#1384: Haitian group to sponsor toy drive_ (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: cotu <nozier@tradewind.net>

Published Thursday, December 9, 1999, in the Miami Herald 
 Haitian group to sponsor toy drive______ HANS MARDY Herald Writer 

 A delegation of South Florida Haitians who attended the Diaspora Week
 conference in Haiti in the summer is now sponsoring a toy drive to
collect holiday gifts to send to children in the island nation.
 ``All kids love toys,'' said Jean R. Desiré, coordinator of the
project. ``Children are the same anywhere, either in the United States
or in Haiti. They need toys to enjoy themselves. It does not matter if
they come from poor families or they are living in a poor country.''
 In October, members of the Diaspora group with the help of Florida
International University, traveled to Haiti to distribute school
supplies collected from South Florida residents. About 1,000 students
and their teachers received notebooks, pens, pencils and other supplies.
 For the toy project, the group hopes to serve more needy kids on the
island.
 ``We are hoping to deliver toys to about 10,000 kids,'' said Desiré,
who also urged the local Haitian community to get involved in the
project. The drive started Monday and will continue until Wednesday at
different locations:

 Lakay Ice Cream, 91 NE 54th St., 305-751-2912; Libreri Mapou, 5911 NE
Second Ave., 305-757-9922; Lumily's Mission For Haiti Inc., 6416 NE
Second Ave., 305-751-1235; Centre d'Orientation & Information, 8365 NE
Second Ave., 305 759-1155; and J.C. Cantave: 625 NE 124th St.,
305-899-7712.
 A delegation will leave Miami on Dec. 20 to distribute the toys.
 ``In Haiti poor parents cannot afford buying toys for kids when they
are struggling to feed them. That's why we ask organizations, churches,
business owners, South Florida residents to help us to bring joy for
those kids during the last holiday season of the year,'' Desiré said.

 For information on the drive, call Marie Remy 305-841-0054 or Desiré at
 305-565-8286.