Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Helping hands

One Canadian couple, three sons, seven grandchildren, help from friends and neighbors, lots of drive, and a huge sense of charity – and the result is possibly the largest foreign NGO operating in Cuba, with $4 million in donations per year. The Ottawa Sun writes about John and Marion Dubois of Woodstock, Ontario, and their charity, the Dubois Charitable Foundation.

The Dubois Charitable Foundation receives no government money.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

what's the point Phil?

$4 million is nothing compared to the private humanitarian assistance that arrives from the US every year....

Anonymous said...

I've worked on this effort and it is worth it; $4 million is better than nothing. The point is that it does help, not sure you're point..
Private humanitarian assistance from US? You're referring to the money sent by Cuban Americans to their family?
All this would not be as necessary if US ended their criminal embargo.
But Dubois Charitable Foundation is doing good work

Anonymous said...

the point is we don't need lessons in charity from canadians on Cuba. It's not just remittances, it's millions and millions in direct humanitarian assistance, dope...

Anonymous said...

"Millions and millions of direct humanitarian assistance?" Are you talking about the U.S. program that has been ridiculed for corruption and exposed for having the vast majority of funds go to people right here in the U.S.?

Phil Peters said...

I wasn't making a point, I just thought it was a great story and some pretty remarkable people.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Phil.... I'm sorry some of your readers see EVERYTHING through a politcial/ideological lens (like the first response.)

I feel sorry for those people.

Anonymous said...

I feel sorry for those people as well -- it is truly unbelievable when a non-political event like this is turned into a comment like that from the first response. Direct humanitarian assistance? What a joke that is, and what a hypocrite you are. How humanitarian are the American policies against Cuba. And then of course the traditional personal attack, 'dope'. Typical response from that type.
Re lessons in charity from Canadians. No, what you do need is lessons in reality regarding America's criminal embargo. Dubois' efforts may not be needed, especially in the medical equipment area, if the embargo was lifted. Deal with it, instead of trying to diminish a very worthwhile project.

Anonymous said...

there is no such thing as a "non-political" event in a country where an unelected dictatorship politicizes every facet of its citizens' personal lives...if you all can't get your minds around that, Cuba will never be free.

Also, please do some research before you attempt to comment on things you are obviously ignorant on. "millions and millions" in direct humanitarian assistance is a fact, not a fantasy.

Anonymous said...

and how many of Dubois foundation drives have you been on. It is so typical and tiring of your type to always descend into name calling. Ignorance is thy name. Millions and millions in humanitarian assistance, what a joke, give me the proof where it goes to cuba and that it isnt lining the pockets of the gusanos. And again, ignorant, if the criminal embargo was lifted the millions and millions (ha!) wouldn't be needed. Speaking of fantasy, what fantasy world do you live in where you criticize something you know absolutely nothing about.

Anonymous said...

For starters, try contacting the Treasury Department and find out how much they have licensed in humanitarian assistance to Cuba over the past 10 years. Then move on to Commerce and see how many licenses they have granted. Then, if you are able -- or else use a calculator -- add up the amounts. Sorry to break it to you, Red, but the U.S. is by far the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to Cuba in the world. We don't need lessons from any other country on how to try to help Cubans without aiding and abetting the criminal regime that keeps them impoverished.

Anonymous said...

Did you miss the NGO part..... Non Gov't Organization, we are people helping people... If you think 4 million does not make a differance, maybe you should visit the places the materials go to... I have...

Anonymous said...

If you want the world to know how generous the US Treasury Department is with their LICENSING of humanitarian assistance, perhaps you should post the real numbers. I help pack the containers and I have never seen a Treasury official actually helping do anything for anyone in Cuba. Sorry to break it to you, anonymous, but you can't compare John and Marion to a government agency. Just 2 nice people doing something to help. I'm proud to call them friends.
Bigjohn.

Phil Peters said...

Well, does anyone have the US government numbers about licensed humanitarian donations?

Anonymous said...

In 2007, the U.S. government authorized $240.5 million in private humanitarian assistance, including gift parcels with food and other basic items, non-agricultural humanitarian donations, and medical donations.

Anonymous said...

Mighty big of the US Government to allow someone else to do something.
DCF actually does something. If you want to criticize their actions, at least provide a working alternative. For a group that works out of a 2 car garage at a private home, the Dubois Charitable Foundation is setting an example for the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

Dope, if you go back to the very first post, it talks about private humanitarian assistance from the U.S. The only way you can to attempt to quantify it is through licensing.

Anonymous said...

I guess this debate is over...