Roy Jones’ catastrophic fall while picking apples in a Peru, NY orchard was the catalyst for the mission project. In the beginning, the focus was largely on the Jamaican, who was left paraplegic from the fall, but the Mission has since grown into much, much more.
Harriet Burrell, Co-Coordinator of the Mission was honored by Sunrise Rotary in 2014 with Paul Harris Fellows Award for Service Above Self.
Sunrise Rotary provides financial support for an educational program for early education for children 3-5 years of age. Funds also help the Evon Grant Basic school purchase textbooks and other needs. In addition, Sunrise Rotary donates funds in support of the New Hope Orphanage and for purchasing materials for home shelter.
In addition to financial aid, numerous Sunrise Rotarians have participated in mission trips to Jamaica.
Sunrise Rotary Contacts: Tom Defayette, Kathy Eppler, Victoria Duley
February 2019 was the first time in twenty years that the North Country Mission of Hope was not fielding a humanitarian-aid trip to Nicaragua. Even though the Mission has currently suspended trips for local volunteers, the Mission, with the cooperation of its in country sister NGO, continues efforts in Nicaragua with educational sponsorships, building shelters, maintaining a health clinic in country and many more of the projects that have been established over the last 20+ years.
The Mission of Hope’s assistance is felt around the world – not just in Nicaragua. In 2018 alone, Mission of Hope helped victims suffering from the aftermath of Volcano del Fuego in Guatemala, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas and Hurricane Michael in Florida. In addition, the Mission of Hope has assisted in providing equipment for a clinic in Africa and is finding ways to provide basic needs for those waiting at the U.S. border with Mexico for refugee status.
Sunrise Rotary’s financial contribution to the Mission of Hope is to assist in their on-going efforts to provide healthcare services and community development for those in need.
Sunrise Rotary Contact: Kathy Eppler
ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and other aid items to families around the world who have lost their homes to disaster or conflict.
In 2018 the Plattsburgh Sunrise Rotary Club embarked on a second fundraiser for ShelterBox that has benefits that reach as far as the remote West Lunga Forest, an African miombo woodland forest preserve in the northwest region of Zambia. But the benefits won't only be felt in Africa, they will also fund another ShelterBox that will eventually be shipped to a disaster zone somewhere in the world to save a family coping with the loss of their home.
Club members will sell bottles of African Bronze Honey harvested by farmers in that region of Zambia. A portion of the cost of each bottle is set aside to train and equip more Zambians in how to harvest honey — supporting entrepreneurship and beekeeping in Africa.
Sunrise Rotary Contact: Tom Defayette
