Help
Themselves”. We are providing the tools to help our brothers & sisters
rise themselves out of poverty. Sharing a few pictures of one of our
partner orgnizations in Kenscoff, Haiti. Empowering a group of women
“Fanm kap plante”, Women who are planting. Also pictures of deforested
mountains of kenscoff. Please help in anyway you can. visit:
http://www.globalgiving.org/6060
Peace & Blessings,
Nadine C. Patrice, Executive Director
THE CHALLENGE. GLOBAL GIVING, OGL’S ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER & VOLUNTEER VILLAGE
Operation Green Leaves REALLY need your support. Operation Green Leaves finally qualified and earned a temporary spot on Global Giving. Our project is the building of our environmtal center and volunteer village in Arcahaie, Haiti.
THE CHALLENGE IS: in order for us to qualify for a permanent spot on Global Giving, we need to RAISE $4,000 FROM 50 DONORS BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
If we meet the challenge, we will be able to stay on and have a permanent spot on Global Giving and most importantly continue our fund-raising efforts to raise money for our project in Arcahaie and better yet we will have the opportunity to submit othe projects and raise funds for these particular projects.
To Donate visit: www.globalgiving.org/6060
Keep the spotlight on HAITI, The people of Haiti deserve better.
3 months already since the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, the raining season is well on its way and the people in the most affected areas ARE STILL WAITING for the promised help even though in the news we hear billions have been raised for the PEOPLE OF HAITI. The % of help reaching the real victims is TOO LOW. In the news you see flashes of this internatinal group helping or this celebrity helping, but it is really a very small percentage of what is needed. The funds have been raised, the knowledge and technology to really bring the assistance is available…WHAT’S THE HOLD-UP???
I get glimses of the REALITY in Haiti everyday from my partner grass roots organizations on the ground. Some of them are in different regions of the country and their information is similar. They are tired of going from meetings to meetings in Haiti, tired of getting promises that are not kept. They are than unable help the victims. One of them was promised tents, they told her record the names of all people in the area in needs of a tent and tarp. She does. When she is ready, she goes to the agency to give s her list and the person in charge of this supposibly reputable organization, leaves Haiti with no follow-up. These are the kinds of Stories i hear from our partners. My message is: Please donate to smaller grass roots organizations that can get the Job Done or go volunteer and help them get back their life together. May be the larger organizations, Agencies and Government will catch up with the progress at some point. I KNOW that God is in Haiti, I KNOW watching what is going on. The people of Haiti have suffered enough they deserve better. THE NEED IS URGENT, THE RAINING SEASON IS HERE, NO ELECTRICITY, THE SUFFERING IS JUST TOO MUCH. JUST IMAGINE IT COULD BE ANY OF US , WE WERE JUST BLESSED TO BE BORN IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY. WWW.OGLHAITI.COM FOR MORE INFO.
All Night Function at Miami-Dade College to Fight Poverty in Haiti
Miami-Dade College’s Center for Community Involvement asked me to be their Key Note Speaker for an “All Nighter for Haiti” on October 16th, which was “World Food Day.” The goal was to raise $20,000 for several projects with the objective of improving the lives of those living in specific poverty ridden communities in Haiti. The funds were being raised specifically for Food For The Poor Inc.’s 3 special projects.
The first one was a feeding project for the poor in Cite Soleil, the second was a Tilapia farming project for personal consumption as well as economic sustainability. Food for the Poor’ s partner for this project is the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund. The 3rd was a Tree Planting Project called “Green Day Tree Planting Project. Students would plant trees One Friday a month. Species of trees would be planted for nutrition and a source of income in the chosen community.
The poverty and hunger situation in Haiti is currently out of control and tragic. The U.N. Development Report list Haiti asn number 148 out of 179 countries that have not been able to provide the basic needs for their people to improve their standard of living.
