Wednesday, January 13, 2010

HEROES 4 HAITI

HELLO EVERYONE,

I have always wanted to start my own blog, but being so busy has always given me an excuse to push it aside. I guess you could say its sad how it always takes a tragedy to bring upon action and that’s my motivation to begin Here, Today, Now!

As many of you know I work on Heroes as the Key Makeup Artist, and over a period of four years my heart has grown rather fond of my actors, coworkers, and the show itself as well.

I sometimes spend sixteen hours a day with all of these people, sometimes even 6 days a week. Yes, it can be grueling at times, but these people also become your second family and when one of us suffers, we all do and it becomes our responsibility to gather together and do what we can to get each other through the worst of times.

Heroes has been that family for me and many of my actors I work closely with.

One very dear to my heart has just suffered a great tragedy and yes; I am talking about Jimmy Jean Louis!

Jimmy as you may or may not know was born and raised in Haiti. Below I will let you read about him & his commitment to Haiti:

Jimmy Jean Louis founded Hollywood Unites For Haiti in 2008 as a means of helping the people of his beloved native land Haiti.

Born in Petion-Ville, Haiti, Jimmy left the country as a young man to pursue a successful international career in television and film acting, but he never lost his feeling of connection and empathy for the daily struggles of his countrymen in Haiti, who are suffering from poverty, disease, and natural disasters.

As a lifelong sportsman and semi-professional soccer player, Jimmy saw athletics as a means of helping poor Haitian children rise above their circumstances, learn about health and team play, and become role models for their communities. He arranged for donations from his Hollywood soccer club (including money and equipment) to be sent to Haiti and distributed by local clubs for use by kids.

In subsequent trips to Haiti, Jimmy has brought various entertainment and political celebrities with him to tour the country and see both its beauty and tremendous challenges. It is his hope that he can use his influence to improve the lives of everyday Haitians and bring worldwide attention to their plight.

Jimmy spends much of his time with these children and aiding his country through its very poor crisis. His love for Haiti is very dear to his heart. This is a Country where there is very little money, food and very unsafe surroundings. Many diseases and weak healthcare.

On Tuesday, January 12th, 2010, a powerful earthquake hit the coast of Haiti, in Caribbean Island, before 5 p.m. Eastern time. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said on its website that a magnitude 7.0 quake struck about 10 miles from the nation’s capital Port-au-Prince, causing widespread damage and panic with the potential for a high number of casualties in the impoverished Caribbean country. There were five aftershocks — the worst two were 5.9 and 5.2 magnitude — that followed in the last hour, and more were expected.

The earthquake has destroyed what little this country has built and what little it has had to survive. Jimmy's world, like many others collapsed that evening. Not only is his work buried beneath the rubble, but he is also unable to contact or locate any of his family members. Jimmy's Mother, Father, and much of his family still live there. All his work, help, time, & dedication to these people is now tragically lost and Haiti doesn't have the means to aide those who were lucky enough to survive.

I have been to one of Jimmy's functions and watched him be awarded for all the good he does for Haiti and its children. He is a great humanitarian, Father, Husband, Actor and all around wonderful human being.

Haiti & its people need our help urgently to start aiding and rebuilding!

Please, there are so many things that you as an individual can do to be your own "HERO" in your own hometown right now! Gather any clothes you may have to give away, canned foods, water, anything! Even a dollar can go so far.

We must help those in need!

Below you will find a link to Jimmy Jean Louis's Website and a list of other organizations where you can take your goods, make a donation, or just lend a helping hand.

I thank you and Jimmy thanks you.

Together we can all make a difference!

Sincerely, Wendi


42 comments:

  1. Great job Wendi! I donated this afternoon to Hollywood Unites for Haiti.

    My prayers are with Jimmy and all the people in Haiti.

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  2. Wendi, thank you so much for posting all the information about how we can help the people of Haiti. You guys at "Heroes" have become family to the fans as well; please let Jimmy know we're all keeping him, his family, and his homeland in our thoughts and prayers and we'll be doing what we can to help out.

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  3. Thanks for the post -- I love how people are reaching out. Heroes MUSH (an online game about Heroes) is doing what we can to help HUFH here: http://www.firstgiving.com/beahero-haiti

    Every little bit counts!

