Haiti Impact Trip Provides Eye-Opening Experience for Stop Hunger Now Partner

Guest blog by Jacqueline Campbell, Analyst for North America Corporate Social Responsibility at Sanofi.

Since 2005, nearly one million people have volunteered to package meals for Stop Hunger Now, yet only a handful have had the opportunity to see the faces of those who are impacted daily. While I was aware of the existence of starvation, malnutrition, and poverty in parts of the world, I never expected to see them firsthand, as I did on a Stop Hunger Now Impact Trip to Haiti in March, 2016.

The Impact Trip team participated in school feeding programs and toured one of Stop Hunger Now’s sustainable agricultural projects, all of which helped to demonstrate the impact Sanofi has made through its four-year partnership with Stop Hunger Now. During this time, Sanofi provided more than 288,000 meals, supported disaster relief efforts, and contributed to the organization’s expansion into the New York metro area.

One of the highlights of my trip was the opportunity to meet local leaders committed to making a difference in the lives of Haitians, including Dr. Eugene Maklin. Dr. Maklin, who splits his time between the U.S. and Haiti, is dedicated to building a hospital, which will service more than 250,000 Haitians. As we walked through the skeleton of a building, his vision fascinated me.

Perhaps my most lasting memory from Haiti is of the school children who, despite all the hardships they face daily, still smile. As I heard about their struggles — how they go hungry, what they have to do to go to school, and how the parents have difficulty paying for their education — I thought about all the things children here in the U.S. have, and I will be forever impressed with the resilience and gratitude of the Haitian people.

Not a day passes when I don’t think about the incredible impact the trip has had on me, and the ways that Sanofi and I can continue to work with Stop Hunger Now to end hunger in our lifetime. Together, Sanofi and Stop Hunger Now are working to extend our reach beyond meal packaging events. By supporting their in-country partners and intensifying our level of advocacy, I know we can do even more to impact those who deserve our help.

I urge other corporate partners to join a Stop Hunger Now impact trip. It’s difficult to fully get it until you do it.

If you are looking for a way to involve your company or employees in volunteering, giving, and fighting against hunger, Stop Hunger Now is a single resource for your corporation. To learn more about our Stop Hunger Now impact trips or to discuss a new partnership, please contact Karen Sanders Noe’ at knoe@stophungernow.org *protected email*.

Please Note: The opinions stated here are not authorized on behalf of Sanofi. They are a personal reflection.