It is a fact that evironmental degradation is directly linked to poverty, so I beleive that addressing the environmental problems in Haiti is a starting point. Operation Green Leaves understood this from the start. It is specifically for that reasons that when the founders of OGL wanted to do something to help with the abject poverty that they witnessed in Haiti in the early 90’s, they decided that the best way was to address the environmental problems. I hope that the authorities in Charge in Haiti, will one day understand that to rebuilding and create a sustainable Haiti they will have to make the ecological restoration in Haiti a priority. Currently it is obviously not.
I am please that some friends of Haiti like Food for the Poor, the Center for Community Involvement of Miami Dade Community College took some action last Oct. 16h.
Sonje Ayiti: Gabrielle Vincent
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- Tree planting in Limonade, Haiti
Eco(re)Store to Open in Miami’s Wynwood Art District
Operation Green Leaves
invites You
to the opening of our
ECOreSTORE
3404 North Miami Avenue
(Wynwood – across from Circuit City)
Saturday April 11th, 2009
Noon to 6:00 PM
Protect our Home Planet, Reclaim, Recycle, Reuse
Eco-Alert with Nadine Patrice every Saturday at 10 AM EST on www.blogtalkradio.com. Check out the show page: www.blogtalkradio.com/oglhaiti.
Haitian Street Kids – A Documentary
Haitian Street Kids Revisited 2009 the Documentary is a production of Mark Crutch, an independent film maker. Check out www.inartmedia.com for more information.
Operation Green Leaves’ Eco(re)Store opens on April 11th in the Miami Midtown Art Gallery. Check out: www.oglhaiti.com for details.
Remember, every Saturday at 10 AM EST, it’s Eco-Alert with Nadine Patrice on www.blogtalkradio.com. Click the ON AIR tab and scroll down. Or, go directly to the show page: www.blogtalkradio.com/oglhaiti.
Operation Green Leaves – 10 December 2008
Listen to Eco-Alert with Nadine Patrice at 10 AM EST on BlogTalkRadio.
BlogTalkRadio: Guest – Lisa Torres, World Vision
Lisa Torres of World Vision was today’s guest on EcoAlert with Nadine Patrice on BlogTalkRadio. To here the show: http://budurl.com/ecoalert1nov08 or visit www.oglhaiti.com.
The BTR show is produced by co-host Ken English, the BlogTalkRadioGuy for the Social Radio Network.
Life Cycle: Trees to Furniture to Art to Trees…
First Furniture Art by Ken English
OK. It’s not as good as the work of a real artist, but it is the first ARToire. This is the top half of an armoire that was given to Operation Green Leaves by the Westin Diplomat Resort in Hollywood, Floirda. The Westin is renovating its rooms, so all of the furnishing are being removed. Initially, it was the bedding. Gradually, it included lamps, chairs, sofas and armoires.
The idea of using selected pieces of furniture as the ‘canvas’ for an artist to paint on was inspired by the work of the noted Haitian artist Jude Papaloko. I saw a variety of functional art pieces in his gallery and believed it was a great way to recycle an old piece of furniture and convey a message at the same time.
Papaloko will be one of the artists who paint a piece of furniture for our environmental art gallery. He will display his ‘ARToire’ in his new gallery in Miami when it opens in November.
More than a dozen artists have expressed an interest in the project which will raise money for Operation Green Leaves’ Plant a Tree in Haiti campaign. To get a better idea of the project, and to see a list of artists, check out: http://www.oglhaiti.com/westin2008/artbaselproject.htm
Still Waiting for Help…
Today around noon I got a call from a Pastor who just came back from Haiti. He was there during the storm and he lived the experience. As a matter of fact, he was in Port-de Paix. So I asked him to share with me what he had seen ask him for a hurricane update.
One of things that surprised me is that he explained that at least 800 boats in La Tortue were destroyed, and the people of La Tortue were desperate and hungry.
In all the media coverage thoughout this ordeal I never really heard anything mentioned about La Tortue (which is an island located accross from Port-de-Paix). He explained that he went there to provide what he could, and most of all pray with, and for them.
He said the poverty and hungry faces he saw there were unbearable.
