Kids & Family

26 Children, A Dire Need: Avon's Love Haiti Fund Hopes to Save Orphanage

Love Haiti Fund, started at Avon High School, hoping to save Haiti orphanage

Jeremiah Burris isn’t going to let something like graduation stop him from helping those in Haiti. Burris, a standout Avon High School football player, graduated on June 1. In the fall, he will be studying international business at Bryant University, where he will play football on scholarship.

He will also continue to raise money for the Love Haiti Fund, the non-profit organization he started in January 2012, when he was a high school junior. When Burris was 16, he went on a mission trip to Haiti with Lorain’s Church on the North Coast, where his grandfather is pastor. The group helped 45 children in an orphanage and made Burris realize the need for help was strong.

“There’s a huge need there,” he said. “Poverty is everywhere. They need everything from food, clothes, medicine…”

He started the Love Haiti Fund, a non-denominational organization that donates 100 percent of the proceeds to helping Haitians, especially children. He wanted to help outside the orphanage and has returned to Haiti several times to help those often living hours from the more centralized areas.

“A huge issue is malnutrition,” he said. “We’ll buy 2,000 pounds of rice and beans and go up in the mountains, find them and bring them food.” Since the average Haitian lives off of $1 American dollar a day, money the organization raises goes a long way. “The last time we went we were able to supply medication for the entire children’s ward, 35 kids,” Burris said.

The Love Haiti Fund website features “The Team,” including Burris, Alex Cranmer, Therese Orsagos and the newest member, Paul Yeager. Burris said Orsagos, who just graduated from Elyria High School, has gotten her school involved. Cranmer was one of the original fund members and Yeager, who will be a senior at AHS, will be taking over the efforts in Avon.

Burris’ friend and AHS classmate, Tim-Von Salter will be taking efforts to the west coast. Like Burris, he will play college football and like Burris, is hoping to get future teammates and classmates to continue raising funds. Salter, an offensive lineman, will study the culinary arts at Arizona Western College.

“You can save a child’s life,” Salter said. “We’re the future.  We get to see the glimpses of normal childhood. They won’t have to go through impoverished times.'

26 children, a dire need

Burris, a  6-3, 260-pound defensive tackle has made remarkable strides with the organization. He’s motivated students and members of the football team to hold fundraisers, managing to raise more than $2,000 at an early 2012 fundraiser. The group is on its fourth generation of “Love Haiti” T-shirts. Corporate sponsors have also stepped up, including Sherwin Williams and Weed Pro.

An early 2013 friendly basketball game between Avon and Elyria Catholic raised thousands more. Burris said he’s seen first-hand the difference donations make, including an improving infrastructure and running water other volunteer groups have assisted with.

“When I’m there it’s really cool to see the changes,” he said. “We paid for a women’s medications who was really sick. In April I was able to see her walking around, having a good time. It was great to see."

Now, Love Haiti Fund is hoping to raise $10,000 before the members’ June trip.

It’s mission, however, is dire. On his last trip he learned of an orphanage that will lose its funding at the end of June.

“They only had funding for three years,” Burris said. “They are starving; the lease is running out. There are 26 kids that are helpless and two ladies running it. They are barely getting by.”

With the right funding, Love Haiti can purchase the land and turn the situation around.

“I can go over, buy the land, purchase the lease," Burris said. "How much I raise is how much I can do."

An expanding effort

Yaeger, who will be senior next year, said he plans on getting T-shirt sales going again in the fall, but hopes to expand the effort.

“I’m hoping to spread it to Bay Village and North Ridgeville,” Yaeger said.

He has cousins in both cities. He’s also hoping to host a football game and another basketball game.

Burris said he also helps to change the image some have of Avon students. “Our school in general has been labeled as not caring because people think we’re rich and greedy and snobby,” Burris said. “The Love Haiti Fund has been able to change that."

Those interested in donating can do so through Love Haiti Fund’s main web page at the bottom, or by clicking here. The organization accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover and PayPal.          


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