Calgary, Alberta — September 28, 2016 — The collision repair industry can be a great place to make a career. Thanks in part to the efforts of Canadian repairers, citizens of Haiti are closer than ever before to having a school where they can learn and develop their autobody repair skills.
Haiti ARISE partnered with the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) in Canada in 2014 with the objective to build a collision repair training and production facility in Grand Goave, Haiti. Haiti ARISE also works with the Collision Industry Council (CIC) in the US.
This would add to the multitude of skilled trades being taught currently at the Haiti ARISE Technical & Professional School. The goal of the project is to create a long-term sustainable collision repair educational program, which will contribute to the great work being done at the facility, work that is helping to improve the lives of thousands of Haitian families and create positive change in the community and country. According to Haiti ARISE, a total of $210,000 in funding is needed to construct the classroom and workshop.
The fundraising effort started in 2015 with a “Buy-a-Brick” campaign, generating nearly $30,000. The Haiti ARISE corporate sponsorship program was launched in 2016 to encourage more corporate charitable donations. Speedy Collision and Sherwin Williams stepped up in May 2016 to become corporate sponsors. Also in May, a group of repairers belonging to the Saskatchewan Association of Automobile Repairers (SAAR), made significant donations and pledges for monthly contributions. Most recently, an anonymous donor has provided a $50,000 contribution to the Haiti ARISE Collision Industry project.
Marc Honorat, Haiti ARISE founder, is thrilled to see the project funding continue to accelerate.
“We feel blessed to have the support of CCIF and CIC, and the entire collision repair industry. The collision repair training and production facility will be a valuable addition to our technical institute,” said Honorat.
Industry volunteers Tom Bissonnette and Leanne Jefferies have been leading the charge to raise funds for the Haiti ARISE Technical & Professional School.
“We are excited to have surpassed the $100,000 milestone, and feel encouraged that we are halfway to our funding goal of $210,000,” says Bissonnette.
Bissonnette and Jefferies visited the facility in person in March 2015.
“The industry support of Haiti ARISE is so appreciated, and we are anticipating with excitement the day that construction begins,” says Jefferies.
Donations can be made at haitiarise.org/donate, specifying the “Buy a Brick” Campaign. Project information is available online at ccif.ca/initiatives/haiti-arise-project. For more information, please contact Leanne Jefferies at ljefferies@bell.net or Tom Bissonnette at tom@parrautobody.com.
