About Us

Haiti Onward functions as a project of ALIVE Communities, an enterprise that integrates ancient wisdom with modern technologies to create new economies. ALIVE Communities co-founder and president Doug Hammond serves as Haiti Onward’s co-director along with Heather Burns, ALIVE Communities’ co-founder and ceo. Your Olive Branch, Inc. (yobo), a 501(c3), functions as the project’s fiscal sponsor and provides additional leadership support through its executive director, Tom Willits, as well as technology and social network services.

The organization is further strengthened through a platform of partners and collaborators that include an array of leading local and international organizations, along with the Social Venture Network’s sustainable business community. Each of these organizations are committed to a sustainable economic development approach that leverages their respective resources, talents and tools, while honoring the economic and cultural anthropology of Haiti; the latter being mandatory criterion for inclusion.

History

Haiti Onward was established in February 2010 and was formally launched in cooperation with the Sustainable Haiti Conference—March 17-19, 2010 in Miami, Florida. Initial financial investment of Generocity Partners and Halloran Philanthropies provided the funding for essential operational support, media/web content development and delivery as well as significant community asset mapping central to determining key resources and leverage points.

Haiti Onward’s public presence and positioning has benefited dramatically from its founding supporters’ financial commitments and goodwill contributions representing $250,000. In June 2010, Haiti Onward became a project of ALIVE Communities and established a Project Partnership with the Haitian Fund for Innovation and Reconstruction (HFIR), administered through the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Group. The inaugural HFIR pilot program will be delivered this spring.  Additional sustainability based projects are under consideration and development as Haiti Onward leverages it connectivity and collaborative approach in concert with the citizens of Haiti.