Subject: RE: YouthBuild/IDEJEN academies
From: "Tim Cross" <[email-masked]>
To: "Gary Edson" <[email-masked]>, <[email-masked]>, <[email-masked]>, <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Charles Ries" <[email-masked]>, "Paul Altidor" <[email-masked]>, <[email-masked]>, "Amanda Cosby" <[email-masked]>, "Meg Pearce" <[email-masked]>, "Frances Dayton" <[email-masked]>, "Peter Twichell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:17:06 -0500

Thanks for your kind words, Gary. It was, indeed, a wonderful event yesterday in Gressier to open the first center. Of course, we could not have done it without your support and the support of the CBHF. It was s great  to have you, Meg, Frances and the whole CBHF team at this first launch event. Thank-you so much for making that effort to be part of this special moment in the first phase of the project. 
 
Yes, we would like to connect with Manuel Estrella and explore possible ways that the YouthBuild IDEJEN Rebuilding Academy might work with the Estrella Group to advance the next stages of the project. Thank-you for making those connections. We will coordinate our follow up with Guerda. 
 
I hope to see you soon. Safe travels to the CBHF team. 
 
All the best,
 
Tim
 
Timothy D. Cross
President
YouthBuild International
58 Day Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02144   USA
 
617- 741-1214
tcross1214  Skype
[email-masked]
www.youthbuildinternational.org <http://www.youthbuildinternational.org/> 

________________________________

From: Gary Edson [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Fri 1/14/2011 7:18 AM
To: Tim Cross; [email-masked]; [email-masked]; [email-masked]
Cc: Charles Ries; Paul Altidor; [email-masked]; Amanda Cosby; Meg Pearce; Frances Dayton
Subject: YouthBuild/IDEJEN academies

Tim and Guerda:

It was a great pleasure to participate yesterday in the ribbon cutting ceremony, opening the YouthBuild Academy in Leogane, made possible with funding from the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. It was an inspiring event! Your aim to build a dozen or more academies throughout Haiti to provide over 5000 att-risk young people with construction and leadership skills is exactly what Haiti needs to truly "build back better."

When I was in PaP earlier this week, I met with Manuel Estrella (cc'd here), head of the Estrella Group, which, as you know, is undertaking some massive -- and exemplary -- construction projects in Haiti. Manuel was interested in learning more about the project, and exploring how he might support it -- from helping expand the curriculum, to providing job demand for graduates, to even funding an academy.

I encourage Tim and Guerda  to reach out to Manuel to discuss the project and his interest. Let me know what transpires, and whether and how CBHF can help facilitate what could be a very productive  partnership.

Best regards,

Gary