Non-profit of the Week: Paradis Des Indiens

By Dan Estabrook - October 14, 2008 We at Tonic are pleased to honor Friends of Paradis Des Indiens, one of our cause partners for our current line of Luella Bartley Tonic tees.  Through sales of our Luella Robin tee (our best seller), we recently sent a check to Friends of Paradis des Indiens, a U.S. non-profit organization with the mission to support the schools and projects of Grand' Anse, Haiti. The foundation's goal is to create an empowered, self-sufficient community by raising funds to support education, work and modernization of the existing resources of the region. The project Paradis des Indiens was created to serve the poorest children of Abricots, a small fishing village in the south of Haiti. The first few years, parents lined up the night before registration at the schools supported by the organization. However, only children between the ages of 10 and 12 could be registered due to the lack of space. These children had not attended school out of a lack of desire, but rather because they could not afford the uniforms and shoes required by the local public and parochial schools. Chantal Lebrun Bazelais, President of the organization, recently sent an update on our efforts to provide sneakers to the school kids in Haiti.

Dear Tonic:

Our many thanks to everyone at Tonic for the support they are giving to the Paradis des Indiens schools. With the money donated from the sale of the t-shirts almost 280 children in Abricots, Haiti will be wearing new sneakers this year.

Most of these students walk up and down the mountains on rocky and slippery trails to come to school. It could not have come at a better time.

This year hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hannah and Ike devastated Haiti. The situation is grim and the needs are great. However, the people of Abricots were lucky. Although most of the banana trees were uprooted or broken and the crops from the gardens were destroyed, there were no mud slides and no heavy flood in the region. We believe this is due, first to the reforestation programs instituted in the Paradis des Indiens schools whereas each student must plant four trees each year as part of the curriculum in the schools, second because a wall was erected along the river bank to stop the river from overflowing, a project conducted by the mayor of Abricots.

Because of the flood and devastation that occurred in Haiti schools will open on October 6th, one month late. We are doing our utmost so that the children can have their new sneakers as soon as possible. This will be a great joy for them.

I would also like to say that the T-shirts are beautiful. The fabric is of excellent quality and is very soft to the touch. When purchasing these t-shirts people not only support good causes they also acquire a fashionable top quality item.

I applaud everyone at Tonic for the wonderful work they are doing.

Thank you so much for the wonderful gift of sneakers to the children of the Paradis des Indiens schools.

Thanks, Chantal.  We are pleased our customers were able to help through purchase of the Luella Robin tee. Want to help?  Be sure to get yours today! Photos courtesy of Friends of Paradis Des Indiens.  Tonic Luella Robin Tee photo by Chad Fox. “Tonic Generation’s Non-profit of the Week” is a regular feature at Tonic News. If you would like to nominate a non-profit for consideration, please email dan@tonic.com. The non-profit must be an accredited 501(c)3. We look forward to your submissions!