BoulderShares® was proud to host a very special Christmas celebration for 500 children in need from all over Haiti in December 2016!

Though it seems so long ago, the affects of the 2010 earthquake which devastated much of Haiti are still very fresh for the children and communities it affected. While most NGOs and aid agencies have moved on, many children in Haiti still live in extreme poverty as their parents and communities struggle to rebuid and recover economically. 

BoulderShares® wanted to give as many of these children as possible a day to simply enjoy being a kid. And so, in December 2016, with help from our partners and plenty of local Haitian and international BoulderShares® volunteers, nearly 500 children from earthquake-affected and displaced communities, including Leogane, Cite Soleil and Canaan were treated to a fun opportunity to celebrate Christmas, with the theme of sharing gifts, share care, sharing sport and sharing hope.

Each child received a healthy and nutritious meal (as well as a delicious dessert!), had the opportunity to pick out a present from Santa Claus, including jump ropes, board games, toy cars and dolls, and, thanks to our generous donors, each child also received a t-shirt, a sports sack and a Santa hat to take home. 

Throughout the day, the kids participated in a variety of sports and games, trying their hand at basketball, relay races, ping pong and even hula hooping. The day closed with a an acrobatic performance that had the kids on the edge of their seats and dancing and clapping along. All 500 kids left the event with a full belly, a smile on their face and a lasting memory.

Like all BoulderShares® events, our 2016 Christmas event was designed with a goal of being socially inclusive, and included all children, both boys and girls and both those with and without intellectual disabilities. BoulderShares® remains committed to including special needs youth in all of our programming.

A huge thank you to our friends at the Center for Sport and Hope Haiti (Le Centre Sport D’Espoir), and to all of our partners who came together to select children in need and provide food, sports, Christmas gifts and a wonderful memory for more than 500 children this year! 

Joyeux Noel and Bon Fet Nwel and Merry Christmas!