When Mike and Carrie Gibson traveled to Haiti in 2007 they were struck by the words of a small child. She followed them uttering the word “grangou” or hungry in Haitian. The couple had gone to the island nation to adopt a child. But the meeting with the little girl now sent them on a completely different mission – one to help the countless children in Haiti in desperate need.
Praying for direction on a way they could help, the Gibsons returned in July of 2008 to establish their non-profit organization. For the next two years, the couple made multiple trips to Haiti in order to build relationships with children living on the streets and bring them food and supplies. In January 2010, the world watched as an earthquake devastated the tiny island nation. This resulted in the Gibsons opening a home for abandoned, at-risk children.
Co-Founder Carrie Gibson said
As I continued on that trip and visited Haiti many more times, I kept seeing similar needs. Hungry children, abandoned children, children on the streets with nowhere to go. I just knew I needed to do something.
Today, Grangou operates the Travay Bondye home located in Port au Prince. Having to move their location five different times due to leases, the organization is trying to raise $290,000 to purchase a permanent home. Grangou also provides three meals a day, clean water, medical care, education, and clothing to the children who call Travay Bondye home. These children not only get the physical refuge they seek but the mental refuge of hope to overcome their circumstances. In addition to Travay Bondye, Grangou spearheads mission trips, outreach programs and Teens in Transition (TNT), providing support to those aging out of Travay Bondye.
Grangou is unique among charities in that every penny donated goes to help the kids. Feed the hearts, minds, and bodies of Haitian children this year!
While Grangou has seen many successes, one of its biggest is a child who went through the program and is now pre-med in college. 10 years after starting Grangou, the Gibsons remain committed to raising awareness about the extreme difficulties of life in Haiti. Through their charity, they hope to feed the hearts, minds, and bodies of Haitians in need.