Your Support of the Haitian Center of Evansville Can Help the Community

The Haitian Center of Evansville is a tremendous resource for our community. Keep reading to learn how you can help this incredible organization.

The Haitian Center of Evansville Touches Lives Across the Community

I had the privilege of sitting down recently with Gelina Mascoe, the Founder of the Haitian Center of Evansville. Gelina detailed all of the ways that the center touches lives in the entire Evansville community.

The Haitian Population Has Been Growing for Decades In and Around Evansville

Haitians have been a part of Evansville and the surrounding Indiana communities for more than twenty years, and Gelina explained that in recent years, the population of Haitian immigrants has grown and out of that growth, the need for the center was born.

The Haitian Center of Evansville Opened Its Doors in April 2023

Gelina, who immigrated from Haiti as a young girl with her family, has called Evansville home for many years now. Recognizing the growing need for assistance with integrating into American life, she opened the doors of the Haitian Center of Evansville in April 2023, making it only the second of its kind in the entire United States.

Our Haitian Neighbors Are Hardworking People Striving for a Better Life

In an Op-Ed piece written by Gelina and published in Evansville's Courier & Press, she describes the Haitian community as hardworking people trying for a better way of life.

How the Haitian Center of Evansville Helps

The Haitian Center of Evansville offers a number of resources to the Haitian community. One of the biggest hurdles according to Gelina is the communication barrier. To help break down that barrier, the center not only teaches English as a second language but also offers interpreter services. She shared how she frequently works with area schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and other agencies to translate when the need arises.

Literacy Skills, Employment Support and More at the Haitian Center of Evansville

In addition to learning English as a second language, our Haitian neighbors have the opportunity to learn computer literacy skills, gain access to employment support, and cultural navigation services, as well as have access to resources like a clothes closet where they can have access to clothes, shoes, diapers, and personal hygiene items. Additionally, the center works to connect Haitian residents with service providers to meet their individual needs.

Our Diversity and Inclusivity is What Makes Evansville So Special

In her Op-Ed, Gelina expresses the need to be welcoming and inclusive to all, as that is what truly makes Evansville such a wonderful place to live.

The Haitian Center of Evansville Is a Much Needed Resource

There is no doubt that the Haitian Center of Evansville is necessary for our community, and you can help them continue their mission of providing much needed resources to the Haitian population of Evansville and the surrounding area.

Show Your Support of the Haitian Center of Evansville With an Exclusive T-Shirt

You can help support their vision of the Haitian Center of Evansville. They currently have t-shirts (pictured below) and hoodies available for purchase in several different colors to choose from, with a portion of every purchase going back to the organization. The shirts display the meaningful message, "One Heart, Many Cultures Different Roots, Common Ground," as an expression of their belief "in the power of unity, diversity, and community."

Other Ways to Donate to the Haitian Center of Evansville

You can make a donation to the Haitian Center of Evansville online through their fiscal sponsor, the United Way of Southwestern Indiana. Donations of food, school supplies, baby supplies, and gently used clothing are also accepted. To learn more, you can visit their website. For any questions or to contact the Haitian Center of Evansville, you can email haitiancenterevv@gmail.com.