Before the entire world’s eyes were on Haiti, one Mountlake Terrace High School student set out on a mission to help those in the country. “Simply Haiti” is the senior project of Alex Herbig of Mountlake Terrace. Two days before the magntitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, Alex launched his Simply Haiti project. Two days before the entire world poured out support, two days before you could text a donation, two days before any of that.

Though his project was birthed only this past week, the idea had it’s beginnings in April of 2008. Twenty months ago the pastor of Brookview Community Church, Jason Huguenin, took a team of 12 church members to Haiti and came in to contact with an organization called “Jesus in Haiti.” “Jesus in Haiti” had a church, a school and had just started an orphanage. The organization works with people who spend there day at the garbage dump, hoping to find some food. The organization desperately needed financial assistance and upon returning from the trip, Brookview Community Church committed to help finance the organization. Brookview Community Church is a church of around 100 people and for over a year they have provided $700-$1,000 a month for “Jesus in Haiti.” The organization is now able to fed over 100 kids every day

Seeing the church sacrifice to help others was the inspiration behind Alex’s Simply Haiti project.

Relief was desperately needed before, now it is shouting to the world.

Alex is trying to raise enough money to feed the people at the garbage dump for an entire year as well as help out with much needed disaster relief.

One way Alex is hoping to raise funds is called Simple Week. The Simply Haiti project is challenging people to eat only rice, beans and water for a week, February 1st through 5th, and donate the money you would save to the Simply Haiti project.

At the end of this week, on February 6th at 6:30 PM, Simply Haiti is hosting a dinner at Mountlake Terrace High School. A common Haitian dinner of rice, beans and water will be served and they will talk about ways to help those in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti. There is a $5 entry fee for the dinner.

You can learn more, RSVP for the dinner, download flyers for the dinner and even donate online at the Simply Haiti web site.