Thursday, February 18, 2010

AANMA Shoeboxes for Haiti

Chances are there’s an empty shoebox in your closet. You could stow receipts in it, store art supplies for the kids, stash emergency cash or stuff it with old cell phones -- but no use would be more important than filling it with love and sending it to Haiti’s earthquake-fragmented families.

Each survivor has an unfathomable story. We cannot comprehend how they and the volunteers and caregivers are coping – we’ve never walked a day in their shoes.

But your empty shoebox collecting dust can fill a heart with hope and smiles. Packed with crayons, stickers, granola bars, pocket-sized rain ponchos, duct tape, batteries, beads, thread and fabric, bandages, soap, small toys or bubbles or anything else you place inside will transform a life.

As you gather treasures to place inside, envision the face of the person you would like to receive it. A mom? An elderly man? A baby girl or boy? A student? A volunteer? A physician or nurse? Draw a picture or write a note directly on the inside of the shoebox lid. On the outside, clearly write, “AANMA SHOEBOXES FOR HAITI” and the designee(s) such as “for a new mother,” “for a boy/girl.” You get the idea.

By the time you tape the lid shut and drop it in the mail, you’ll have had so much fun, you’ll probably go shoe shopping just so you can fill more boxes!

-Here’s how to ship your shoebox to Haiti securely:
Make sure that the lid is taped securely onto the box. You can simply write the address onto the shoebox or a label placed on the shoebox, or you can put the shoebox in a separate box from the post office. You can buy boxes at the post office or order them from http://www.usps.com/.

-Here’s the address:

AANMA Shoeboxes for Haiti, C/O Caleb Lucien,Hosean International
3170 Airmans Drive, Unit 1076 HIM
Fort Pierce, FL 34946

-To pay for shipping from the U.S. to Haiti, it’s helpful if you also send a check for $1.75/pound to the same address but in a separate envelope (the check could get lost if it’s shipped with the box).

(HIM is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in the U.S. and a recognized NGO in Haiti. For more information: http://www.hosean.org/.)

This project does not specifically address AANMA’s mission to eliminate asthma- and allergy-related suffering and death—but it has everything to do with helping people in dire need.

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