2020 Annual Report: Starfysh's 10 Year Anniversary

Dear Friends,

This year marks Starfysh’s 10 year anniversary of working in Haiti. Little did we know, when we celebrated our milestone at Meijer Gardens this past January, how momentous a year 2020 would be. Little did we know at that fun gathering that in just days the world’s rhythms and routines would, like a violent earthquake, be rocked and reset. If given one word to sum up 2020, “violent” might just be it. In 2010, the earth beneath Haiti shook, claiming life and livelihoods. Today, a decade later, we wonder if our own “terra firma” may not, in fact, be all that firma.

Even going in to 2020, and before the pandemic, Haiti’s political situation and political unrest were impacting Starfysh’s work. In mid-2019 the US State Department raised its travel advisory to Level 4 – Do Not Travel. Earlier this year, then, Covid-19 slammed the lid on travel in and out of Haiti. These realities have made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for me personally to make my frequent trips (typically every 2-3 months) to the island and for Starfysh to receive guests and visiting work teams.

We are thankful that even during times of turmoil on the mainland, the island of La Gonave has remained peaceful, with very little in the way of violence and unrest. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has reached and impacted La Gonave, but her ability to deal with the disease does not come close to the abilities of other parts of the world to deal with it. Not to mention testing and treatment, even risk mitigation is much more difficult. How, for example, can people living on an island of no running water practice frequent hand washing?

Thankfully, Starfysh’s model of Haitian-driven project efforts has meant that, during these days of challenge, our work on the island has continued without interruption, not dependent on our ongoing physical presence. And, though I ache to return to visit our work and meet with our staff, I do touch base on nearly a daily basis with our boots-on-the-ground and am thrilled to see that the initiatives we have placed into motion (education, agriculture, etc.) continue to progress.

To be honest, when the world seemed to come to a screeching halt, I was concerned that there would be a dramatic drop off in donations and support and that we would be forced to make difficult cuts in our work. Friends, the opposite has been true! Seems trying times only seem to spur on people of faith and you are supporting this good work even more energetically than before. Thank you.

Please don’t let up. As you’ll see on the pages that follow, we are having a significant and lasting impact. Your prayers and your financial support will help move our work forward.

Thank you, friends, for supporting our work so generously. Together, our efforts are paying big dividends in the lives of the Haitian people.

Dr. Steve Edmondson
Founder & President, Starfysh

Starfysh 2020 Annual Report


Once upon a time…

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, so he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

As if he hadn’t heard, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he turned, smiled, and said, “Yes, but I just made a big difference to that one!”

— Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley


Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Mission, Values & Guiding Principles
  3. Leadership & Financials
  4. Life Garden Coffee
  5. Agriculture
  6. Education
  7. Community Health
  8. Emergency Relief
  9. How You Can Help

Our Starfish

Established in 2010, Starfysh was born as a grassroots movement of folks with an audacious notion… that we could, in our lifetime, not only witness the overcoming of desperate poverty and suffering but, more remarkably, might ourselves participate in the transformation. Nothing less than a grand experiment in human compassion, Starfysh asks, “What might happen if a few people and organizations came together in synergistic partnerships to focus on a place and people group? To stay, moving beyond relief and rescue to the harder work of development? To work to bring lasting transformation when people realize their dignity as image-bearers of their Creator?”

We chose La Gonave as our “starfish.”


The Island of La Gonave

They call her La Gonave. Home to 100,000 of the poorest, most beaten-down people with whom we share our planet—yet most of the world does not know that she and her people exist. Known as “The Forgotten Haiti,” the island of La Gonave is largely disregarded by her motherland, a place where most people do not have access to close, clean water. A place where meaningful work is nearly non-existent and the ability to hope for a better future has evaporated. Where few children can attend school and where, even for those fortunate enough to attend and complete school, there are no next steps.

Life on La Gonave:

  • No running water exists. All water must be fetched from distant sources.
  • Water-borne illness/diarrhea is the second leading cause of death.
  • Fewer than 10% of families have a household latrine.
  • 1 of every 13 children dies before their 5th birthday.
  • 3 of every 4 children under 5 are malnourished and underweight.
  • 1 of every 3 children is infected with intestinal parasites.
  • 95% of people do not have access to electricity.
  • Fewer than half of people can read.

But La Gonave’s people are beautiful, created in the image of God. They are a people who love their country, for all its flaws. They are smart people, creative and industrious, whose children love to play and sing. They are resilient people who are willing to work hard to pull themselves and their land out of poverty if only there were a way to do it.


Mission

Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, and by His model of compassionate servanthood, Starfysh exists to demonstrate Christian love and compassion through alleviating physical suffering and addressing social injustice on the island of La Gonave, Haiti. Starfysh’s mission is to bring sustainable transformation to the island. With God’s help, we will work alongside the people of La Gonave to break the vicious cycle of their desperate poverty.


Vision

Our vision is to reverse the cycle of poverty on the island of La Gonave, Haiti. We’ll know our vision has been realized when drinking water is clean, food is abundant, and people are able to provide for themselves, thus building dignity and hope for every person, every family, and every village on the island.

