Less than two months after reshaping her charity, Emily Hime is headed back to her second home – Haiti.
Hime, with her board of directors, morphed her longtime non-profit organization Hime for Help into the new RISE House.
Where Hime for Help ran the children’s home, Maison Ke Kontan in Haiti, RISE will expand to include support for families in Haiti.
To that end, Hime is taking computers and other items with her. She is also asking for financial support to purchase items in Haiti.
The young, but veteran, charity leader couldn’t wait to return to Haiti. She is to leave July 25.
“I go every few months to check in on our projects. However, this time it’s extra special as I will be heading down to launch our first business training program where we will be training individuals in our community how to start their own business,” she said. “The program will be taught over four days and at the end of the program they will be presented with a graduation certificate as well as a microloan to start up their business.”
She said the program is targeting people of need.
“Our first program consists of five women living in extreme poverty and this is now an opportunity to rise above and to be able to provide for their children,” she said.
In terms of this being her first trip with the reshaped charity, Hime said she’s not nervous about it at all.
“No, I am super excited actually! I think the ladies in our program are very motivated and determined and I am looking forward to see how they grow their businesses,” she said. “I am also looking forward to seeing my kids, staff, and friends while I am there.”
Hime said she’ll be in Haiti for a week, and will be taking donations with her, including a number of computers.
“We received a donation today of 10 laptops from an IT department here in town which is incredible. We also have about five other laptops that have been donated, as well as iPads and tablets,” she said. “I am so excited that we are going to have a fully functioning business centre for our community to use.”
As for other items of need, Hime said her bags are “officially full.” But there is still a need for monetary donations.
“We are still needing to purchase items on the ground in Haiti – which also helps to support the local economy and entrepreneurs in our community,” she said.
People can donate through the website www.risehouse.ca, or Etransfer funds to emily@risehouse.ca.
RISE held a Jail or Bail fundraiser on the weekend and brought in more than $8,800. Hime said all the support is greatly appreciated.
“Just a big thank you to our community once again for all of the ongoing support,” she said.
RISE is in need of additional and ongoing support, however. Hime said RISE is looking for “dedicated and passionate volunteers to work alongside our team here on the grounds in Canada to help with fundraising efforts and assisting to implement our programs. We need people to keep telling our story, telling the stories of these incredible people that are coming through our programs.
“We would love to have local business partner with us so that we can provide more support to those we are serving- by doing that- they would be allowing for more individuals to become entrepreneurs and creating sustainable communities.”
Hime added RISE officials are planning another bail or jail event in Windsor on Aug. 22 and are looking for participants to volunteer to be locked up for the cause there.
