Haiti Empowered, a nonprofit organization that operates schools and provides meals and healthcare to more than 2,500 children in Haiti, has launched a cross-country road tour called The Empowered Road. The initiative comes as the organization faces a significant budget shortfall that could force it to close a school and cut off vital services. The tour aims to share the mission in person and introduce a new generation of supporters to the children who depend on it.
The stakes are high. More than half of Haiti's population now faces acute hunger, with over 1.8 million people in the emergency phase. An estimated 253,725 young children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition over the coming year, and one in seven Haitian children is already out of school, with nearly a million more at risk of dropping out. For the children who attend Haiti Empowered schools, the classroom is more than a place to learn; it is where they eat, receive healthcare, and find safety.
Last year, one of those schools was on the verge of closing when Haiti Empowered fell behind budget. The organization partnered with Creative Studio Productions, an Eagan-based creative agency, to build a campaign called Adopt a Box. The campaign allowed supporters to donate at levels from $25 to $1,000, and it was integrated with Haiti Empowered's donor system. In thirty days, the campaign raised $42,000, surpassing its $40,000 goal. The budget was caught up, the school remained open, and the children continued to receive meals and education.
Now, the gap is back and larger. Rising costs for food, fuel, medical supplies, transportation, and wages for the Haitian team have added $150,000 to this year's budget. The organization is feeding children on credit. The problem is compounded by the loss of mission trips, which for years brought new supporters to Haiti. When COVID-19 halted those trips, the pipeline of new sponsors and advocates largely disappeared. Child sponsorship, once about 75 percent of income, is now closer to 47 percent.
Kay Larson, president of Haiti Empowered, is leading The Empowered Road to bridge that gap. "If people cannot come to Haiti, I will bring Haiti's story to them," she said. The tour is a cross-country journey to share the mission in person and connect with churches, businesses, foundations, and community groups. The goal is to find new partners who can help sustain the work.
Supporters can help by introducing Haiti Empowered to someone by email, connecting them with their church or business, or requesting a meeting or gathering through haitiempowered.org. Referrals can also be sent to info@haitiempowered.org. One introduction can become a relationship, and one relationship can help keep schools open for years to come.
The launch of The Empowered Road highlights the critical role of personal connections in sustaining nonprofit work. With mission trips still stalled, Haiti Empowered is betting that a nationwide tour can rebuild the network of supporters it needs to keep feeding, teaching, and caring for Haiti's children. The alternative—closing a school and sending children home to a country where home often has nothing to offer—is unthinkable for Larson and her team. As she put it, "I can honestly say I don't know that we would still be existing if it wasn't for them." Now, the organization hopes to find many more "them" on the road.
