Haitian Relief Services

Founded in 1997, Haitian Relief Services (HRS) has spent nearly three decades walking alongside communities in Haiti with consistency, humility, and faith. What began as a response to need has grown into a sustained commitment to education, healthcare, and safe housing for some of Haiti’s most vulnerable children and families.

HRS is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in River Falls, Wisconsin. Operated entirely by volunteers, the organization ensures that donations go directly to programs in Haiti. Our longevity is rooted in relationships, accountability, and a deep belief that lasting change happens through steady, faithful partnership.

Events

Our Mission

Haitian Relief Services exists to enhance the quality of life for the people of Haiti, beginning in the Ganthier region. We focus on practical, community-based solutions that create opportunity, restore dignity, and build hope for the future.

For nearly 30 years, donors have trusted Haitian Relief Services because of our transparency, personal connections on the ground, and our unwavering dedication to the people we serve.

Why Our Work Matters

Haiti continues to face political instability, economic hardship, and limited access to essential services. In the midst of uncertainty, Haitian Relief Services remains a steady presence. We believe that education opens doors, healthcare saves lives, and safe housing protects the most vulnerable.

Our commitment is not short-term. It is generational.

Our Impact

Ezekiel Village

In 2002, Ezekiel Lutheran Church, working in cooperation with six additional River Falls, Wisconsin churches and the nonprofit, Food For the Poor, led a project to fund twenty five houses and the associated bathrooms in Ganthier, Haiti. The project was funded by donations and the houses were completed and dedicated as “Ezekiel Village” in 2004. Donations were collected locally and funds were transferred using the nonprofit status of Food For the Poor. All construction design, engineering and labor for Ezekiel Village was provided by local Haitian people. The well-constructed buildings were undamaged in the 2010 earthquake and the 2016 Hurricane Matthew.

Ganthier School

In 2006 the River Falls churches, again led by Ezekiel, began a project to build a 650 student elementary school - high school in Ganthier. The first floor was built processing all donations and fund transfers through the nonprofit Food For the Poor, and was completed and in 2008. The second floor was completed and the school was dedicated in 2010. All donations and fund transfers for the second floor were processed through the nonprofit status of HRS. All construction design, engineering and labor for the school was provided by local Haitian people. The well-constructed building was undamaged in the 2010 earthquake and the 2016 Hurricane Matthew.

Ezekiel Village Water Cistern

A 12,000 gallon water cistern was constructed, in cooperation with the United Nations, for the people of Ezekiel Village in 2010. Drought conditions in Ganthier have made the availability of water problematic, but a project is underway to connect this cistern to a more reliable source of water.

Pillowcase Dress Project

On our September, 2015 trip to Haiti, we brought along 300 lbs. of clothing to distribute at two schools, one in Ganthier and the other in Gressier. The clothing was sewn in the Pillowcase Dress and T-shirt Shorts project, led by women of Ezekiel Lutheran Church, with contributions from our community and four additional communities. In 2016 this project produced 400 lbs. of clothing that was distributed in December to the same two schools. This project is a good example of how our community has supported the work of HRS in Haiti. Fr. Emmanuel Sainteliat is the priest in the Gressier parish. He was the parish priest in Ganthier when we built the school there, so we know him well. The 2010 earthquake devastated the Gressier parish and he was moved to that parish to lead its rebuilding. While our first commitment is to Ganthier, we try to help the Gressier school when we have sufficient funds to do so.

Hurricane Matthew Relief

The October 2016 Hurricane Matthew devastated the Gressier, Haiti parish. Because of our relationship with Fr. Emmanuel Sainteliat, we responded to the hurricane by raising and sending $15,350 to Gressier. These funds were used to purchase emergency food and home repair construction materials.

Galette Chambon Orphanage

The need for orphanages in Haiti was increased by the devastating earthquake of 2010. In 2018 Haitian Relief Services, with funding from the Servite Sisters (Servants of Mary of Ladysmith, Wisconsin), Ezekiel Lutheran Church and the River Falls community, funded the construction and furnishing of an orphanage in Galette Chambon, Haiti. The orphanage was completed in 2019. The facility has beds for 14 boys and 14 girls. The children attend the local school and receive an education.

Galette Chambon Health Center

The need for Health Centers in rural Haiti, where travel is difficult, is particularly critical. A local health center can provide education and treatment that is quickly available for everyday medical emergencies. In November of 2020 Haitian Relief Services, with funding from the Servite Sisters (Servants of Mary of Ladysmith, Wisconsin), Ezekiel Lutheran Church and the River Falls, Wisconsin community, began the construction of a Health Center in Galette Chambon Village of Ganthier Commune, Haiti. The Health Center was constructed as a second floor to the orphanage that was completed in 2019. Electrical power for the health center and the orphanage is provided by a solar panel system located on the roof of the two-story building. The two photographs below show the completed Orphanage (1st floor) - Health Center (2nd floor) building, and the solar panel system located on the second-floor roof. In the future we hope to add many more photographs of the Orphanage – Health Center project, but the sociopolitical unrest in addition to COVID has made travel to Haiti impossible for us for the past two years.

Clean Oil Farming

At this time, HRS energy is focused on fund raising in three areas: financial support of (1) the school constructed in Ganthier Village, (2) the orphanage and (3) the health center constructed in Galette Chambon Village, all of Ganthier Commune, Haiti.

Future considerations include the development of an economic base in the Ganthier area. A proposal for a clean-oil farming plan, “A GROWIN Project to Develop the Economy of Ganthier, Haiti”, has been developed and is described in the “GROWIN Proposal”. This farming plan, if funded, would have a very favorable, sustainable, and long-term impact on the economy in Haiti. The project would begin in the Ganthier area, but in the long term would produce resources enabling its continued expansion outward from Ganthier. We envision this project to be developed in a farming cooperative model so that ownership would reside with the local Haitian farmers. Donors of means, who are looking to “help the less fortunate” rather than “invest for personal gain” are invited to donate to get this project going.

Download GROWIN Proposal

Contacts

Donate

We offer 3 method for donation: