Consortium for Haitian Empowerment

Consortium for Haitian Empowerment (CHE) "is the product of the Haitian Task Force which was launched by the Bridge Project[1][1] when four Haitian organizations - Chay Pa Lou, Dwa Fanm, Haitian American Alliance, Haitian-Americans United for Progress- joined the National Coalition to assess and address the impact of September 11th on the local Haitian community. During 2002, using the result of their assessment, members clearly understood that they needed to combine their efforts to better coordinate and improve service delivery to constituents/clients located in the New York Tri State area. They considered this as a necessity to reduce duplication of effort and eliminate fragmentation, which sometimes causes their constituents to “fall through the cracks”. Since then, organizational founders were joined by other Haitian CBOs: “18 Mai” Committee, Haitian American Law Enforcement Fraternal Organization, Haitian Women Program, Queens Center for Haitian Empowerment, National Haitian Health Association and Aesclepius Medical Center. They have been actively engaged in information sharing and community organizing through meetings, discussions, phones and email conversations. Haitian-American Executive Directors involved in the Task Force have been able to increase support to one another form partnerships, applied for grant jointly, voice their concerns and opinions while raising awareness and debating on issues affecting the community.

"Supported by New York Foundation, the Haitian Task Force was being recognized as a model of collaboration and participation and a sound foundation for crisis interventions and preventions, as well as for services coordination and networking. Based on the firm conviction that it was through a collective effort that Haitians-American groups can increase their access to resources, promote community improvement, and further develop their community, Haitian Providers demonstrated once again they can work together to address in a coordinated fashion problems affecting their community while helping each other and their organizations."

Directors
Accessed September 2007:


 * Harry Fouche, Board Chair
 * Fritz Monfleury, Treasurer
 * Ronald Aubourg, Secretary.

Other Board members include
 * Margaret Goldstein, Founding Member
 * Ruddel Deceus, President, "18 Mai” Committee
 * Johnny Celestin, Senior Manager, Operations, Management Assistance, Robin Hood Foundation.
 * Guy Cethoute, Haitian-American Law Enforcement Fraternal Organization (HALEFO)
 * Gina Cheron, Founding Member/Coordinator
 * Judith E. Destin, Community Specialist, Office of the District Attorney, Kings County
 * Carine Jocelyn, Exec. Dir., Diaspora Community Services
 * Jocelyne Mayas, Exec. Dir., Queens Empowerment Center
 * Frantz Nicolas, Manager Engineering @ AboveNet, Member of the Haitian Dialogue
 * Jackson Rockingster, Chairman, Haitian American Advocate for Political Actions (HAAPA)
 * Farah Tanis, MSW, Exec. Dir. Dwa Fanm, Founding Member/CHE
 * Gary Sylvain, Finance & Economics, Prof. CUNY
 * Daniel Ulysse - LASCH
 * Herzen Clerge, Clerge Foundation
 * Maryse Garcy, HAFALI

Partners

 * Aesclepius Medical Society, Inc
 * Chay Pa Lou Community Center
 * Haitian American Alliance (Haa)
 * Haitian Americans United For Progress, Inc. (Haup)
 * Haitian Bilingual/Esl Technical Assistance Center (Habetac)
 * Haitian Centers Council
 * National Coalition For Haitian Rights

Contact
The Consortium for Haitian Empowerment Phone: (718) 783-1598 Fax (718) 783 3348 Web: http://haitianconsortium.org