Westfield State PR course members partner with Free the Kids to support orphans in Haiti

December 6, 2017

Westfield – Members of the Advanced Public Relations course at Westfield State University have partnered with Free the Kids, freethekids.org located in Les Cayes, Haiti, to raise money in support of orphaned and vulnerable children in southern Haiti. Two events will be held to support Free the Kids: a kick-off event for a social media campaign on December 7 and a “Boxes of Joy” event and raffle on December 14.

On December 7, in both the Garden Level of Ely Student Center and the Wilson Hall Café from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., members of the Advanced Public Relations course will host a kick-off event launching their social media campaign. The children aided by Free the Kids will be showcased through a “Save a Snowflake: Save a Child” campaign. The children of Haiti are lacking basic needs of daily life. They are desperate for food, education, and shelter. Give a little extra this holiday season and help save a snowflake. Donors will receive a cookie and a sticker and will be entered into a raffle for a Westfield State prize basket valued at $100.

Founded in 1998, Free the Kids houses approximately 400 Haitian children and educates about 1,200 in its schools. Free the Kids is the United States-based funding arm of Pwoje Espwa Sud, or Project Hope. Its mission is provide orphaned and vulnerable children of southern Haiti with shelter, refuge, and education. The Haitian government doesn’t have the resources to help these children, and many would be living on their own if not for Pwoje Espwa.

Members of the Advanced Public Relations course will host a “Boxes of Joy” event and raffle on December 14 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Westfield State Dining Commons. Boxes of Joy, a campaign run by Free the Kids, gifts Haitian children with boxes of personal care, hygiene products and small toys. These products are considered a rare commodity for these children, making this gift truly special. The event will feature a Haitian dessert and a raffle with many giveaways, including two tickets to a Boston Celtics game, a $100 Stop & Shop gift card, and many more prizes.

Raffle tickets are $1 for one ticket, $5 for six tickets, $10 for 12 tickets, and $20 for 25 tickets. They can be purchased either at the event, or are available for pre-purchase by contacting Carson Barcome at cbarcome1071@westfield.ma.edu. The events are open to the public. For further information or to make a donation, please contact Suzanne Boniface at sboniface@westfield.ma.edu.