Thirty Years of Humanitarian Services and Community Involvement
CERCLE DE L’AMITIE DE NEW JERSEY
A 501 (c) (3) Nonprofit Organization
1992-2022
Accomplishments
To promote transparency in our charitable endeavors, we, members of the Executive Committee of Cercle de L’Amitie de New Jersey (CERLAM) have decided to release this document to provide an overview of our most important accomplishments over the last twenty-nine years.
Our purpose is also to demonstrate to our donors and supporters that we have touched many lives with their contributions and donations.
Below are some of our main accomplishments:
1-Promoted education for over three thousands underprivileged children in Haiti
2-Assisted and supported the education journey of thirty-two (32) Haitian American youths residing in Union County, New Jersey
3-Improved the well-being of one hundred (100) orphans in Haiti
4-Staged a total of thirty (30) Health Fairs, Health Forums and Youth Events for our residents in Union and Essex Counties in New Jersey
5-Gave one time assistance to our Haitian brothers and sister after any natural disaster in Gonaives, Jeremie and Port-a-Piment.
We have provided funds to finance projects designed to facilitate better conditions for learning such as repairing existing schools and building new schools, donating school supplies, overseeing teachers’ salaries and improving lunch/after school programs.
From 1992 to 1997 we supported the school Saint Jean L’Evangeliste in Kenscoff, Haiti
- Repair of the school building
- Payment of teachers’ salaries
- Provided school supplies
IIn 1997, in Petit-Goave, Haiti, we repaired a dormitory for the congregation “Les Petites Servantes de Marie” to house over 20 orphan boys. For three consecutive years, we supported their orphanage. We completed major repair of their school building and we introduced a lunch program for more than fifty students
In 2007 we built a new school in the North-East area of Haiti, in Carnifice, Gros-Mornes; “Ecole Presbyterale de Rivière Blanche” that can accommodate approximately three hundred students. These under privileged children are counting on us to maintain the school building and to provide them with school supplies. Since 2016, we have been sending boxes of school supplies to the school for the students. In 2017, we spent around $7,400 US to ameliorate two classrooms in the basement of the building, to replace part of the roof and ceiling that were destroyed by hurricane Matthew. For safety purposes, we placed ramps on three different stairs leading to the classrooms. More repair needs to be done.
In 2018 we improved the physical structure of the school Saint Anne de Segur, in Segur, 2eme Bas-Coursin, in Robute, Palmiste (Route Petite Riviere de L’Artibonite), Haiti. This school was founded by Reverend Rubens Valcin. We transformed the layout of a hangar in six classrooms to shelter approximately eighty students from Pre-K to 4th grade. Fences were built around the property to protect the school against burglary. CERLAM has been participating in the funding of teachers’ salaries and supporting the students’ clubs for their mental and social development.
During the year 2019 CERLAM has contributed to the repair of the school “Clement Laroque” in Les Irois, Jeremie. We also repaired the lunchroom of the sisters’ school in Port-a-Piment, Haiti.
While education is our main objective, safety and well-being of any needy child in the streets of Haiti are our utmost concern. In 2012, we started the reconstruction of an orphanage (CADE) Centre D’Aide aux Deshérites (Center for deprived children) in Delmas 30, Rue Logan and Codada in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to shelter thirty to forty girls whose age range from 1 to 17 years old.
In 2016, this construction was completed, thanks to our benefactors. Two years later, we added a water tank to aliment the toilet and we updated the electricity in every single room of the orphanage. The stairs leading to the second floor were redesigned to alleviate accidental falls. During the year of 2019 we made some improvement in the orphanage construction for security purpose. We added doors in steel and redesigned the windows. Over the years we have shipped boxes of clothes, food and other items for their daily life.
During the year 2020, CERLAM has budgeted $3,500.00 to update the electrical structure of the Orphanage Notre Dame du Perpetuel Secours located at 19 Rue Sapotille, Pacot in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This orphanage houses forty girls under eighteen years old. We are awaiting on some paperwork to be completed by the nun in charge to start this project. In November 2021 we shipped two large boxes of food and clothing for these children.
Since 2000, we have been very active in the Haitian American Community in sponsoring Health Fairs and Health Forums in partnership with the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad- NJ Chapter as well as with Holy Spirit and Our Lady Help of Christian Church in East Orange. We staged Health Fairs and Forums in the Parish Halls of the following churches, St. Michael in Elizabeth, Holy Spirit in East Orange, St. Leo in Irvington, First Baptist in East Orange, Seventh day Adventist in West Orange, Bethsaida 7th Day Adventist church in Orange. One of our primary goals is to help improve the quality of life of people in our community.
From 2000 to 2019 we have provided thirty scholarship awards for an estimated amount of $45,000.00 to Haitian English Language Learner for their College Education. These students were from Linden and Roselle High School. From 2016 to 2019 two deserving children attending St. Joseph the Carpenter Elementary School in Roselle were the beneficiaries of our scholarship award for a total amount of $2,000.00
In December 2021, CERLAM participated to the fundraiser of the Association of Haitian Physician Abroad-NJ Chapter for the Clean Drinking Water Project near the city of Jeremie in Haiti at St. Antonie Hospital. We contributed the total sum of $2,520 to this project.
The members of CERLAM realize that the success and accomplishment of their projects would not have been possible without the continuous support of friends, the collaboration, cooperation and generosity of certain individuals and groups. We would like to thank our supporters for their contribution throughout our existence. We welcome those who want to donate. We are a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, any donations are tax deductible to the extend allowed by IRS regulations. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated. May God bless you all!