Right after I hang up the phone with him today, my mother called to tell me “guess what, you should see on channel 6, they just had a report that a huge boat carrying 154 people coming from La Tortue was just intercepeted and returned back to Haiti.” So his report was confirmed and accurate, what he saw there in La Tortue was despair, hunger and poverty.
He went on to ask me how I can help. He said they need food, but the problem is that the food does not reach the needy. He explained that he personally witnessed the food containers that were supposed to be for the victims being sold, and taken away to private warehouses by people with big guns. This is not the first time that I have heard this kind of report since the 4 hurricanes ravaged Haiti, but this time it was from an eyewitness that I personally know.
He asked me to find a way to help not only La Tortue, but Port-de-Paix as well. A huge part of Port-de. Paix was under water. The other information he shared with me is that a lot of the people lost their lifes through the deadly mudslides, the water, mud and everything washed donwn from the mountain carrying the people. It took 4-5 days to find dead people, attached to young trees or branches.
I promised him that I will do what I can, but I know I cannot do it without help. So visit www.oglhaiti.com today to donate and share the information with your friends & colleagues.
Other desparate calls and e-mails I am getting are from Arcahaie, and Cabaret.
First they are in need of food and water. They lost all their crops. All the banana plantations and other crops are under water. They need to be able to replant. We need to be a able to support these communities by providing food and water and their basic needs while they replant their crops.
Operation Green Leaves will provide the seeds and the support but we cannot do it with your assistance. So please visit our site at www.oglhaiti.com and make your tax deductible donation TODAY.
If you don’t like to donate online, you can mail your donation to Operation Green Leaves Inc. P.O.box 5254, Coral Gables, Florida 33114. We will have a report with pictures of the assistance provided in our next newsletter.
Armoire to ARToire
Operation Green Leaves is looking of a few good artists who would particpate in a fundraising effort for reforesting Haiti. Check out www.oglhaiti.com and click on the ARToire Project link on the left.
The Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida has donated outdated furniture and bedding to Operation Green Leaves. Most of the bedding will be shipped to Haiti, but we need to sell some of the furniture to cover the cost of shipping.
Rather than sell the armoires as furniture, we’d like to sell some of them as art.
ARToire
We’d like to display the finished art during the Art Basel Miami Beach event in early December, then sell them to acquire trees to plant in rural areas of Haiti. More later.
HAITI has gotten enough LIP SERVICE, time for ACTION
I beleive when the power of love overcomes the love of power in Haiti, our beloved homeland will know real peace and prosperity. Yesterday on our weekly radio program “Eco Alert with Nadine Patrice” I was discussing with my guests how poverty is at the root of all the ecological problems of Haiti. Like my friend Dan was saying , the poor, peasants and farmers are cutting the trees out of desperation and need to have money to feed their children and survive one more day. We also dicussed a 2007 USAID study available online regarding the vunerability of Haiti’s Environment. According to the study 23 million trees are cut in Haiti every year. To create the necessary balance and to put Haiti on the path to sustainability and self reliance, we need to plant at least 25 million trees a year which goes back to our firm belief and committment that Reforestation in Haiti needs to be a National Mouvement. To hear more details on the issue , you should visit www.oglhaiti.com and click on internet radio. According to the report mentioned above 500 million dollars is used to finance the occupying force in Haiti. A small percentage of these funds could be put to better use by creating and financing A National Reforestation project in Haiti. Poverty and economic distress is at the root of all the trouble in Haiti including the violence. Again I challenge all the Haitian Nationals around the globe and in our homeland to say ENOUGH. The next time you are watching these awful pictures of our people in Haiti, use your sadness and anger THIS TIME to make a committment to yourself and your country to take some action to encourage the necessary change in Haiti to improve the standard of living of our people in Haiti. I am heartbroken, and extremely sad and may be a feeling a bit frustrated to continue to watch in horror and despair pictures of our children in Haiti, clothless (naked), shoeless and hungry. We need to change these pictures, we need to speak with ONE VOICE, Haiti must catch up to the 2st centrury. It is deplorable for our people to be living in these conditions in this hemisphere, in the 21st century, only 800 miles form South Florida’s shores. visit www.oglhaiti.com
Haiti’s Extreme Poverty and Misery
The level of poverty and misery you witnessed this week through published pictures of my people in Haiti is unacceptable. I ask myself how this can be?
