Hey there everyone. I am just THRILLED at what this site has been accomplishing! Imagine my delight in seeing it virtually EXPLODE!

Lori's Moise asked me, "Is there anything that we can do to help you keep this going or help get the word out about your ministry?" In answer to Lori's question... the main thing you can do is just keep using this site! As for promoting "my" ministry, that is really not the point of HANDS... at least, no more than to promote everyone else's work.

For me, the goal of HANDS is to help Haiti, plain and simple. If this website adds to that objective, then we have a good thing on our hands (pun intended). With that objective in mind, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that cooperation can yield greater results than working as isolated groups.

More than anything else, I just want everyone to feel more connected. Scrambling around to read everyone's blogs can take a lot of time and there are those among us who don't know how to blog (or just don't want to). This site allows you to stay visible but without requiring you to do much.

From there... Network! Network! Network!

- Get to know people you've never met.

- Explore what everyone is doing.

- Learn what people's special abilities are.

Find ways in which you can get beyond your own wall (organization) and REALLY HELP with someone else's cause. If everyone does this, then there is a real chance that the burden will lighten a bit AND the progress made will increase and even require less effort! Wouldn't that be great?

We all have A LOT that we have to take care of in our own organizations, but I don't think it is too much to ask folks to share just a wee-bit of their time, energy, and resources on one another.

With the US economy floundering, donor support is at stake for all of us. Numbers are down. This makes paying for things (essential things) increasingly difficult. It sure wouldn't hurt if we could occasionally find opportunities for "commodities trading" (Kim fixes Bob's Jeep in exchange for Bob fixing Kim's website). This site will assist in making that possible. Use the forums to announce things that you have, want, need, or don't need any longer. Chances are VERY good that someone in the network will be interested.

"HANDS Across Haiti" is a project of Fireside International, a non-profit media company that seeks to use communication technology to better the lives of the poor and suffering. In this case, we do that by better enabling all of you! It's really that simple.

As founder and president of Fireside International and its projects (HANDS Across Haiti and The Caribbean Institute of Media Technologies), I am pleased to offer this resource to all of you for your use and pleasure.

Along with myself, Troy and Tara Livesay have graciously agreed to be administrators of this site and co-directors of HANDS Across Haiti. This is a beautiful union and I am so happy that they are helping us to help Haiti (by helping you).

If any of you have questions or concerns along the way, just let any of us know and we will try to address those as quickly as possible.

Until then, please do everything you can think of to make this site your own "grand central station." Network, strategize, and just unwind.

Sincerely,
Luke Renner

Founder - HANDS Across Haiti

To add your "pin" to the map, you will need a free GMAIL ACCOUNT. Also, please ZOOM using the '+' and '-' buttons on the map controls. I am trying to figure out how to force a default "zoom level." Right now it is zoomed in VERY CLOSE. Try this: - Click "View Larger Map" to go to the Google Maps page.

DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING YOUR PIN:
- Beneath this map, please click "View Larger Map" to open Google Maps.
- LOG IN to your GMAIL account (you MUST have a GMAIL account).
- After logging in, the "Edit" button should appear (left hand column, mid-way down). If it does NOT appear, please close the page and re-open from the HANDS site. Now you should see the "Edit" button.
- Once there, click the "Edit" button.
- After clicking the "Edit" button, the tools should appear along the upper edge of the map.
- Grab a pin and drop it where you are, then fill in the appropriate information.
- When finished, click the "Save" button where the "Edit" button used to be.
- You're finished!

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