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  4. Being broke, but involved in several groups who are working on this, I've donated to HUH.org, worked with ONTD_ST, SArmy and ZQC to help broadcast their efforts and get donations.

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  5. I can't donate right now but I plan to donate probably $20 on Thursday.

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  6. I donated money through the redcross after hearing seeing Jimmy's video. I hope the supplies reach the Haitians soon!

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  7. I donated to the unicef fund via the ontd_startrek board (vainjain)

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  8. I believe in follow-up, because it is the follow-up that does the most good over the longest period of time. While this means I will hang back while money, goods, and attention are poured over Haiti and its people in the initial days after the disaster, it also means that once the log jam has cleared and people go off to the next crisis, folks like me can wade in with tactical, strategic, monetary and physical aid.

    Consider New Orleans. Four years later, there are still people going out there in waves to help. Teach For America has turned their school system around. Habitat For Humanity has rebuilt homes after volunteer groups from all over cleaned off the rubble. In 2007, I visited the city, and there was still heaps of rubble piled up waiting to be carted off. I visited last summer, and that rubble was gone, the fields cleared and replanted with trees, and new homes populate the once abandoned streets.

    I see this happening in Haiti. I'm in for the long-term, for the hard slog, for the process of clean-up, rebuilding, and restoral. And here's a chance to make it better and more robust- as they did in New Orleans. New homes there are built at least 20' off the ground. New homes in Haiti can be built of seismically resistant materials- like wood or composite frames, instead of concrete blocks. Infrastructure can be strengthened, neighborhood community emergency rescue teams created. I belong to a local CERT group. Training is not that difficult, but I can pitch in if a tornado or earthquake takes out my neighborhood. And I can run a HAM radio, too.

    Be part of the second wave. That is the wave they'll need the most.

    Lorie Johnson
    (Sunfell)

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  9. Dear Wendi,

    I didn't know how I could help until now. I suggested to the pumpkin geek that he should make a carve and make an auction with it. He liked the idea and ZQ said he would sign the carve! I hope the pumpkin will raise some money to help the people in haiti.
    love,

    @MelHerrmann

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  10. great blog Wendi. My heart goes out to Jimmy and the other Haiti people I hope he manages to find his family safe. Please let him know I will have him in my thoughts and prayers. I am donating locally and if possible will be bidding in the auctions. I wish I could do more to help but every little helps.
    Please also let Jimmy know that the people he helped will always remember his kindness so although materially things have been lost his spirit and kindness to the people has not been. My thoughts and prayers are with tem all

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  11. I've donated $10 to the ONTD_StarTrek fund through UNICEF (Link here: http://inside.unicefusa.org/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=1090&pxfid=14060)
    Together, with 330 donations, we've raised over 8,000 dollars!

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  12. Like you requested, Wendi-

    My school has requested all the students donate what they can and bring anything they can to help. Although they asked not for food, clothes, etc. because it would be difficult to ship-- We are gathering money. The school announcment was that today, in only one day, we raised $1,000. I am very happy, :). And we will keep going! My heart goes out to Jimmy's family and everyone else in Haiti. <3

    -Revica

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  13. Hey Wen,

    My friend Stephanie sent up the "knit signal" a few days ago on her blog. ( http://tinyurl.com/yazslx8 ) asking knitters to give to Knitters without Borders (which is really Doctors without Borders/Medecins sans Frontieres. All links in her blog take you directly to DWB/MSF).

    Please tell Jimmy that when the knit signal goes up, a very large community of kind and generous people respond. In just two days Knitters without Borders has taken in over $50,000. So far. The total is going to be much much higher than that when she wades through the couple thousand emails she's gotten. (Stephanie has only gotten through about 450 emails as of today)

    The biggest message that need to get across is that all of the relief agencies need CASH more than anything else. So please keep donating and encouraging others to donate.

    much love, miss you
    Wen (the other WendyLynne)

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  14. Upon hearing the news about the tragedy in Haiti, I had the urge to reach out a hand. Every Thursday, my school's church group gathers together. At the time, I had already received numerous Tweets regarding Haiti, and that was all I would think about. Whilst everyone was talking amongst themselves, I stood up and suggested an idea. The prior night, I found Jimmy's organization, and introduced it to the church group. I made a speech on how sometimes we take ordinary things for granted, whilst there are people, like in Haiti, who don't have the privileges that we do.

    The group and I quickly made plans for fundraisers and donations that we're going to set up with our high school, and plan to extend the fundraising to the whole school district. The town (or by other termonology, 'village'; yes, it's that small) I live in isn't the most fortunate financially, but the outcome of volunteering/donating is amazing.

    Sadly, we haven't raised $1k yet, like the commenter above me. We're still on the process of having the school board approve our activity.

    I've already contacted contacted HUFH for a list of items we can donate, other than money donations. (: A few quick hours later, Evelyn Jean-Louis replied!

    I'm hoping that we'll be set up by Sunday! I'll comment this blog again once we pick up more momentum.

    My thoughts and prayers,
    Pam Louise.

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  15. Jimmy, I was so relieved to here your parents are alive.

    One thing though, I'm kinda confused why the US and UN are not air dropping water and food? Its what the US did during WWII to avoid starvation in Europe.

    Why aren't we doing this?

    My prayers and anything we in Los Angeles can do please let Wendi know and she wil

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  16. ...sorry posted too soon...meant to say let wendi know and she'll let us know.

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  17. Oh..and we're contributing to UNICEF, SALVATION ARMY, etc.

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  18. Hi Wendi.. Good work for putting this up. I'm definitely linking this to my blog and putting up a new blogpost soon.

    Even though I do not know them personally, the Heroes team (both actors and behind the scenes) are close to my heart because they care. And are decent lovely human beings.

    Was so relieved to hear Jimmy got in contact with his parents.

    So anyone who passes by this way, DONATE and HELP as much as you can!!!

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  19. First and foremost my thoughts and prayers are with all the Haitians around the world. It is a terrible thing to have to see your country destroyed by something completely unavoidable. I was so happy to hear Jimmy had heard from his parents and hope the remainder of his friends and family are also safe. I know at this time the best thing we can all do to help is donate which I have done twice now, once to HUFH and another through my work where they are matching all employee's donations up to $50000 at 100%. I am hoping that there is more for me to do in the future but I will continue to do what I can and look for more opportunities to present to help. Much love.

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  20. I donated to hufh.org and I'm going to make another donation when I get paid next week. I've asked fellow Tweeters to give up their gourmet coffee and/or specialty drinks every day for a week and donate that money to the relief effort. I call it "Give Up A Latte". I know, bad pun. I've also decided to use the Twitter page I have for the "Heroes" fans Relay for Life team I'm putting together to give people info about the country of Haiti and how they can help.

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  21. I have an eBay store selling jewellery and in an effort to help Haiti as much as I can, I have just converted some auction items as part of the eBay Giving Works.

    50% of proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to help Haiti earthquake victims

    LINK: http://stores.ebay.com/asianaura-silver-shop

    More items to be listed soon.

    Feel Free to spread the Word Around!

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  22. I'm not really in much of a position to give money, and don't have much to give, but I'll try to help whatever ways I can. Maybe I can talk to my parents, give away old clothes, find some way to help out. Anything I can. Who am I to turn a blind eye when there are people who need help far more than I do?

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  23. I'm auctioning a signed photo of Greg Grunberg for Haiti - it's at http://tinyurl.com/grunny4haiti and postage is free worldwide

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  24. I made a donation and I'm hoping to donate more.

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  25. I'm so glad to hear JJL's family is safe. There's so much I wish I could do for Haiti. I donated to HUFH.org to help.

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  26. I had felt so bad after the earthquake, but i have been unemployed so i personally couldn't even possibly make a donation. However, my mother knows of my love and loyalty to Heroes, and actually donated to Hollywood United in my name for me. still feel bad i wasn't able to use my own money since there is none- but am so happy some money from my family got to this very important cause. I was so happy when i found out Jimmy-Jean Louis finally got ahold of his parents!!!

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  27. I'm glad Jimmy Jean-Louis has reached his parents and that they're safe. I have donated to the American Red Cross. Beyond that how I can help is limited to helping spread the word about fundraising efforts to motivate people who are still able to donate.

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  28. Hey Wen,
    Let Jimmy know last night's update from Knitters without Borders: $166,000 raised so far. Still a couple of thousand emails with dollar amounts to tally.

    Love, Wen

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  29. I'm sure I'm not the only Angeleno who looks at the disaster of that small, neglected island nation and thinks, "but for the Grace of God goes Los Angeles."

