Texas lawyers have never been stingy when it comes to helping in times of need. When Hurricane Ike devastated the Texas Coast in 2008, Texas lawyers came out in droves to help their fellow Texans. Last month’s earthquake in Haiti is no exception. Thousands of Texas attorneys have made monetary donations, as well as donated much-needed necessities, to relief efforts in Haiti. Still, access to safe drinking water in Haiti is a problem.
Annette Raguette, an Austin public member of the State Bar Board, and her 8-year-old daughter, Isabella, are doing what they can to ensure children in Haiti, and around the world, have safe drinking water. Four months ago, Isabella founded Children’s Water for Life, a nonprofit organization that raises money for PUR packets. The eight members of the CWFL board range in age from 8 to 14 years old. (Raggette is the only adult on the board, but somebody’s got to take care of the paperwork.) CWFL hopes to donate at least 25,000 of the packets, which cost 10 cents each, to Haiti relief efforts. Adding one PUR packet to approximately 2.5 gallons of water helps make it potable for infants, children, and adults. A $1 donation can help provide one child safe drinking water for 50 days.
Aside from donations, Raguette said CWFL could use the services of a CPA or tax lawyer and help with printing services. CWFL has Haiti fundraisers set up for the next two weeks. For more information on the fundraisers and CWFL, visit www.childrenswaterforlife.com.