Twa Zanmi (Three Friends) Project in Boston, MA Receives $225,000 as part of National Project
Local immigrant group one of eight nationwide receiving grant to create media about community health
Boston, MA Sept. 30, 2008. The Twa Zanmi Project was awarded $225,000 today by NewRoutes to Community Health, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Benton Foundation designed to improve the health of immigrants in the United States through media created by immigrants. There are eight total diverse immigrant-led collaborations across the United States splitting $1.8 million total over three years to create locally-focused media and outreach campaigns that speak directly to immigrants’ health concerns at the community level. 
Executive Director's Message
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Staff of the Haitian American Public Health Initiatives, Inc (HAPHI), it is my pleasure to welcome you to our redesigned website. After 18 years of existence and considering the state of the US economy, we are proud to say that HAPHI remains in good financial standing.
I thank our board of directors for giving freely of their time to lead this organization to a successful path. I extend my special thanks to our employees who are being asked to do more with less as they deliver our many programs in the community.
Our appreciation goes to our many funders who have stood by HAPHI’s capabilities to educate and serve the Haitian community and have provided the financial resources to execute the vital programs that our community is benefiting from: whether it is our after school program, our HIV education, opportunities for our mentally challenged children and their families, leadership development to our youths, English and citizenship classes, elder services, health education, immigration education for adults or just working in partnership with other agencies.
Since its inception eighteen years ago, HAPHI has grown tremendously and today provides a comprehensive range of prevention, education, and direct services. As the agency has evolved to address community needs, it has expanded traditional base in health education to offer a growing host of direct services. The growth of these services as emerged from an emphasis on reaching Haitians with limited English proficiency and limited access to social and economic resources.
Over the past three years, HAPHI has responded, in particular, to better address the needs of the elderly, children with developmental disabilities, and recent immigrants and refugees -- sub-populations within the community who are among the most vulnerable. HAPHI has also placed increasing investment, through its active participation, in a range of community partnerships resulting in significant increase in revenues. These include the “Twa Zanmi” partnership with UMass Boston and Camera Mosaique, the Massachusetts Mutual Assistance Association Coalition, the Round Table on Domestic Violence, etc.
This new strategy has paid off for HAPHI and has allowed our organization to add other programs to its services: support to families such as English as a Second Language for Adults, American Citizenship preparation course for applicants, etc.
Our mission remains to provide the best health and social services to our clients. We want to provide relevant services to the Haitian and minority communities of Bosotn. We pledge to continue the practice of mutual respect in our business dealing, of financial integrity and of accountability as we manage our resources.