Quite a few of you have asked for an update on the Haiti Earthquake and what we can do to help as a tiny house community. I have a couple of posts in the works and this is the first one. Sam from the Colorado Yurt Company gave me an update on their project and I will let Sam explain it more in detail.
When the earthquake hit Haiti five weeks ago we, like much of the world, wondered what we could do. It was a relief when we found a small way to help by donating tents made in our shop. After I wrote about the experience of sending five tents down with a group of doctors, I was amazed to find that you too wanted to help in our efforts.
We finally found a way to get more tents to Haiti efficiently and to make your donations tax-deductible. We’ve partnered with an organization called Fireside International. They were operating in Haiti before the earthquake and have a wide network of friends down there.
- How You Can Help – Donate to Fireside International and earmark the funds for Colorado Yurt Tents by emailing arrenner@firesideinternational.org, the accountant at Fireside. Checks can be sent to: The Caribbean Institute of Media Technologies, 3203 Grassy Lane, Anderson, IN 46012. Earmark by writing Colorado Yurt Tents in the memo section of your check. $420 will buy a tent. Donate more or less as you can afford.
- What Colorado Yurt Will Do – We’ll make eight tents at a time which maximizes the efficiency of our materials and production. The tents would normally retail for $650. The difference represents our donation.
- What Fireside International Will Do – Connect the tents with experienced aid workers who will hand-deliver them to Haitians in need.
As the quake gets further away, aid into Haiti is dropping off but need is actually increacing. Haiti is a mere two weeks away from its rainy season. This means not only that over a million newly displaced Haitians will be exposed to the elements but also that they will face increased risk of contracting disease. You don’t need me to tell you how bad it is down there.
What we’re doing is modest but, we think, worth it. Your donation will buy something real (a tent) and a family will have a place to stay for as long as they need. The tents are about 7ft by 7ft by 7ft tall at the highest point. They are made with care and constructed from high quality, waterproof materials.
We are paying our employees their normal wages so your donation also goes to support local, USA business.
Thank you for your help,
Sam Kigar
sam@coloradoyurt.com
(970) 240-2111
Being a (hopefully) temporary situation, I’m wondering if cheap mass produced tents might not be a more cost effective solution?
what makes you think its temporary? These people were so poor before the earth quake that their diet was filled out by eating dirt. no one has money for building supplies, sure they can use ruble from fallen down structures that were substandard before they collapsed.There is very little wood there,most is being used to cook with, which deforested the land, all the soil washed away making it difficult to grow food.
I had a store bought tent set up for the summer once and it desinagrated after one season, mostly from damage from the sun, and I wasn’t even living in it, opening and closing zippers and walking all over the floor.
I’m not sure why my last comment was deleted…
I plan on sending a check and I just wanted to challenge others, that’s all.
Thank you to CYC!
I wanted to tell you that I accidentally deleted the post and had to repost it. I lost the comments when that happened. I would be happy if you would repost your comment. Thank you!
Sure Kent- no worries!
I was just saying that I think I can pay for one-quarter of a tent and I was sending out a request for three others who can do likewise!
Who will join me?
The Haitian people has my condoloences. The recent earthquake was a tragedy.