A Word from Jim Frankenfield

Let me introduce myself, my name is Jim Frankenfield, and I live in Souderton, PA. On January 12, 2010, I had the privilege of being in Haiti, along with 26 of my very close friends. We were about 55 miles from the earthquakes epicenter and about 12 miles from the town of Cotes de Fer, Haiti. Within 48 hours of the quake, a group of us went to the town of Cotes de Fer, where we found the entire town to either be fallen completely to the ground or damaged to the point that the buildings will have to be knocked down. We then went to the mountains on the east and west sides of Cotes De Fer where we found the 3,500 residents living in makeshift shelters. The damage to this town and the friendly faces of 3,500 residents who fled to the mountain for safety has impacted all of us to a degree that I am sure will most probably change our lifestyles forever. I was the one who took the picture which has become the profile picture for this project. If you look real closely under the blanket there is a 3- or 4-week old baby sleeping under his or her "blue house". This baby, unknown to him or her, has been a inspiration to me since I snapped this picture on January 14, 2010.
Now, more than ever, we need your help. With the help and diligence of a multitude of people, this "TENTS FOR HAITI Project" has been undertaken. Because of their work and perseverance, the 1st trailer load of shelter and food is almost ready to ship. On the trailer will be over 400 tents, 8,000 pounds of rice, 50 gallons of vegetable oil, 40 cases of dried milk, 5 gallon buckets, towels and blankets along with other life-sustaining medical supplies and food. We are still in need of blankets, hygiene supplies and other personal articles.
All logistical arrangements have been made for the shippment of the trailer to Haiti and it's transport to Cote De Fer, Haiti along with the safe and fair distribution of the trailer contents when it arrives in Cotes De Fer. All of this is certainly not without a financial burden.
The approximate cost for the shipment alone of this trailer, from Souderton, Pennsylvania to Cotes de Fer, Haiti will fall near the $7,000.00 mark. This figure does not include the contents of the trailer, much of which was purchased with your donated dollars.
A second trailer will be filled with other items after this first trailer is emptied in Cote De Fer and the people of that community will have tents for shelter and the rice for food.
I humbly ask you for your continued support in this cause, for your continued humanatarian efforts to help someone, someone whom you may never even meet while on this earth. I ask you to help the same little baby in the picture, the same little baby whose image I see when I close my eyes every night since January 14, 2010, the day when I took this picture.
All of the folks working on the TENTS FOR HAITI Project are people much like yourself. No one is being paid or is receiving any financial reward or payment of any kind for their efforts and I sincerely thank each and everyone of them for their untiring work.
I kindly and humbly ask that you continue to support this effort as we all go forward in this quest of relief for our Haitian friends. God bless you all.