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Ralph Toussaint is the only Haitian at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., so when it came time to pick a senior project, which consists of volunteer work and a research paper, his English teacher, Barbara Keating, of Seventh and Cross streets, suggested he focus on his ethnicity.
That was before the devastating, 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12, killing more than 150,000.
Prior to the earthquake, Toussaint was not sure how to complete the volunteer aspect of his project, but now he is collecting donations for the American Red Cross from his peers to serve his native country.
“It’s generated a nice buzz,” Keating, an 11th-grade English teacher, said. “[The students] are understanding it better thanks to this.”
Toussaint was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, where his mother Ghislaine Casseus and brother Ketler Casseus, 28, still reside. His father, Duval Toussaint, has lived in Philly for seven years and brought him and his sister, Nastatja Toussaint, 22, to West Philadelphia to live with him three years ago.
“When I first heard about the earthquake, I was scared because I still have family in Haiti,” Ralph said. “I can’t protect them. I cannot call because there is no communication.”
His mother and sibling survived, but his brother, who is in his final year of studies at a private univeristy in the capital city, stepped out of class to buy a bottle of water and came face-to-face with the devastation to come. Outside, he felt the ground shake, Toussaint said, and “he turned around and saw the school going down.
“My brother could not speak for three days.”
Many who were inside the school did not survive.
Since Jan. 19, the senior has traveled throughout Southern, visiting classrooms during morning advisory, and will continue to do so until tomorrow. He explains the situation to his classmates and accepts donations of any amount. As of press time, he had raised about $240.
“Nobody can do everything, but anyone can do something,” the 19-year-old said.
He even shows classmates a news photo he found that shows 500 people dead in Port-au-Prince with one man looking for his family in the midst of the devastation.
“When I look at the image, it’s eating me alive,” he said.
Toussaint hopes his peers as well as his own, contributions will make a difference.
“It’s not going to be too much, but it can buy water, blankets or whatever and it can help,” he said.
However, whatever Toussaint raises will be doubled thanks to Keating, who has secured Keating-Mara Associates, a Wayne-based legal and consulting service firm, to match the total collection.
“I was happy because I’m willing to do anything to help my country,” he said of the match. “When I look at the news, I feel [my] heart breaking.”
Elsewhere, local businesses are lending support to the cause, even those who do not know anyone directly affected.
“I would watch the news every night on CNN and just cry,” Elena Brennan, owner of Bus Stop Boutique, 750 S. Fourth St., said. “I just felt helpless. I have to do something to help the unfortunate in Haiti because the relief effort is so slow. I thought collecting money would be the best.”
Brennan is holding the boutique’s first-ever warehouse sale through Sunday, selling mostly designer winter shoes for up to 75-percent off with a yet-to-be-determined portion going to the Red Cross, which has been providing medical support to about 500 people a day, in addition to purifying the country’s water and distributing it to 400,000 people each day.
The earthquake inspired her to quickly set up the effort at a vacant nearby fabric shop, at 727 S. Fourth. A donation box also will be on hand for those who wish to give more.
“I think it’s important to give back and it’s important to give to those in need right now,” she said. “With the economy and recession, a lot of people are suffering, but not like those in Haiti, who have lost everything.”
Colleen DeCesare, co-owner of Passyunk’s Black N Brew with Jennifer Kaufman, held its fundraising Jan. 16 and 17, raising about $400 for the Red Cross.
“What was going on in Haiti is awful, so we wanted to do what we could to help,” DeCesare said.
An alum of the Institute Integrative Nutrition, which teaches holistic nutrition education, DeCesare received an e-mail from her New York City-based alma mater saying for any employees or alumni who raise money for the Red Cross, the school would match the amount.
“Right away I was like, ‘OK, cool. We’re going to do something at the shop,’” she said.
The establishment at 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. donated 5 percent of its sales that weekend, plus customer donations. The total donation was $800, including the school’s portion.
“You got to do something,” she said. “Times are tough for everyone here, but c’mon, what’s going on there is totally different.”
A few blocks away, the owners of Isabella Pizza, 1824 E. Passyunk, continued their trend of helping out as they’ve done in the past through donated meals and discounts to schools.
“When I watched the news and I saw the children and the people, I thought that I had to do something,” Michal Martorano, who co-owns the shop with ex-husband Steven Martorano, said.
Isabella began accepting donations, as well as giving 5 percent of its sales to the Red Cross, Jan. 15, and will continue to do so through the weekend. Those who donate will receive a free fountain soda. The establishment had raised about $2,500 as of press time.
“I feel like we have the opportunity to give back and make a difference,” she said, adding she hopes the funds can help supply medical equipment, food and water.
To give back and make a difference almost 1,500 miles away, feels great, Michal said.
“We’re all part of the world,” she added. “Because we’re lucky, we’re all doing well. It’s just our duty to give back.”
Wake Up Yoga South at 1839 E. Passyunk will hold “A Profound Act of Love” with a variety of events Feb. 13. All profits from that day will go to Haitian relief efforts. Back in 2004 and ’05, the studio headed a similar cause when the tsunami hit countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, Director Corina Benner said.
“We raised almost $5,000, which was really so phenomenal. When this started unfolding, I just really thought things are happening and are so far away,” she said. “You feel so helpless.”
She decided to offer yoga as a way to aid those in need, but was unsure where to donate the funds.
Every penny collected at all three of the studios, including its Fairmount and West Philadelphia branches, that Saturday will go to Partners in Health, which provides health care to people in countries such as Peru, Rwanda, Haiti and the United States.
Roosevelt Maitre, who is the husband of Wake Up teacher-trainee Dede, has relatives in Haiti, Benner said. The couple has been raising funds for Partners in Health and Benner decided to add the studio to that effort.
“Everything we’re raising we’re donating in their honor,” she said.
Wake Up will hold three classes that afternoon: Family yoga will kick off the day at 3 p.m., followed by “A Heart Opening Yoga” at 4:30 and “Food for the Heart” at 6. Each has a suggested donation of $10. In addition, the studio has been gathering raffle prizes such as theater tickets, massages and handmade Haitian crafts with the winners being picked Feb. 13. Tickets go on sale this week for $10.
Benner is hopeful the funds not only will help those in need now, but provide for continued well-being in the country.
“As a yoga studio and yoga community, we breathe the same air, we drink the same water,” she said. “Suffering — it’s not like you can avoid difficulty. You have to help people. Helping other people is perhaps the reason we all exist.”
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