Welcome
Headwaters is a disaster relief collaboration of volunteers that supports both the emotional and housing rehabilitation needs of families and communities ravaged by disaster. Headwaters is a non-profit organization that is driven exclusively through the services of community volunteers, donations of materials and monetary contributions. We respond to disasters across the country through collaborations with affiliated resource teams and bring together skilled tradespeople, mental health professionals and volunteer workers in the rebuilding effort. Based in the Minneapolis, MN area, Headwaters affiliates with other relief groups around the country and coordinates their efforts and ours to more effectively address needs in disaster situations.
Headwaters mission is to react with agility and compassion when disasters strike through practical aid, physical recovery assistance and mental health support to victims after the first responders have come and gone. Our experience has shown us that needs in ravaged communities go beyond physical rebuilding. Headwaters dual approach uses mental health professionals along with our rebuilding volunteers and coordinates with local social service agencies.
Headwaters relies exclusively on the donation of tools and materials, monetary contributions and the labors of our volunteers. Unlike most non-profit organizations, we have no paid staff. All donations are used in the relief effort. To date we have more than 400 volunteers from around the country and beyond who have provided many thousands of hours in relief efforts. Material and monetary donations are also significant from a long list of businesses and individuals. Of course, we could use more since the need often seems unending.
From The Headwater's Haiti Team
To Our Headwaters Supporters and Volunteers:
The people of Haiti are still in crisis. Months after the devastating earthquake of January 12th that left hundreds of thousands dead and over a million people homeless, the Haitian people are still suffering.
In response to the Haiti disaster, we are taking twelve volunteers to Haiti on July 17 through July 23, 2010 as part of the ACTS World Relief Effort. We will be providing support to children and staff at several orphanages. ACTS, a faith based organization, has been sending teams to Haiti since the disaster.
Our team will stay in secure facilities provided by ACT. The cost to stay in the ACT facility is $495.00 per person. Each volunteer is paying for their volunteer experience including a significant additional cost for the airfare to Haiti. We hope that through our fundraising efforts we can defray the cost of the trip for the volunteers.
As our planning with ACT and their other partners has unfolded, we have been asked to undertake development of a training guide to be used with Haitian volunteers. This means that we may make more than one trip to Haiti. If you are interested in a future trip, please contact us.
We are asking our friends, families, church members, past volunteers and other community members to support us in this effort by making cash contributions. Your contributions will go directly to the volunteers who are making the trip.
Headwaters Relief Organization has been providing disaster relief since November 2005 when our volunteers traveled to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Since then we have provided mental health support, clean-up and re-building assistance to people in New Orleans, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, southeastern Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota.
Please consider a tax deductible donation to Headwaters Relief Organization. You may do so on our web site.
Join us in this important work, bringing support to Haiti.
Your support will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
The Headwater's Haiti Team
