The people of Haiti, and its future generations, are facing threats that feel existential. Weathering what the United Nations calls “one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises,” Haiti is battling deep economic distress, political uncertainty, and escalating gang violence.
By honoring a legacy of sustained support and diverse solutions in Haiti, Greater Good Charities is intent on helping, however possible, strengthen the resilience and hope of the people of Haiti for decades to come.
Where the crisis stands
A string of natural disasters over the last two decades has left Haiti reeling: major tropical storms hit the island in 2004 and 2008, a catastrophic earthquake caused devastation in 2010, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in 2016, and major earthquakes struck again in 2018 and, most recently, 2021.
Some six million of Haiti’s 11.2 million people will need humanitarian assistance this year, and current reports show that malnutrition in children is rising sharply during these crises, as half of Haiti’s population simply isn’t getting enough to eat.
Today, armed groups control large swaths of Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital and most populated city. Nearly 1.4 million people—12% of Haiti’s population—have been forced to flee their homes during the violence, losing access to food, water, healthcare, and education services.
The people of Haiti, and the generations that follow, deserve consistent attention and intentional support now more than ever.
2021’s devastating earthquake: How we responded
In August of 2021, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti. Thousands were killed, and more than 130,000 buildings were destroyed. With massive immediate need, and nearly a million people requiring support across affected areas, our teams got to work.
Through a network of collaboration—with partners and donors from around the world, as well as local organizations—we helped provide more than half a million meals to children and families in the immediate aftermath.
Working thoughtfully and strategically, Greater Good Charities implemented a plan of action that flew in temporary building materials to address the crisis in lack of shelter, while at the same time distributing needed shoes, clothing, and tarps.
With the help of locals to distribute materials, we were able to contribute to the need for employment and community income in the earthquake aftermath. Because of existing partnerships that Greater Good Charities had in place prior to the devastation in 2021, we were able to move quickly, adapt to challenges, and provide timely aid to the people who needed it most.
But as support for Haiti has shown, the churn of the global news cycle can divert people’s attention and generosity to other pressing needs around the world.
A systematic approach to support in Haiti
Greater Good Charities’ presence in Haiti has been a years-long reality. Our work in education led to a 2014 partnership with multi-platinum recording artists Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo to launch The Other Side Campaign, in partnership with the Klintworth Family Foundation and GreaterGood.com. Supporting continued education for children in Haiti, Derulo, who is Haitian American, committed to helping us provide funding for teachers, training, and school supplies.
On La Gonâve island, donor support helped fund and equip the Matènwa Community Learning Center (LKM) with their first-ever complete secondary school. They’ve now seen multiple Freshman-to-Graduating classes—and boast a 92% passing average on Haiti’s national exam, over double the national average.
Greater Good Charities couldn’t argue for this impact better than one recent graduate: “Education can change people’s lives. . . Education is the basis of development.”
In Croix-des-Bouquets, we partnered with Institut Ediline, where years of donor support has brought funds and resources to students, covering tuition costs, providing uniforms, and emphasizing the importance of female-led classrooms and educational experiences.
Over more than a decade, Greater Good Charities has shown in Haiti that diversified growth can generate sustained progress. Our donors have supported maternity healthcare funding, clean water filtration initiatives, well-building, footwear distribution, access to prosthetics, and toy drives, among other channels.
Learning and the need for nourishment
Understanding that students need nourishment to learn, our work combatting malnutrition in Haiti led to partnerships that distributed high-calorie, shelf-stable food goods—Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods or RUTFs—to children, families, and communities in need. Programs like this often lay foundational groundwork for future disaster response and aid distribution.
Through our partnerships with local nonprofits, that presence has sought innovative ways to combat food insecurity at every single stage of the natural disaster cycle. For places like Haiti—waging multiple disaster relief fronts—this sustained support is crucial. We’ve continued to focus on a key area of impact for Haiti, and its future generations: animal-based protein and nutrition.
As relief efforts and supply distribution in Haiti have correctly identified the need for animal-based proteins to combat malnutrition, NGOs distributing these supplies can often, inadvertently, cut out local farmers and limit community incomes. In response to this need, Greater Good Charities provided 180 egg-laying hens across dozens of farms, along with necessary training and equipment. Communities were given the capacity to generate thousands of eggs every day—and the potential to provide for their children at local schools or through income from the marketplace.
Students continued receiving healthy school meals. The surrounding community was provided with nutrients and an additional source of income, and many children were able to learn the skills necessary to grow food for their families throughout the year. To date, more than a million eggs have been distributed to thousands of kids, providing them with a nutritious breakfast at school every day, and profoundly impacting their ability to learn and grow.
Why your support matters
With competing global crises and attention on other emergencies, Haiti’s requirements are under-resourced. Haiti’s humanitarian appeal—despite the scale of need—is one of the least funded crises in the world. Last year, Haiti received only 24% of the targeted donor-supported aid for the nation. In August of 2025, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres decried the fact that Haiti is still “shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded.”
When you support Haiti, you are contributing to a lifeline for millions. Donor funding for the people of Haiti doesn’t just help save lives in an immediate sense; it aids in the long-term stabilization of communities wrought by natural disaster, displacement, and violence.