Last August I had the unique opportunity to volunteer at Be Like Brit orphanage in Haiti. It was such an amazing, life-changing experience that I'm going back again October 21-27 and bringing my best friend, Laurin Johnson, with me! Together, we will work with other volunteers to help build a home and spend quality time with the 66 wonderful children who live at Be Like Brit. Please consider making a donation to help us get there!
Donations support one of the following:
Britsionarys in need of financial support:
Britsionarys who cannot afford the cost of the trip alone, can use our pages to ask family and friends for financial support. Donations help to cover the cost of the Britsionary's trip (lodging/food/transportation/insurance/etc.) until they have reached their total amount due for their trip. Once they have reached this amount, any additional donations will go directly to a Be Like Brit general fund to support the children at Brit's Home.
Fundraising for the children at BLB:
Britsionarys who are paying for the entire trip themselves, can choose to fundraise for the children at Brit's Home and support our mission. All donations will go directly to a Be Like Brit general fund to support the children at Brit's Home.
Any donations/payments raised over the total amount due for the Britsionary's trip, will go to Brit's Home to support the children who live there.
Britsionarys
What does it mean to be a “Britsionary”? Being a Britsionary means different things to everyone, but in essence it means you are continuing the compassion of Britney Gengel. Britsionarys travel to Haiti and work side-by-side with Haitian workers and interact with the children at BLB - to achieve a common goal - to fulfill Britney's last wish to help the children of Haiti.
Our Britsionarys have diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skills yet they are able to work together to help bring hope to the children of Brit's Home. In our past trips, we have had students, nurses, social workers, teachers, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters - and everyone has played an essential role in building Brit's Home and making our children feel deserving of love. We have also been blessed to have skilled tradespeople such as carpenters, plumbers, and electricians donate their time and teach their Haitian counterparts their skills and techniques.
Our Britsionary Program was created to provide an opportunity for volunteers to gain a better understanding of global partnerships and cultures. Short-term Britsionary groups take a 1 week service trip to Brit's Home in Haiti, to help with youth and community outreach projects and immerse themselves in the beautiful Haitian culture. This program gives young adults an opportunity to enhance their understanding of poverty and development while also broadening their global perspective. For non-medical Britsionarys, the mornings are spent building a home for a family in need in our community, and the afternoons are spent doing programatic activities with the children (field trips, coloring, games, learning activities, etc.). For medical Britsionarys, the mornings and some afternoons are spent working in the BLB or local public clinic, and the remaining time is spent with the children and the Britsionary group.
About Be Like Brit
In many ways, Britney Gengel of Rutland Massachusetts was a typical 19-year-old young woman, but her humor, passion and deep sense of caring for those less fortunate made her memorable to all who met her. It was her compassion for others that brought Britney to Haiti on January 11, 2010, just a day before a catastrophic earthquake claimed an estimated 230,000 lives and rocked the small, poverty-stricken country. Britney had spent the day visiting a Haitian orphanage where she and fellow students of Lynn University, met the Haitian orphans they had traveled so far to help. Just a few hours later, Britney, three of her fellow students, and two Lynn University professors lost their lives in the rubble of the Hotel Montana in Port-Au-Prince. Britney was missing for 33 days before her remains were recovered.
Fortunately, Britney’s dream did not die with her. Only hours before the earthquake, Britney sent a text message to her family that read:
“They love us so much and everyone is so happy.
They love what they have and they work so hard to get nowhere, yet they are all so appreciative. I want to move here and start an orphanage myself.”
- Britney Gengel, 3 hours before the earthquake
These forty words would sustain Britney’s family through the tragedy and, ultimately, serve as the driving force behind the establishment of Be Like Brit and the decision to build an orphanage in Grand Goâve for the children of Haiti.
Our Mission: Our commitment is to continue the compassion of Britney Gengel by serving the children of Haiti and sustaining a safe, nurturing home, rooted in the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love, while developing a sense of social responsiblity, community involvement, and unconditional love.
Our Vision: To raise the next generation of leaders in Haiti.
Be Like Brit Foundation, Inc. is an official U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, tax ID #27-1857525.
