Our History
A history of making a difference
(Open the timeline blocks to the right for year-to-year details)
In 2002, a medical ministry established at the Church of St. Peter Claver (West Hartford, CT) began what would become an organized series of missions to conduct mobile healthcare clinics for underserved communities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
As these first few years unfolded, we recognized the need for a permanent and continuously-operating mobile clinic to bring sustainable primary care to this region. And we knew that this effort needed to be collaboration with Haitian medical professionals who are on the front lines. Thus, in 2009, Medical Aid to Haiti, Inc. (MATH) was formed as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission of “Helping Haitians Heal Haitians”.
In 2010, immediately following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, MATH commenced with funding a Haitian-staffed mobile medical clinic that has since expanded to include pharmacy and basic diagnostic testing services as well as a busy fixed clinic site. We sponsor U.S.-based teams of volunteer medical professionals who work side-by-side with our Haitian medical partners, educating and collaborating with them. Together, we now support approximately 15,000 visits a year to men, women and children who otherwise would not have access to consistent healthcare.
In 2014, MATH welcomed a group of medical professionals from St. Francis Hospital (Hartford, CT), that were operating surgical missions to Dame-Marie, Haiti, an impoverished village on the western tip of the island. Although there is a small hospital in Dame-Marie, there was no surgical capability. In addition to our ongoing missions to Dame-Marie, we are now funding a full-time surgeon, OB/GYN and Anesthesiologist.
Today, our mobile and fixed clinics in Port-au-Prince and surgical hospital in Dame-Marie together provide upwards of 17,000 patients visits annually. Our Haitian medical partners are thriving with this collaborative relationship, and it is gratifying to see the realization of the lofty expectations of MATH’s initial mission.
Where do we go from here?
As MATH’s scope of facilitating sustainable healthcare in these two regions has expanded, the need for additional support is vital. We depend on private donors, foundations and corporate sponsors to cover the salaries of Haitian staff, mobile vehicle maintenance, and medical equipment and supplies. These donor “investments” fuel MATH’s short- and long-range needs as well as our ability to scale up our services in Haiti.
We have an all-volunteer board of directors, and our U.S.-based medical volunteers pay their own way to travel with our medical missions. We are committed to using almost 100% of public donations for our projects.
Corporate sponsorships allow us to partner with companies for matching gift programs, public campaigns, and employee involvement. By expanding corporate gifts and engaging more personally with their employees and customers, we will shine a brighter spotlight on the desperate needs of the beautiful people of Haiti, and find new partners to share in the mission of MATH.
2002
2009
2010
2011
2012
Port-au-Prince Project – Weekly mobile clinic visits continue, and US mission teams provide speciality services – optometry, dermatology and midwifery – to villagers.
2013
Port-au-Prince Project – Negotiations for partnership with an established neighborhood clinic underway to expand accessibility to more villagers and provide a more sustainable primary health care operation.
2014
Port-au-Prince Project – A partnership agreement is signed between MATH and Dr. Wilkens Gilbert, a native Haitian and Medical Director of Centre Medico-Chirurgical du Quartier (CMCQ), a neighborhood clinic in the Delmas 60 area of Port-au-Prince, and Karavan Lasante, a mobile clinic operation is established and relocated to villages with more urgent needs – Croix-des-Bouquet, Lilavois, Marlique, and Santo.
This MATH-funded expansion will provide healthcare to over 15,000 patients per year in the area with care ranging from general health exams to diagnosing and initiating treatment for illnesses and chronic diseases.
2015
Port-au-Prince Project – Annual patient visits reach 10,000.
2016
MATH holds the first Autumn’s Palette event to raise funds for relief efforts.
Dame-Marie Project – Surgical mission team continue to provide much-needed surgical services and primary health care.
Port-au-Prince Project – Neighborhood and mobile clinic continue to provide healthcare to those most in need.
2017
Port-au-Prince Project – Annual patient visits increase to 12,000 with addition of Grand Boulage to the mobile clinic operation. Dr. Wilkens initiates construction of Hôpital Bellevue-La-Montagne (HBLM) in Marlique, which will bring surgical services and life-saving options to mothers and babies who die in childbirth due to lack of facilities for an emergency C-section.
2018
Port-au-Prince Project – Annual patient visits increase to 15,000. Foundations for Level 4 and 5 constructed with support of the Farrell Family Foundation, Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Gorin, Wilkens Family and local support.
2019
Port-au-Prince Project – CMCQ continues to operate full-time, six days per week. Level 4 at HBLM is opened for care as the KL new mobile clinic site in Marlique, but travel to other sites is hampered by local unrest and efforts to keep medical team safe while continuing to provide medical care are developed. Construction of Levels 4 and 5 continues with opening of operating rooms expected in 2020.
2020
Dame-Marie Project – Maternal Health Care continues with the rotational services of OB / GYN and anesthesia professionals providing consultations and life-saving medical interventions. Construction of the new residence area on the 3rd floor of HCDM is completed, providing a benefit for maintaining services by the medical staff in this remote area.
Port-au-Prince Project – The mobile clinic sites of Croix-des-Bouquets, Lilavois and Sante are now served by a neighborhood clinic, open 5 days a week, in an effort to minimize unsafe travel to sites while serving the same communities. The Kathy Aries Operating Room #2 opens at HBLM for general surgery in July. And the first emergency Cesarean Section is performed in August, bringing much-needed hope to the mothers living in an area where this life-saving intervention was not previously available.
2021
Dame-Marie Project – Maternal health care continues with addition of two operating room nurses and cervical cancer screening and treatment. Facility improvements continues with USAID grant funnding upgrade of electrical system, windows and painting.
Port-au-Prince Project – Two major milestones achieved — opening of ophthalmology department and MSPP certification of facility, Hopital Bellevue-La-Montagne, to highest level. Facility improvements with addition of third reservoir and continued construction of level 5.
2022
Dame-Marie Project – Sadly, project was closed in July due to inability to vet new management and insure transparency of funding use.
Port-au-Prince Project – Patient visits affected by civil unrest but stable with Dr Wilkens and staff continuing to keep doors of Hopital Bellevue-La-Montagne open and provide services 24 / 7. Major milestone achieved with opening of dental department 2 days a week.
2023
Through the generosity of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, a new vehicle “ambulance” was procured providing reliable transportation for emergency patients, pregnant mothers, and staff, up the 1.5 miles of rough terrain to HBLM. Local community members show their support and involvement in making healthcare available by manually improving the road conditions.
2024
Two milestones were reached —
- the opening of the Pediatric Ward with 10 cribs (made by the local community) and 6 bassinets in a space designed to give children the comfort and support they need while receiving medical treatment;
and
- the start of x-ray imaging on-site in the newly constructed lead-lined room and with the delivery of a portable x-ray machine procured through funds from 2023 Birdies for Charity program, and eliminating the need for patients to travel long distances for this essential diagnostic tool.
2025
Dr. Wilkens, our trusted partner in Haiti, continuously moves forward in providing hope to the communityy enabled by the valued support of our donors,. 2025 saw
1) Increase in patient visits at Hôpital Bellevue-La-Montagne as hospitals in the Port-au-Prince area closed due to gang violence.
2) Addition of Orthopedics and Urology to specialty services.
3) Construction of the 2nd floor atop the lead-lined Radiology Department housing the Community Library filled with books for children, who are still unable to attend school, and adults, and a space for meetings.