Mass burial grave called Saint Christophe

(By Mike Gilhooly – RTLC)

We arrived safely in Haiti on Saturday. Unfortunately the Internet and electricity have been out until today (Tuesday.) We attended Mass Sunday morning at Sacred Heart under the tent as the church was ruined by the earthquake last year. That hasn’t stopped hundreds of people from attending Mass. The site has been for the most part cleared and being made ready for re-building. I was amazed by the devotion and faith shown by the Haitian Catholics. Posters showing the devastation alongside posters showing the proposed new building are hung for all to see.

Read full story at the RTLC website——>

I received an email from Mike Gilhooly earlier today informing me that he and Sister Johnice of the Response to Love Center are going to Haiti in support of the Sante’-Bus Foundation.

This is Mike Gilhooly’s first time there and if you recall, Sister Johnice went in 2010.

As with her trip last year, it will be documented on the Response to Love Center website.  (click here to view)

Sister Johnice has been assisting in raising funds for the foundation to help aquire mobile medical vehicles to provide health care for the Haitian people.

Keep them both and the Haitian people in your prayers.

www.ResponsetoLoveCenter.org

[click here to see photos and read updates]

Today I received a email from Mike Gilhooly that Sister Johnice of the Response to Love Center is in Haiti.

Though the earthquake tragedy in Haiti six months ago is no longer front page news, there is still a lot that needs to be done in this devastated and poor country.

I was not all that surprised  to hear that Sister Johnice is there.

The Response to Love Center will be posting updates from her while she is there on its website.

You can view these by clicking here—>

Click here for a WBFO story about why Sister Johnice went.

(By Mike Gilhooly RTLC) Celebrating 25 years of service, the Response to Love Center held a Silver Anniversary Gala at the Rich Renaissance Atrium in Buffalo New York. The event was attended by more than 260 people that enjoyed a fun filled evening that included a silent, Chinese and live auction.

The auctioneer and host for the event was Emmy Award Winner News Anchor Maryalice Demler from WGRZ Channel 2 News. The venue and dinner provided by Rich Products Corporation offered a beautiful backdrop to the evening. In addition to the auction there were raffles for a $5000 diamond and 5 Nun Dolls that had a surprise attached to each one. The winners picked out the Nun Doll of their choice and then opened the envelope to reveal an additional prize.

Read full story—>

[click here to see video]

(click image for full view)

(Editor’s note: The picture above says it all…ALIVE!)

(By Mike Gilhooly – RTLC) Earth Day 2010 started at about 7am in the parking lot of the Response to Love Center on Buffalo’s East Side. Hundreds of volunteers assembled from WNY AmeriCorps, Home Depot and local home owners and tenants ready to turn a neighborhood around. It was a chilly start but the gallons of Dunkin Doughnut Coffee warmed everyone! Mark Lazzara Director of WNY AmeriCorps introduced Sr. Mary Johnice Director of the Response to Love Center who started the day with a prayer.

The teams were dispatched according to their particular talents and led by ‘Crew Leaders.’ Some were sent to repair masonry, install windows and doors, landscape and lot clean-up. Many residents came out to help but did not officially register so an exact tally would be hard. The weather could not have been better, sunny and around 55 degrees made it perfect for painting and concrete work. An appeal for roofers was met by the Buffalo Roofing Company and work started on the houses needing roofing work.

The project is not going to be just a one day project, the work will continue throughout the entire year with residents submitting “wish lists” of work needed. Some of the projects begun simply could not be done in one day for example; preliminary measuring and planning for a furnace replacement was done today but the actual installation will be done in a few weeks when the correct components are ordered and arrive. The old furnace is under the house in a crawl space and was difficult to service, because of that it was not maintained properly and did not work when it was needed most. The newly designed heating system will be in the attic making it much easier to maintain and will be a high efficiency unit saving money and making the house much more comfortable for the occupants.

The mood was electric as Extreme Home Makeover recipient Delores Powell gave a moving and inspirational talk before lunch break and came to work with her daughter in the Peace Garden.!

More information to follow as the project moves forward.

More photos click here ➟

Mike Gilhooly from the RTLC passed this along to BFA…very, very, very, very, very exciting NEWS!

A press conference to announce the “Good and Green Homes” Project to take place on Earth Day 2010 in the neighborhood surrounding The Response to Love Center. WNY AmeriCorps, Response to Love Center, and The Home Depot “Team Depot” Volunteers will utilize $34,000 in funding provided by The Home Depot Foundation to complete the projects, including repairing unsafe porches, installing fencing, scraping and painting homes, renovating bathrooms, cleaning debris from the street, installing security lights, planting a community garden in a vacant lot, and installing energy efficient doors and windows.. There will also be a call for further contractors and tradesmen to step forward and volunteer.

A walk-through of the neighborhood, including outlining planned projects, will follow the press conference.

The press conference will take place at the Response to Love Center, 130 Kosciuszko Street, Buffalo, NY on Thursday, April 15, 2010. (11:30 AM- Press Conference – 11:50 AM- Neighborhood Tour)

Robert Bertone, District Manager of The Home Depot, Sister Johnice, Executive Director of The Response to Love Center and Mark P. Lazzara, CEO of WNY AmeriCorps will be on hand to share in making the announcement!

ALIVE!

Senator Kirstin Gillibrand took a tour of the Response to Love Center today.

From WBFO:

The Senator appeared at the Response to Love Center on Kosciuszko Street to learn about the Center’s programs for feeding, educating and caring for the poor. “Well I’ve learned about the incredible need that we have here in the Buffalo region, and I’ve learned how important this center is,” said Gillibrand.

Sister J rocks…

http://responsetolove.org