The Benchmark: Sustainability
Bold and gutsy claims must be backed by bold and gutsy plans. We must be smart, inventive, and innovative. It is a new day. We cannot afford to revisit failed methodologies that yielded unsustainable outcomes. Sustainability must be the benchmark by which success in our mission (true transformation) is measured. We will make honest decisions to let go of things that don’t yield permanent outcomes and pour our energies into outcomes that will outlive Starfysh, surviving and thriving on their own.


Core Values

Driven and guided by these core values, Starfysh is resolutely committed to implementing long-term, sustainable, and asset-based initiatives for communities on La Gonave:

  • Collaboration: We value partnerships and welcome the expertise and skills that others bring.
  • Empowerment: We desire that those we serve become encouraged, equipped, and strengthened toward self-sufficiency.
  • Dignity: We aim to build up the worth of those we serve, avoiding charity that diminishes dignity.
  • Holistic Focus: We focus our energies on one place (La Gonave) and address as many of the root causes of her poverty as possible.
  • Sustainability: We will measure success by progressively higher levels of independence.
  • Measurability: Outcomes of our efforts will be measured to sharpen and refine our vision.

Guiding Principles

To “do no harm,” Starfysh follows these principles:

  • Buy Local: We support the local economy by procuring supplies locally whenever possible, even if it costs more.
  • No Bribes: We reject paying for illegal favors.
  • Assets-Based Approach: We prioritize a community’s assets and strengths over its problems and needs.
  • Non-Political: We do not take positions on Haitian politics.
  • Christ-Centered Ethos: In everything we do, we aim to shine the love of God in Jesus.

Board of Directors

  • Dr. Steve Edmondson | Founder & President
    Family Practice Physician, Sparrow Medical Group
  • Brian Dykstra | Vice President
    Managing Director, Oxford Financial Group
  • Doug Lockhart | Treasurer
    SVP Marketing and New Initiatives, HarperCollins Christian Publishing
  • Tim Ulstad | Secretary
    Licensed Counselor, Private Practice
  • Dr. Eli Maxime | Member at Large
    General Practice Physician, GHESKIO HIV/AIDS Treatment Center, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
  • Cherese Gordon | Member at Large
    Mission Team Leader
  • Jone Destine | Member at Large
    Export Compliance Specialist, Imperial Clinical Research Services
  • Daniel Bertrand | Member at Large
    CEO, La Gonave Wesleyan Hospital
  • Penny Beatty | Member at Large
    Special Education Teacher, Forest Hills Public Schools
  • Joseph Yves | Member at Large
    Community Health Education Coordinator
  • Dan Irvine | Member at Large
    Haiti Country Director, World Hope International

Financials

Fiscal Year 2019-2020

  • Total Gifts = $382,524.06
  • Administration and Fundraising = $36,549.53
  • % A&F = 9.5%

Starfysh’s fully disclosed financial information (IRS Form 990) can be viewed at:

  • IRS.gov (EIN 27-1976856)
  • Guidestar.org

Agriculture

Life Garden Coffee
During the past year, we successfully reintroduced Haitian coffee to the American marketplace. Farmers, organized in cooperatives, are paid fairly for their organically grown coffee cherries. The coffee is roasted, packaged in Haiti, and shipped to the States for sale. All profits go back into Starfysh’s agricultural efforts in Haiti.

Agricultural Growth
Progress continues at both Life Garden campuses (sea level and mountain). Over the past twelve months, we have planted and distributed:

  • 4,900 fruit trees
  • 32,761 vegetable seedlings
  • 1,800 sweet potato and cassava cuttings
  • 3,067 papaya plants
  • 1,124 banana plants

Education

Back to School
Despite the pandemic, schools on La Gonave reopened in September. Starfysh supports six elementary schools, providing operational support (teacher salaries, classroom supplies), and daily meals for students. Starfysh is also investing in future leaders by offering medical school scholarships, agronomy internships, ESL classes, and yearly continuing education seminars for teachers.


Community Health

One Village at a Time
Our community health education model reaches distant villages on La Gonave, where we focus on nutrition, farming, health, hygiene, and sharing the message of hope through Jesus Christ.

Over the past twelve months, our community health efforts have resulted in:

  • 696 home visits
  • 228 new family latrines constructed
  • 50 families receiving a Haitian Creole Bible
  • 100 Creole-language health books distributed
  • 60 people turning their lives to God

Tippy Tap Handwashing
We have introduced “tippy taps” as an inexpensive way for families to wash hands with minimal water.


Emergency Relief

Food Insecurity
Food insecurity in Haiti, already at alarming levels, worsened in 2020 due to civil unrest, rapid inflation, and the pandemic. Starfysh responded by distributing sweet potato starts and providing thousands of nourishing meals to families across the island.


How You Can Help

Your support—whether through prayer, work groups, or financial gifts—helps us make a meaningful difference. Please consider joining us in our mission.

  • RoundUp App: Automatically donate the spare change from your purchases.
  • Amazon Smile: Shop on smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to Starfysh.
  • Visit Starfysh.org: For online giving and monthly donation options.

Kay Starfysh
Located in Anse-a-Galets, “Kay Starfysh” is the epicenter of our work. We need your help to continue covering its lease. If you or your group would like to underwrite the cost, we would be so thankful.


6757 Cascade Road SE #207 • Grand Rapids, MI 49546 • starfysh.org
Starfysh is a recognized Non-Government Organization (NGO) and has been awarded the Gold Seal of Transparency by Guidestar.

Follow Us on Social Media