Haiti still needs your help and local mandarin residents are stepping in. Will you?

Operating in Haiti since 1989, FISH was founded in 2003 by Edsel Redden, Putnam County Extension Agent for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, FISH faithfully serves the Haitian communities of Gressier (just five miles from the quake’s epicenter), Jeremie, and most recently, Boucan Carre.

For more than 20 years, FISH has helped Haitian communities develop local, sustainable methods to feed their populations. Through a combination of direct feeding programs, cooperative agriculture, micro-industry, education and extension agent support, FISH helps Haitians help themselves one village at a time. In Leogane, FISH provides the fish and poultry meals to the children of the Macombre school. You will see what has happened to the school and can appreciate the long-term interruption that has been caused to the nutrition and educational programs once sustained there. The woman in the foreground is a good representation of the average Haitian in the area now - no home, maybe a few possession and no realistic hope of food or shelter.

FISH is focused on the long-term development of sustainable agriculture in Haiti, while utilizing its assets and relationships to support short-term stabilization efforts. FISH's sustainable agri/aquaculture assets produce protein servings at 9 and 11 cents a serving locally, while employing local Haitians to conduct all production and distribution of food. With the disruption of other forms of nutrition, our expansion demands have been increased for the long-term.

The goal is to form a human chain across Clay county from Doctor's Inlet to Black Creek on February 20th. All funds raised will be disbursed through Christ's Church to support FISH Ministries in Haiti. Your donations are tax deductible and can be included in 2009 filings.

For more information, visit http://www.holdhands4haiti.com, click here for more info or here for the registration form.

On the web as reported by Jacksonville Times-Union.

Where: CR 210 Watson Realty Building- Meeting room
When: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Time: 9:30am-12:00pm
Fee: $5.00 per person (Collected at class)
Limited to: 60

To register for this event, please call Rona at the St. Johns Agricultural Center 904-209-0430. Sign up is required due to limited space and also to ensure that sufficient handouts/books are available for everyone.

Helping Hands will meet on Friday, January 29th at 12:00 pm at the Faith Community Church on CR210, just past Cimarrone on the North side of the street.

Kim Salvo is chairing the "Dignity U Wear" project and asks, if you can, please bring new underwear, socks or onezies. Any size, color, fabric will be gratefully accepted. This is an organization that distributes these items to those in need.

Helping Hands will also be assembling crisis kits for the people in Haiti. These kits which contain basic hygiene items will be distibuted as soon as possible. Items needed are listed above and will contain band aids, soap, tooth brushes and paste, wash clothes, beanie babies for the children, nail clippers, shampoo, etc. Items may be dropped off at the church.

We are taking NO monetary donations. Helping Hands does not solicit any money, our focus is on donations of goods and services and helping our community and others in a small way. Remember, you do not have to bring anything to come to the meetings, your presence with us is always appreciated. Meetings are the last Friday of the month at 12:00 pm at the Faith Community Church.
 
On February 26th at 12:00 pm, the group will work on a project for our servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will be putting together care and goody packages for our military. They will also be writing thank you notes, letters of encouragement and get well cards which will be sent to our brave fellow Americans. Any donation of unused  note cards, greeting cards would be appreciated. Contact- jacqphil @aol.com for drop off locations. Over the holidays, several members sent over 500 cards to our guys and gals over overseas.
 
Helping Hands is a non-denominational group that meets once a month to better the lives of others through small projects. Anyone is welcome, membership is always open. There are no dues, officers or stress. For further information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

We hope that you will join us for a night out with your fellow neighbors and business owners from the 210 corridor. View and listen to the work of local artists while enjoying some wine, cheese, and desserts.

This is the first of several cultural events that we are working to plan for our area, so we hope you can attend to show support for future activities in the 210 area. 

Please feel free to share this invitation with any friends and neighbors you would like to see on Friday evening. There is no charge to attend. A special thanks to Regions Bank, who has graciously agreed to co-host this art & wine reception with the 210 Citizens' Alliance.