Haiti Street Part of USAV Open National Championships

Bill Kauffman
Associate Director, Communications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

DALLAS (May 29, 2011) – Haiti Street has come to Dallas, located within the Dallas Convention Center. A total of 534 adult volleyball teams and an estimated 5,500 individuals will pass by it as part of the USA Volleyball Open National Championships taking place May 28 to June 4 in Dallas.

Bracelets, necklaces, and paintings, all created by Haitian hands, will be available at the Haiti Street exhibition booth where athletes and fans alike can leave donations in exchange for their selection. The Haiti Street Experience, a project of PSA’s non-profit arm Korbanas International, was founded in response to the devastating earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010, that killed over 300,000 people, injured another 300,000 and displaced one million people.

The Haiti disaster left a disproportionate number of children traumatized with the loss of loved ones, homes and a normal life that often kids in the United States take for granted. Sadly, thousands of kids roam the dangerous streets of Haiti in search for food and a safe place to sleep. The sanctuary centers, on target to be self-sustaining, provide a location for Haitian children to receive holistic care in a safe, clean and nurturing environment.

“Donations for these items allow us to operate 10-12 sanctuary centers we are establishing for the children in Haiti where they are able to come for both their physical and emotional well being,” said Sohail Salman, an event coordinator at PSA who volunteers for Haiti Street.

As a vehicle to reach out to the youth of Haiti, the Haiti Street project gives back in four ways: 1) assessing and addressing any medical problems; 2) treating psychosocial needs Haitian children may have; 3) providing them basic needs such as food, water, clothing, beds and school supplies; and 4) creating a sports and arts outreach program to build their physical and self-esteem.

To support this work, the Haiti Street Experience is displayed at major sporting events across the country. Through partnerships that include USA Volleyball, this fundraising and advocacy campaign collects charitable donations in exchange for jewelry created by Haitian children in the program. These donations fund on-the-ground efforts of Haiti Street, caring for the children of Haiti.

During this process, the sport of volleyball in the United States has been principal partner in the program.

“Our partnership with USA Volleyball has been instrumental to our success,” said Salman, who has been at the volleyball events for Haiti Street. “Players far and wide, from the Show Me Qualifier to the Monument Classic, have been eager to support us.”

In addition to the necklaces and paintings in the traveling Haiti Street Experience display, paintings created by Haitian artists have been paid for in full and individuals can acquire the works for donations.

Nearly half of all of USA Volleyball’s regional commissioners have signed or expressed interest in being Regional Ambassadors for Haiti Street over the past six months. These Regional Ambassadors promote Haiti Street’s message to their club members, parents and coaches. Haiti Street has made a presence at the Monument City Classic, Far Western Qualifier and the Show Me Qualifier prior to the USA Volleyball Open National Championships continuing in Dallas through June 2.

Haiti Street is scheduled to have a presence at the upcoming USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in Atlanta, the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championship in Minneapolis, the Volleyball Festival in Phoenix and at several other sporting events across the United States.

Another project allied with the Haiti Street mission is the Leave a Ball Behind Program, which asks individuals to donate used or unused volleyballs to provide for Haitian children. In addition to balls arriving at the PSA headquarters, the Leave a Ball Behind program has begun collecting balls at tournaments with the Haiti Street display.

“The Leave a Ball Behind Program is one other project that USA Volleyball has spearheaded with us,” Salman said. “We ship all the balls back to Haiti, and while it seems like a small gesture, you wouldn’t realize how these balls light up the faces of kids in Haiti.”

Molten USA, Inc., a sponsor of USA Volleyball, has donated 950 balls and provided the program over 2,000 balls at a discounted rate for use by the Haitian Volleyball Federation.

Without a facility, the volleyballs given as part of the Leave a Ball Behind program would be simply a flat idea without a place to play. To solve the situation, Creative Tent International has donated a modular and portable facility structure to open this summer as the first post-earthquake multi-sport, multi-function facility. The facility can withstand wind loads of 70-120 miles per hour. Inside the two volleyball-court facility, NORCECA has donated the Sport Court flooring and equipment.

“Volleyball athletes understand the importance of teamwork and tenacity,” Salman said. “It is through the efforts of our partners that we will achieve sustainability and have a real impact on the children of Haiti.”

Haiti Street
2100 Reston Parkway, Suite 300
Reston, VA 20191
703-234-1700

Dr. Robert D. Macy, Project Manager
Elisabeth Moore, Haiti Street Experience Coordinator

Tags: Adult, USA Adult Open Volleyball Championships, USA Volleyball, USA Volleyball Open National Championships