Two year old quake survivor Sarafina with Pierre Leroy, HPSP founder, January 2011. HPSP is helping Sarafina get a prosthetic device.

The Haitian People’s Support Project, founded in Woodstock, New York by Pierre and Terry Leroy in 1990, is a not-for–profit, humanitarian organization dedicated to helping the people of Haiti by supporting existing grassroots, community based projects. Our mission is to inspire and enable the poorest strata of the Haitian population to have a productive future, to help protect basic human rights and to allow them to make a difference in their country’s destiny.  We are guided by the vision of promoting self-sufficiency and independence.

We believe Haiti’s future lies in sustainable living projects springing up throughout the country with people in charge of their lives.  Decentralization, education, farming, local industry, reforestation and cooperatives offer the potential for dignity and change.

HPSP supports sustainable living, nutritional and educational programs in farming communities, orphanages, schools and temporary shelters throughout Haiti.  Our new historic reforestation project in Bois Neuf will help reforest Haiti and combat malnutrition.  HPSP will continue to give support to our many existing projects as we move forward in a new direction, with new hope.

We believe a little organization can make a big difference (please visit our PROJECTS).

We believe Haiti’s future lies in sustainable living projects springing up throughout the country with people in charge of their lives. Decentralization, education, farming, local industry and cooperatives offer the potential for dignity and change.

BACKGROUND

The Haitian People’s Support Project was founded in 1990 in Woodstock, New York as a not for profit charitable organization, dedicated to helping the people of Haiti by supporting existing grassroots, community based projects. HPSP is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, not for profit, charitable organization.

Who We Are, A Closer Look at Some Board Members

HPSP’s Cofounder and President, Pierre Leroy, was born in Haiti to a position of relative privilege. During the repressive Duvalier era, Pierre, at the time a university student, was forced to leave his beloved homeland. He immigrated to the United States in 1961. As part of the Haitian diaspora, he has never forgotten his country, especially the plight of the poor. Over the years he taught French, Spanish, and English as a Second Language in public schools in Rockland and Ulster Counties, in New York State. Now retired for several years all his energy is devoted to HPSP. Pierre stays extensively in Haiti every year, visiting and living in our projects.

Terry Leroy, along with her husband Pierre, cofounded HPSP in 
December 1990. She serves as Treasurer. Terry is retired from a teaching career with the Kingston School District in upstate New York. As a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader employed by both her district and New York University, she oversaw the professional development of reading teachers in four counties, 40 buildings and 13 school districts.

Bob Hausman is a long-term board member. He is a licensed psychologist and oversees the Woodstock Therapy Center. He is also on the board of the R&R Foundation which was created by the Hausman family many years ago. R&R provides funding to deserving projects such as Habitat for Humanity and HPSP. Since 12 members of the Hausman family, under R&R’s umbrella, travelled to Haiti in 1999 to do construction work for a week at Maison d’Espoir orphanage, their hearts were stolen by the simplicity and goodness of the children there. Bob has remained on our board ever since and is now joined by his daughter Julia.

New board member and head of HPSP’s medical team licensed pediatrician, Dr. Sue Cardona is a native New Yorker who moved to Woodstock about 4 years ago. We met Sue shortly after the earthquake when she headed up our first medical team trip to Haiti. Sue describes herself as a “Busy doctor and serious photographer, wishing for more time in Haiti and for artistic endeavors! Most recently participated in medical relief efforts in Haiti, with Project Medishare, HaitiClinic, and HPSP. My past experience in tropical medicine in Guyana, a medical visit to Cuba with Global Exchange, and prior visits to Haiti, have fueled my desire to try to balance work here at home and in the international community. I believe we have the responsibility to reach across geographic borders and bond with other cultures in both humanitarian and social efforts. Medicine and photography afford me an opportunity not only to participate, but a chance to help raise awareness and effect changes.”

Ezra Huleatt first went to Haiti when he was 18 years old and ended up staying for a year. Upon his return, he linked up with HPSP and spent a majority of the following years assisting us on our projects throughout Haiti. He then pursued college, a music career, and now is set to begin medical school with the goal of someday returning to Haiti as a doctor. On at least one third of the trips Pierre takes to Haiti, Ezra is there.