Herriman High School students and community members kick off a fundraiser to help provide shelter and hygiene goods to Haiti, October 6, 2021. From left to right Clark Fiedler, sophomore, Ashinti St. Claire, senior, Sofia Ampudiaarroyo, senior and Dean Pierose, Cucina Deli owner. (Colby Walker KSL NewsRadio)
SALT LAKE CITY — A Herriman High School student spent part of her day Wednesday in Salt Lake City, working to raise funds for people in her native Haiti.
Ashinti St. Clair lived in Haiti during that country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, and knows firsthand how important items like tents and tarps may be after another large earthquake this year.
“We came up with this project of raising tents, flip flops and soap to send to Haiti,” she told KSL NewsRadio as she and a classmate placed fliers on the tables at Cucina Deli in the Avenues.
A member of Future Business Leaders of America, St. Clair says her high school advisor helped her come up with the fundraiser, in conjunction with the deli. A Haitian foundation will ship the tents and distribute them.
“We’ve raised money through selling cotton candy through our school football games and things like that. People also go to our Amazon wish list and bought some and that was great,” St. Clair said.
Her friend and classmate, Sofia AmpudiaArroyo, said she’s been pleased so far at the success of their group, “Union for Haiti.”
“A lot of doors were opened, and people really want to help. We are so happy there are so many good-intentioned people,” she said.
A third student, Clark Fiedler, said it gives him hope.
“It just motivates us to keep going further, because it’s working and we can totally make an impact on Haiti,” he said.
At Cucina, customers who scan the QR code on the flier to buy a tent can receive a free sandwich in return. Proceeds during the month of October go toward helping Haiti’s earthquake recovery. But if you can’t make it to the Avenues, you can still help.
“Go on Amazon wish list and look up ‘Union for Haiti’ and buy a tent,” St. Clair said. “It will help a lot of people, I know that for sure.”
The students from Herriman High have set up a “Union For Haiti” wishlist on Amazon for tents and tarps.
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