Supporters | |||
Name | Date | Amount | Comments |
Jennifer Guzzi | 11/25/2018 | $150.00 | Kerry - this donation is on behalf of the Salem High Class of 1993. You inspire us. xo | Todd Lempicki | 10/24/2018 | $50.00 | Kristin Johnson | 10/08/2018 | $35.00 | Danielle Givner | 10/03/2018 | $50.00 | Sarah Coughlin | 10/02/2018 | $35.00 | William Lane | 09/26/2018 | $100.00 | Emmeline Rogefors Cowden | 09/22/2018 | $50.00 | Best of luck to you both. Miss you Lo! //Lester, Andrea, & Emmeline | Nicole Sexton | 09/18/2018 | $50.00 | Good luck and have a wonderful time!! | Courtney Schweizer | 09/17/2018 | $25.00 | Rachel Zarghami | 09/17/2018 | $100.00 | Good luck, Laurin! | Joan Moynagh Sholley | 09/17/2018 | $50.00 | Laurin - Ganny and Boof would be so proud of you! | Isabel Cancel | 09/16/2018 | $25.00 | Good luck on your trip! | Ann Hannigan | 09/15/2018 | $50.00 | Anonymous Friend | 09/14/2018 | $675.00 | Liz Sheridan | 09/14/2018 | $50.00 | Lindsay Silvia | 09/14/2018 | $50.00 | Hope you enjoy this trip as much as the last one! | Russo Jon | 09/14/2018 | $100.00 | It’s a great thing you are doing!! Have fun and good luck. | Paula Larson | 09/14/2018 | $50.00 | You GO girl! | Amanda O�Neill | 09/14/2018 | $25.00 | So amazing Kerry! Love that you are going back again and that Laurin will be with you ❤️ Miss you girls! Take me with you next year | Elizabeth Reichard | 09/13/2018 | $100.00 | Have a wonderful time this year! Love seeing the pictures and hearing stories! Safe travels. | Dory Noll | 09/13/2018 | $100.00 | Anything for my girls! You ladies rock! | Johnnys Luncheonette | 09/13/2018 | $100.00 | Good luck and be safe! | Anonymous Friend | 09/13/2018 | $50.00 | Andrea Willard | 09/13/2018 | $50.00 | Michael Petrone | 09/13/2018 | $100.00 | You are amazing Kerry! We are honored to be your friend. Liza, Mike,Paxton and Amelia | Harsh Singh | 09/13/2018 | $20.00 | Pam Robichaud | 09/13/2018 | $30.00 | way to #bethegood hannigan and again | Shirah Burgey | 09/13/2018 | $20.00 | Caitlin Gregorio | 09/13/2018 | $25.00 | Nikki Marie Oliveira | 09/13/2018 | $100.00 | Liz Leahey | 08/26/2018 | $25.00 | Best wishes for a most amazing time! | Donna Hannigan | 08/18/2018 | $200.00 | So proud of both of you! May this journey be a success and we pray for your safe return! | Jennifer Canesi | 08/09/2018 | $100.00 | Way to go in supporting a great cause! | Tobe Gerard | 08/09/2018 | $100.00 | Lauren Denizard | 08/09/2018 | $30.00 | Adventures await, have an amazing trip! | Rohini Narayanaswamy | 08/08/2018 | $20.00 | Sarah Macek | 08/06/2018 | $50.00 | Megan Szabo | 08/04/2018 | $100.00 | ♥️ , The Szabos | Nicole Brown | 08/02/2018 | $20.00 | Good luck with your trip! | Diane Gheringhelli | 08/02/2018 | $25.00 | So inspiring! | Liza Petrone | 07/28/2018 | $100.00 | Keep doing good work, Kerry! (AKA “our very own Mother T.”). We love you! | Steve Haidaichuk | 07/28/2018 | $20.00 | Go do good things. | Kate Mooney | 07/27/2018 | $100.00 | Get itttt | Anonymous Friend | 07/26/2018 | $50.00 | Kerry, glad you're going back!Enoyed meeting you last year! Enjoy! | Colleen Hagerty | 07/26/2018 | $30.00 | Truly amazing!!! | Ann Traphagen | 07/26/2018 | $50.00 | Beth Bowler | 07/24/2018 | $50.00 | Meredith Ouellette | 07/23/2018 | $25.00 | You inspire me! I hope your second trip is as wonderful as the first! Thank you for what you do! | Nelly Russo | 07/23/2018 | $25.00 | Keep up the good work Kerry! The Russos | Matthew Cammarata | 07/23/2018 | $150.00 | Emma D'Alleva | 07/23/2018 | $100.00 | Kerry & Laurin, you are simply amazing! I am in awe at the work you do daily to make this world a more loving, kinder, better place. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many people ❤️ | Brenda Belair | 07/23/2018 | $20.00 | You are amazing!! That you for your kind heart and your willingness to help those in need all over the world! | Susan Anton | 07/22/2018 | $30.00 | I love that you are going back. Have a safe trip! | Maura Fitzpatrick | 07/21/2018 | $50.00 | Good luck Kerry! It’s an amazing thing you are doing! | Erin McNeill | 07/21/2018 | $20.00 | Katie Crowley | 07/20/2018 | $100.00 | Mary DuMont | 07/20/2018 | $25.00 | You are both wonderful & beautiful and I so happy to support you...safe travels! | Bernie Lord | 07/20/2018 | $50.00 | Good stuff. | Linda Vena | 07/19/2018 | $25.00 | Katie Creegan | 07/19/2018 | $75.00 | So proud of you girls!! | Christine Cappadora | 07/19/2018 | $100.00 | Melissa Cordial | 07/19/2018 | $30.00 | Recently met Cheryl Gengel at an event in Worcester. Love that you do this, my friend. | Adam Lattanzi | 07/18/2018 | $25.00 | Brian Mashoke | 07/18/2018 | $100.00 | Jana Quinn | 07/18/2018 | $50.00 | LOVE supporting this mission and your amazing work!! Hope one day to join you! | Jennifer Rohrs | 07/17/2018 | $100.00 | Shirley Muller | 07/17/2018 | $100.00 | Hillary Burr | 07/17/2018 | $100.00 | Lisa Amanti | 07/16/2018 | $200.00 | You are doing amazing things, ladies! |
Total | $4,985.00 |