Catholic Health Partners (CHP) has provided a $2 million challenge grant to the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) to build a 30-bed facility in Cotes-de-Fer. This facility, the Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Center for Health, will serve 55,000 Haitians who currently lack access to quality health care.

As CMMB moves into its second century, it is focusing on saving the lives of children and mothers. It will work in partnership with its donors, other agencies, local community groups and church health facilities to establish CHAMPS (CHildren And Mothers PartnershipS). Cotes-de-Fer was selected by CMMB as the first CHAMPS site. CHAMPS is a 15-year commitment to build healthy, sustainable communities in underserved areas by maximizing community engagement and partnerships. By 2020, with the help of partners like CHP, CMMB hopes to have 16 CHAMPS in areas of need in Latin American, the Caribbean and Africa.

Bruce Wilkinson, CMMB’s President and Chief Executive Officer, speaks of the impact that CHP’s commitment will have on CMMB’s work "CHP’s grant is a powerful endorsement of our work to save and improve the lives of mothers and children and create healthy communities. We are grateful and excited about the involvement that CHP will have as the anchor partner in our Cotes-de-Fer CHAMPS. I think, also, that we are both so very proud to have the opportunity to honor the memory of Bishop Sullivan, who was loved by all."

CHP’s President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Connelly, who has served on CMMB’s Board since 2006 and served as Chairman from 2010 to October 2013, notes that CHP’s challenge grant will support CMMB’s century of service in Haiti and provide major support for its focus on saving the lives of women and children.

"We are proud to support an initiative that will enhance the quality of life of those in Haiti who truly are in desperate need of basic human services and which fundamentally brings CHP’s mission and vision for healthier communities to life," states Connelly. CHP’s challenge grant also supports additional fundraising CMMB is promoting to fund the project by providing matching grants to other donors, thus doubling the impact of their donations.

The new facility and a memorial fund that supports CHAMPS will be named after Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan. Bishop Sullivan had a life-long commitment to quality health care for the poor. He also served on the CMMB Board for 10 years. Throughout his life, Bishop Sullivan was a champion for those in need, especially regarding access to quality healthcare as a basic human right.

HL/ HaitiLibre