In the last 30 years, money from foreign governments, including the U.S., international institutions and NGOs has poured into Haiti. Yet even before last week’s destructive storms pictures still showed my people, especially children, naked, shoeless and hungry. A basic infrastructure does not exist.
Electricity, telephone (I am not talking about cell phones), clean drinking water, roads, bridges, schools, etc… Something is not adding up!
At what point do we say ENOUGH!
At what point do we put our ego, personal grudges and greed aside.
At what point do we put the interest of Haiti and its people first.
The horrific pictures you have been watching both in the Haitian and International media are of your brother, sister, child, grandparent… WE ARE ONE!
ONE LOVE…ONE HEART…ONE SPIRIT.
Some of us have been blessed. Doors were opened up at some point in our life. Won’t you open a door for someone else?
It’s time for change in Haiti.
We can no longer close our eyes or look the other way because we ourselves are comfortable. We need to speak for the voiceless. We need to teach the children.
I challenge you today to do something!
Get involved today to help put Haiti on the path to self-sufficiency and sustainable development. DO SOMETHING! DO WHATEVER YOU DO BEST. JUST TAKE SOME ACTION AND GET INVOLVED.
I will continue to plant trees and provide education and environmental awareness with a renewed urgency because I refuse to look the other way. I am committed to improving the lives of my brothers and sisters in Haiti.
We you join me?
Visit: www.oglhaiti.com. Listen to the BlogTalkRadio show we did on Saturday, 13 September. Some if it is Kreyol. All if it is significant. Listen to the show this week at 10 AM Saturday: www.blogtalkradio.com/oglhaiti.
BlogTalkRadio Show – EcoAlert with Nadine Patrice
Every Saturday at 10 AM EST, the Operation Green Leaves’ radio program is on BlogTalkRadio.
The 13 September show featured three callers who were in Haiti during Hurricane Ike. They talked about the extensive damage caused by flooding and how a reforestation program is desparately needed before all of the top soil is washed into the sea.
One of the guests spoke Kreyol. Nadine does a basic translation to English. Click here to listen to the show:
EcoAlert with Nadine Patrice
Basic Infrastructure in Haiti’s Cities Must be a Priority!
As I watched the news this morning regarding all the hurricane relief help going to my people in my beloved Haiti, including some U.S. elected officials flying to Haiti with supplies, and some Hollywood celebrities like Matt Damon, I am very grateful and thankful for their help, and for caring for the plight of our people in Haiti. However, I have seen these images before.
I saw the catastrophic impact of Tropical Storm Jeanne, followed by all the help from all over the world, yet this hurricane season was even worse.
We did not learn our lesson, did we?
Preparation. Advance Warning. Evacuation. If there was a plan, it was not implemented!
The urgency of feeding and taking care of the victims needs will be addressed today, and in the coming months. But my question is – What will happen after the immediate humanitarian aid is delivered?
We encourage the Haitian people to ‘focus on the future.’ Elected officials from other countries bring assistance, and go home. Celebrities use their status, and drift away.
We must use whatever tools are available to DEMAND that the authorities and elected offficials make a real comittment to make building a basic infrastructure a top priority in their plans. They need to start with the principal cities in each of the Departments: PORT-AU-PRINCE, CAP HAITIAN, PORT-DE-PAIX, GONAIVE, CAYES, JACMEL & JEREMIE.
Excuses and corruption can not be tolerated.
If these main cities had a basic infrastructure – Strong Roads and Bridges, Electricity, Water, Hospitals, a working phone system, public housing, well-built school buildings that could be used for shelters, and an organized, efficient & competent local government – the impact of these storms would be significantly reduced.
THEY MUST BEGIN A NATIONAL REFORESTATION PROGRAM, TODAY!
For more info. visit: www.oglhaiti.com.
Operation Green Leaves 