    As Wendi & Jimmy both know--despite better building codes--we here fear days, possibly weeks without help ourselves. Being without help, infra structure, water, electricity for extended times has happened in the US as well. The effects of Katrina comes to mind.

    That's why I think Jimmy won't mind if I mention Dr. Paul Farmers medical group which has been on the ground in Haiti for years treating, training and aiding the poorest members of Haitian society. Its a group where you can feel confident the money goes directly to aid the Haitians who most need it.

    Evenif a you have a few bucks. $1 or $2 please contribute.

    http://photos.pih.org/home2.html

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  30. We at OverallBeauty.com are teaming up with BB Couture with a set of nail polish colors by BB Couture called Hands of Hope. We are giving 25% of all sales towards Haiti relief. I would love any help I can get to help promote this.. If you can't buy the set then please donate to The Salvation Army Haiti Relief Fund!

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  31. Opps here is the link to the set
    http://www.overallbeauty.com/catalog/couture-hands-hope-p-1211.html
    To the Salvation Army:
    http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf

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  32. My local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa is planning on organizing donations for Haiti, so I will be participating through that. As well as donating financially when I can.

    At this time, I'm unemployed also (and a student in college). However, when they get to the rebuilding stage, if it's possible and feasible, I would definitely consider going there to help out. I've had electrical construction experience as well as computer experience.

    Have a great day:)
    Patrick.

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  33. Thanks so much for starting this blog, Wendi! I donated to HUFH already and am also involved with trying to get the word out about the Haiti-Micah Project my church helps with. If you or anyone else are interested in seeing what they are doing, the link is here: http://www.haiti-micah.org/ They have a feeding program in a town not far from Port-au-Prince and their main concern right now is doubling their efforts to feed the refugees the town is receiving. 100% of the funds go to feeding the children and refugees since the board is all volunteer. Let's remember all these people in our thoughts and prayers, whether we can give or not.

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  34. Hi, Wendi. Laura/@incorrigible from Twitter here. Thanks to ZQ tweeting us, we've raised over $16,000 now! (http://tinyurl.con=m/trek4haiti) American Idol fandom (who we challenged to donate more) have raised $20,000. Supernatural fandom have raised over $20k, too, so between us we've raised over $50k for Haiti in less than a week. Much love to JJ-L, and to everyone who pimped our UNICEF page, including you, the wonderful ZQ, (I am still so stoked about that! :D) and of course, Mr. Simon Pegg. ontd_startrek is going to raise funds to build a well in Africa this year, so I may well come to you for Tweeting coverage again! Lots of love. <3<3<3

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  35. Hey Wen,

    New Knitters without Borders total for Haiti as of last night:$234,217. 2000 more emails with dollar amounts to tally.

    Love, Wen

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  36. I think I've donated to about 4 different sites at this point but at least it all goes to the same place. :)
    Also, our base has started collecting stuff to send over there for when our jets leave. We are sending over people and donated supplies so hopefully that will help.


    The area where I am has been completely wiped out by floods in the past(1997 Red River Flood) and the Red Cross and many donations made it possible to rebuild. My heart goes out to Haiti. I hope that everyone will be able to give at least something to help.

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  37. There is a livejournal community (http://community.livejournal.com/help_haiti/) where fans of various tv shows, movies, and other media are offering different things for auction, the proceeds of which will be sent to various charities that are helping. Some fans are writing fan fiction, some are creating gorgeous fan art, while others are offering up memorabilia that they've gained from various comic cons and conventions around the country. There are also some non fandom items being offered up at the auction too.

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  38. Figuring that the relief efforts will be an ongoing process, I'm donating a small amount each week from my paycheck, in addition to my initial Red Cross donation.

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  39. I donated tonight. Much love Heroes and Haiti.

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  40. Thanks for providing all of these resources and links, Wendi!

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  41. So, I come back to comment this blog with good news. (: I would have commented earlier, but with school, extracurricular stuff, and work I can't always find time to get on the computer.

    After a month of fundraising, my school raised about $1,000 to donate to Haiti. It was an amazing experience collecting the money, because everyone wanted to pitch in as much as they can.

    The school is still fundraising, and we don't plan on stopping. Although $1,000 isn't a lot of money compared to other incredible, generous people, but I like to think we did pretty well for a group of teenagers.

    You still have my thoughts and prayers,
    Pam Louise.

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