Relief group’s ‘yard sale’ success shows Tennessee generosity, founder says

International politics can be complicated, but as the world watches the escalating violence in Haiti, Jack Davidson is certain of one thing. 

“We have to feed the children,” he says. Davidson, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, is founder and executive director of the American Haitian Foundation, a non-profit aid organization he founded in 2000. 

The foundation’s volunteers recently raised more than $100,000 through their annual yard sale to support the organization, which operates St. Antoine School in Haiti. 

St. Antoine, in the community of Petite Riviere de Nippes about 75 miles west of Port-au-Prince, the troubled nation’s capital, educates and feeds about a thousand students, pre-school to high school, also sending meals home with the youngsters for their families. 

“The most important thing we need now is revenue to feed children,” Davidson said at a pitch-in dinner for volunteers at St. Augustine Catholic Church on Signal Mountain, one of five churches that support the group along with numerous private contributors. 

The foundation has about 100 employees at the school, including teachers, cooks and security guards, and an operating budget of about $25,000 a month. 

“It comes from all over,” Davidson said of the financial support. “People hear about it and like what we’re doing. It comes from people sharing our posts on Facebook and things like that.” 

Doctors and others who visit the project in Haiti often end up becoming supporters, he said. But the situation there is extremely dangerous since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, which created a political vacuum in which Haitian gangs have largely taken control. 

“It’s extremely difficult there until we have a legitimate government in place. Right now, there's four main roads that go to Port-au-Prince, and all of them are blocked by gangs,” he said. “They’re restricting food and medical supplies.” 

Davidson is working with local farmers and other groups to maintain a stream of food and other supplies to the school. He’s hoping conditions there will improve, but there have been few signs of progress in the country so far. 

“I just have to be hopeful,” he said. “It’s the only thing that keeps us going—the hope for a better future.” 

BELOW: Jack Davidson talks about what’s working.