By Pamela McLoughlin, Register Staff
pmcloughlin@newhavenregister.com

NEW HAVEN — Just seven days after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti Jan. 12, Richard Everett was there to aid victims and found himself giving shots, helping to set broken bones and holding down screaming patients as they had limbs amputated.

This week, Everett, who is not in the medical field, will return to the tiny island nation, but instead of mending bodies he’ll use his expertise as a businessman to try to mend Haitian lives and put futures on track.



Everett, executive director of New Haven Help Alliance and formerly the CEO of his own investment firm, wants to create and execute a business plan for his friend Jay Threadgill, of Fishers of Men Ministries International, a Christian organization.

He figures Threadgill is so busy as a pastor to about 1,200 people and running a school and feeding thousands of children, that he doesn’t have time for plans.

“I have strength in that area,” Everett said. “Our goal is to help him get better organized. I actually put a business model together.”

Fishers of Men Ministries has planted more than 25 churches throughout the island nation, as well as 14 academic schools, and four accredited Bible schools. Threadgill, a pastor, lost his church in the quake.

After the earthquake, Threadgill and volunteers opened a medical clinic in one of the schools that remained, at which Everett spent 10 days helping to treat some 500 people.

Everett, who leaves for Haiti Wednesday, said he and about 20 other volunteer experts from around the country will meet in Haiti and “lock ourselves away for two to three days to think of ways to help.”

Everett envisions creating work through the building of homes desperately needed in Haiti. Locals would be hired to build with the backup of volunteer expert support teams and federal start-up money. Homes will be built, skills will be acquired, people will be on the tax rolls, and the tax money will pay for something else the people need. Continued...

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He said he’s seen the model work in Rwanda with an orphanage that housed girls in one place and boys in another. The older girls were taught to cut hair and make clothes and did so for both orphanages, as well as selling the goods to the public. The boys learned carpentry and welding and were able to build beds, make repairs and make toys.

Everett said just pouring money into Haiti without strong leadership and vision is like pouring money into “a black hole.”

“Haiti was a mess before the earthquake and now it’s a bigger mess,” he said.

For information about Fishers of Men’s relief efforts, go to www.fomhaiti.org.

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