One of the Zone’s most cherished traditions is our annual birthday gift for Johnny Depp.
Each year we choose a charity which is connected to Johnny’s philanthropic interests—particularly his interest in helping children in need. We pool our modest contributions and make a Zone donation to a worthy cause in honor of Johnny Depp, as a way of celebrating and thanking Johnny for all the joy he has given us over the year.
This year, Haiti’s children desperately need our help. A massive earthquake struck the island nation on January 12, 2010, killing 220,000 people and leaving more than a million homeless and hungry, many of them children.
So the 2010 Birthday Project will benefit . . .
Save the Children’s Haiti Emergency Relief for Children!
Save the Children has been assisting children and families in Haiti for more than three decades. Currently Save the Children has more than 800 staff members on the ground in Haiti. Since the earthquake, Save the Children, according to their website, “has reached an estimated 553,000 people — at least 240,000 of them children — with lifesaving and life-sustaining assistance” that includes “providing food, shelter, health, child protection, clean water, sanitation, education and livelihoods programs for affected families.”
Save the Children has distributed food to more than a quarter of a million Haitians, provided access to clean water and sanitation facilities to more than 221,000 people, and provided classroom tents and supplies so 41 schools could reopen.
You can learn more about Save the Children’s impressive work in Haiti here:
Their three-month report on “Helping Haiti’s Children” explains what is needed and what can be done to make things better.
As in past years, the Zone has set up a Paypal account strictly for 2010 Birthday Project contributions to benefit Save the Children’s Haiti Emergency Relief for Children.
This is the easiest way to donate and the best way for Save the Children, too. They deal with an enormous volume of donations and many, many fundraising events. They recommend sending one check from any organization (like the Zone) collecting multiple donations, so we ask you to donate via Paypal if at all possible: this simplifies their recordkeeping, and ours, too.
We will be accepting donations through Johnny’s birthday, June 9, 2010.
In these times of financial hardship, we know that it is not easy to find money in the budget to donate to charity. But somehow Zoners always find a way to say “Happy Birthday” and “Thank You” to Johnny, and to help children whose need is far greater than our own. When we pool our small gifts together, we can do a lot of good for others.
Please join us in wishing Johnny Depp a very happy birthday, and in saying for all the joy he has given us, by donating to the 2010 Birthday Project.
Part-Time Poet
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
-- J. M. Barrie
An absolutely wonderful and well deserving choice, there's still so much to do there and has it seems to have dropped out of the limelight due to other disasters since it's nice to be reminded that there's still so much to do there and so many still suffering. Thanks PtP and everyone who has put work into setting the new project up.
And Wit, was his vain frivolous pretence
Of pleasing others, at his own expense
In-too-Depp wrote: An absolutely wonderful and well deserving choice, there's still so much to do there and has it seems to have dropped out of the limelight due to other disasters since it's nice to be reminded that there's still so much to do there and so many still suffering. Thanks PtP and everyone who has put work into setting the new project up.
This is so true. The plight of the people in Haiti has already has dropped out of the news and with the rains and no shelter, they are still suffering.
In-too-Depp wrote: An absolutely wonderful and well deserving choice, there's still so much to do there and has it seems to have dropped out of the limelight due to other disasters since it's nice to be reminded that there's still so much to do there and so many still suffering. Thanks PtP and everyone who has put work into setting the new project up.
Thanks, ITD. To give credit where it's due, Theresa did an exhaustive investigation of charities on the ground in Haiti to be sure we found one with a solid track record and the highest rating from the agencies that check out charities. Save the Children began in England after World War I and has a long, proud history of effective intervention. It now ranks as one of the 200 largest charities in the U.S. They were already at work in Haiti, and had been for many years, before the earthquake, so they are well-positioned to help.
Joni has also helped with Save the Children research, and the beautiful artwork for the Birthday Project is by Shadow. and to Theresa, Joni, and Shadow!
Part-Time Poet
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
-- J. M. Barrie
Thank you to all concerned PTP, Theresa, Joni and Shadow
I for one will be most happy to make a contribution. It breaks my heart when you think that children suffer in so many ways and what a nice way to celebrate for Johnny once again.
Many thanks for all your dedication on behalf of us all
Dreams do come true -
29 June 2009 - 25 February 2010 - 12 May 2011 - then sealed with a kiss on 3 November 2011 then May 9th 2012 Quote "" you mean our grandchildren" My Art Gallery
It will be a privilige and pleasure to contribute to a wonderful cause like this, in Johnny's spirit. Thank you Part-time Poet, Theresa, Joni and Shadow for organizing this
The true success of the Birthday Project comes from the members,though. Every dollar, pound, euro, yen, etc....when we pool our resources, we can make a positive impact on the lives of many, many children in Haiti.
Theresa wrote:The true success of the Birthday Project comes from the members,though. Every dollar, pound, euro, yen, etc....when we pool our resources, we can make a positive impact on the lives of many, many children in Haiti.
So true! We can certainly do some good there.
Many thanks to the members who have made a contribution to the Birthday Project already!
Thanks for getting us underway!
Part-Time Poet
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
-- J. M. Barrie
This year's Birthday project is such a worthy cause and the need continues. I am honored to contribute especially in Johnny's name.
Thank you so much for this venue. You all are so very special as well.
Thank you Johnny for being exactly who you are &
audamay wrote:Thank you to all concerned PTP, Theresa, Joni and Shadow
I for one will be most happy to make a contribution. It breaks my heart when you think that children suffer in so many ways and what a nice way to celebrate for Johnny once again.
Thanks, audamay! Feeding hungry children and providing medical care can bring them smiles, immediate comfort, and the hope for a better tomorrow. Hopefully by working together, we'll be able to bring quite a few smiles to Haiti's children.
Part-Time Poet
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
-- J. M. Barrie
It’s Birthday Project time again! 
and make a Zone donation to a worthy cause in honor of Johnny Depp, as a way of celebrating and thanking Johnny for all the joy he has given us over the year. 
for all the joy he has given us, by donating to the 2010 Birthday Project.
Thank you for setting this up. 
An absolutely wonderful and well deserving choice, there's still so much to do there and has it seems to have dropped out of the limelight due to other disasters since it's nice to be reminded that there's still so much to do there and so many still suffering. Thanks PtP and everyone who has put work into setting the new project up. 
and 
It certainly will be a pleasure to make a donation to these children.