In the news, again!

Some of the deaf students from St. Vincent’s Center for Handicapped Children

School & Medical Facility prior to the earthquake on January 12, 2010

The partners: Randa El gayar, Sally Carlson, Sadoni Leon

(Director of St. Vincent’s), Tom Landry II, Kathy Korge Albergate, Scott Albergate,

Sonya Yencer at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church–Lakeview

St. Vincent's Center for Handicapped Children School & Medical Facility

before the earthquake on January 12, 2010

The same building after the earthquake on January 12, 2010

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We are excited to share this great news with our loyal friends, volunteers and donors. Late last week, the following press release went out to approximately 2,500 Episcopal churches across the United States as well as local media in Washington state and Louisiana.

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CONTACT

The Rev. Dr. Scott P. Albergate

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church-Lakeview

225.615.0065

The Rt. Rev. Morris K. Thompson, Jr.

Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana

504.895.2401

Kathy Korge Albergate, President

The Red Thread Promise

817.320.6522

Date: Sept. 23, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HELP FOR HAITI: DIOCESES AND THE RED THREAD PROMISE

RALLY TO REBUILD SPECIAL NEEDS FACILITY

New Orleans, LA — It’s been nine months since the devastating earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. But the physical and psychological rubble left by the natural disaster lingers for some of the country’s most needy; namely the young people who rely on the St. Vincent’s Center for Handicapped Children School & Medical Facility.

To support the children and restore their hope and dignity, the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, Seattle, the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, New Orleans, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – Lakeview, New Orleans, announced a new partnership with The Red Thread Promise, a 501(c)(3) organization based in New Orleans.

Together with interior architects Tom Landry, II (New Orleans) and Randa El gayar (Montreal), who are experts in sustainable building practices, these organizations have combined their compassion for children with their talents and resources to rebuild the much-needed facility.

“St. Vincent’s is the center of these children’s lives,” says Kathy Korge Albergate, president of The Red Thread Promise. “It’s where they flourish and where they learn to take care of themselves, including acquiring skills to become productive members of society.”

Prior to the earthquake, St. Vincent’s served approximately 250 children with special needs, including the hearing- and sight-impaired. The former facility housed classrooms; general, dental, eye and audiology clinics; surgery and recovery rooms; a pharmacy; a prosthetic and orthotic workshop; kitchen; cafeteria; dormitories; administrative offices; and guest quarters.

Only three rooms of the original structure remain, so the team will work closely with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti as well as St. Vincent’s engineers and architects to finalize plans for the new facility. Guided by best practices in accessibility, safety and sustainability, the new facility will be constructed to be both hurricane and earthquake resistant.

“Building a facility to help the children is our number one priority,” says The Rt. Rev. Morris K. Thompson of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana. “But we also want to do it in a way that leverages the lessons we learned from Hurricane Katrina while also incorporating the latest in sustainability practices.”

The partners have been raising both funds and awareness for the rebuilding and refurnishing project. They’ve also funded a full shipping container of all-terrain wheelchairs and medical equipment, including scales, instrument sanitizers, canes, crutches, blood pressure cuffs, cast cutters, typewriters and other medical supplies needed for the new St. Vincent’s medical facility.

“St. Paul’s has been blessed by the friendship developed with the Diocese of Olympia over the past 5 years since Hurricane Katrina. This project is the ideal opportunity for St. Paul’s to continue nurturing this relationship while making a positive impact on the lives of these most vulnerable children in Haiti” states The Rev. Dr. Scott P. Albergate, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church-Lakeview, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Giving and other information can be found at www.redthreadpromise.org or by emailing Kathy@redthreadpromise.org.

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