Cite Soleil Sustainable Food Relief

Haiti was brought back into the international spotlight with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th. But months before President Moise was murdered, the situation in Haiti, particularly in Cite Soleil—a three square mile slum that’s home to an estimated 300,000-400,000 people and is regarded as the poorest place in the Western Hemisphere—was already in a dire place. Since May, Cite Soleil has been effectively besieged, making it virtually impossible to get food, water, and medical supplies to the people living there. Reports coming from within Cite Soleil has indicated that over 500 homes have been burned to the ground, individuals are dying of starvation, and people are terrified of leaving their homes for fear of falling victim to widespread gang violence. It’s uncertain when Cite Soleil will reopen, but when it does, we know that need will be massive. Healing Haiti has spent the past fifteen years forging trusting relationships within Cite Soleil. What began as daily water delivery has grown into the establishing of a medical clinic, feeding center, eldercare program, school, and church. In 2020 alone, Healing Haiti resourced the people of Cite Soleil by serving 105,000 locally-sourced meals, conducting 4,400 patient visits, educating 300 children, caring for 76 elders, and creating 30 full-time jobs. We have earned the trust of the people of Cite Soleil and developed the infrastructure necessary to help meet whatever need we find when Cite Soleil opens up again. We’ve been lifting up the community of Cite Soleil since 2006, and we’re asking the Lift Up community to come alongside the people of Cite Soleil by helping us expand our capacity to serve food and empower people of Cite Soleil. This includes expanding our feeding center and purchasing locally-sourced ingredients.