Build a Home in Haiti

Founded in 2003 by Jack and Cherie Minton, Hope Force International is a Christian response to the need that surrounds us at home and abroad, reaching out to those who experience suffering, loss and chronic poverty. As a non-profit organization dedicated to disaster response, HFI is comprised of individuals who are committed to utilizing their expertise to inspire, equip and mobilize volunteers into areas of crisis.

After a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated the nation of Haiti in 2010, HFI had personnel on the ground within a matter of days, and the organization remains committed to helping Haiti recover. Hope Force chose to focus its efforts on Sous Savanne, a village close to the epicenter of the earthquake. The initial response included setting up high-quality disaster relief tents to meet immediate housing needs. Since then, HFI has initiated medical projects and community health outreaches while providing food and hygiene items through the Hope Force Child Sponsorship Program. Currently more than 80 children and their families are benefitting and Hope Force has a goal of 100 for Phase I of the program.

"We are now moving from the disaster response phase into long-term recovery," explains Jack Minton, Founder/President of Hope Force. "Currently, the most significant need is in housing. Some people are still living in disaster relief tents or shacks made of tarps, metal, and pieces of wood. To meet the dire housing need, HFI is initiating the Houses of Hope Project, which will provide functional homes for 15 families in Sous Savanne."

These one-room, Creole-style homes are professionally designed, assuring many years of usage. They are both earthquake- and hurricane-resistant with inside dimensions of 200 square feet inside plus 55 square feet on the porch. Manufactured by Maxima, the homes to be built through the Houses of Hope Project are made of pressure-treated pine with a metal roof. The frame of the house is built using lightweight materials to ensure safety in the event of another earthquake. Each has a four-foot exterior block wall and a concrete foundation to ensure durability.

"One of our key partners in Sous Savanne has proposed that if we can raise funds for three homes, they have funds for three more and will build them in the village," Minton continues. "On top of this, they have offered to provide latrines for all six homes. This is a great opportunity to gain quick ground on our effort to provide 15 homes for the families of Sous Savanne in 2012. However, we have to act quickly, or this offer may pass us by and someone else will step in, in which case, the homes could be built elsewhere."

Each home is $5,000 and each latrine is $1,500. Therefore, the value of the six homes being proposed is $39,000 but Hope Force can accomplish it through raising only $15,000. Details are here on the Houses of Hope Brochure. "This is an excellent opportunity -- one of the best we've ever had for quickly advancing the work in Sous Savanne," Jack concludes. "Please consider contributing to Houses of Hope to provide shelter for those in dire need of adequate housing. These are families with children, some actually have up to ten little ones under their care. We must work with all of our energies to provide for them."