Kew Gardens Haiti Fundraiser at Mood - 2/25 - TONIGHT!!!

It is not often that there is a social gathering which has the possibility to literally change and save peoples lives happening in Kew Gardens. Tonight will be one of those rare occasions. I am sure that many of the readers of this blog know that I have a history working with Haiti, and possibly even that I consider my first trip there in 1998 as the real catalyst to all that I have done in my life since then with international relations and global development issues. Now that this disaster has struck, it has made an almost intolerable situation a desperate and deadly one. These people are in more need now for our help than ever! 


We have already sent one team down who hosted a week long medical clinic and saw countless patients, found and registered the mission students from our school, and since then we have created a main distribution point for the local community to receive medical attention, water and shelter. 


When our team arrives on February 28, we will be kicking off a major food, water, medical clinic and supply distribution as well as working to secure a new building for the school to be housed either temporarily or permanently so we can get these children, who are sitting in the streets day after day with no food or activities, back into school as soon as possible. We will also be doing daily activities with the children with arts and crafts to get some smiles back on their faces. 


We ask that ALL of you, please call your friends and family and get everyone out to Mood tonight for a fundraiser that will benefit this amazing country that is in desperate need right now. Put your snow boots on and come out starting at 9pm for live music and raffles and juts a great party! See more info below. 

Event: Mood Restaurant and Lounge will sponsor a Kew Gardens HAITIAN RECOVERY FUNDRAISER 

Date: Thursday, February 25, 2010, 9pm-midnight

In the spirit of Edeyo, a Haitian-Creole word which means “Help Them” Mood Restaurant and Lounge (120-29 83^rd Avenue, Kew Gardens) will sponsor a Kew Gardens HAITIAN RECOVERY FUNDRAISER on Thursday, February 25^th. From 9:00pm-midnight, the kitchen will be closed; the bar open and the restaurant will be full of music, the sounds of friends enjoying $3 and $5 drink specials and a fabulous raffle! The performers; singers, songwriters, guitar instrumentalists and a three piece musical group have all appeared in several Queens and Manhattan venues and are favorites in the Kew Gardens area. The evening’s music will range from folk, to rock, to jazz and will include performances by Melissa Jillian Corona, Bobby Day, Peter Hack, Erin Lee Kelly, Stacee Mandeville and Howie Sydell. There will be a $20 donation at the door and 100% of the evening’s substantial proceeds will go directly to the Edeyo Foundation.

The Edeyo Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in Haiti. In 2007, Edeyo opened the doors of its newly-renovated school in Bel Air, one of the poorest shantytowns of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince to its first group of students. Within months, it was providing free education and a daily meal to 300 girls and boys. The 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 destroyed Edeyo’s school. All of the teachers have been accounted for but efforts continue to find unaccounted for children and their families. Edeyo is now working to rebuild and find ways to support the children and their families and as they do so; to continue--and improve--their educational programs; and to introduce mental health programs to help these families cope with the trauma they have experienced.

On February 2 and 28, Edeyo will send crews to Bel Air (the first non-profit aid group to arrive there) to do immediate assessment, offer support, rebuild the school and deliver monetary donations and supplies. These two crews will include Kevin Jamison and Mandy Gor from Kew Gardens (we are very proud of them!). For more information, please visit www.edeyo.org

We will also be participating in the “Phones for Haiti” cell phone recycling initiative during the fundraiser. If you donate your old cell phones at the bar, they will be mailed to Recellular and they will contribute the total value of the phone to benefit the American Red Cross. Thanks in advance!

In the spirit of EDEYO we hope that you will respond to your desire to help and will join us at the Kew Gardens HAITI RECOVERY FUNDRAISER on February 25^th.

For more information please call mood at (718) 849-mood.