WISIN Y YANDEL CONTRIBUYEN 200K PARA HAITI - 2010/01/21

$100,000.00 PARA RECONSTRUIR ORFANATO DE NIÑOS EN PORTO PRINCIPE Y $100,000.00 EN GENERADORES DE ELECTRICIDAD

 

SAN JUAN, PR (19 de enero, 2010) – Antes de partir para ofrecer una serie de conciertos y presentaciones en territorio azteca, Wisin y Yandel convocaron a los medios para hablar sobre su contribución de $200,000 en ayuda solidaria para Haití: $100,000.00 para la reconstrucción del orfanato St. Joseph’s en Porto Príncipe, parte de la organización sin fines de lucro “Hearts With Haiti”, y $100,000.00 en generadores de electricidad.

“Desde que nos enteramos del terremoto devastador en Haití y vimos los resultados trágicos, decidimos que no nos podíamos quedar de manos cruzadas, que teníamos que hacer lo posible por ayudar en solidaridad con nuestros vecinos,” expresó Wisin.

“Nos pusimos a investigar diferentes organizaciones y escogimos a “Hearts With Haiti” que maneja varios orfanatos en Haití. El principal era St. Joseph’s House, el cual se derrumbo completamente. Con nuestra contribución ellos podrán reconstruir el orfanato que también ha servido como centro cultural comunitario en Porto Príncipe.” añadió Yandel.

El reconocido periodista y autor E. Benjamin Skinner asistió a la conferencia para hablar sobre la labor humanitaria de “Hearts With Haiti” y aceptar el donativo de Wisin y Yandel para una organización que él considera ser “el corazón de Porto Príncipe”. Hace varios años Skinner vivió en St. Joseph’s durante varias semanas cuando contrajo un caso severo de malaria durante una de sus visitas de investigación para su libro “A Crime So Monstrous” sobre la esclavitud en el mundo actual.

“Viendo los reportajes en televisión pensamos en la gran necesidad que hay en Haití de generadores de electricidad asi que llamamos a nuestro amigo Enrique que tiene una tienda que los vende y él inmediatamente dijo presente, asi que además estamos donando $100,000.00 en generadores y plantas eléctricas,” mencionó Wisin refiriéndose a Enrique González Domínguez propietario de Power Sports Warehouse, Inc, quien junto al dúo está haciendo la donación de los generadores. Estos serán distribuidos a las diversas organizaciones comunitarias en Haití.

“Hearts With Haiti” es una organización sin fines de lucro compuesta de tres hogares para niños abandonados, St. Joseph’s, Wings of Hope y Trinity House. Fue fundada por Michael Geilenfeld, quien formo parte de la hermandad de Madre Teresa de Calcutta, y tenía un sueño de ofrecer una vida familiar cristiana a los niños abandonados de Haití. La organización está registrada con el gobierno estadounidense con designación 501c3. Únicamente utiliza 2% de su presupuesto en costos administrativos ya que la mayoría de su equipo de trabajo dona su tiempo voluntariamente. Para mas información sobre “Hearts With Haiti” visite: www.heartswithhaiti.org.

Benjamin Skinner es profesor del Carr Center for Human Rights Policy del Harvard Kennedy School y profesor del Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism de Brandeis University. He reportado sobre diversos temas desde cinco continentes par alas revistas Time, Newsweek International, Travel & Leisure y otras. Su primer libro, A Crime So Monstrous (Un Crimen Tan Monstruoso) recibió el prestigioso premio de la paz Dayton Literary Peace Prize en el 2009. Skinner fue nombrado “Aventurero del Año, 2008” por la revista National Geographic Adventure. Acaba de llegar de una misión de rescate en Haití para transportar al director del orfanato St. Joseph’s a Estados Unidos donde está recibiendo cuidado médico tras ser severamente lesionado en el terremoto. Para mas información sobre Benjamin Skinner, vaya a www.benjaminskinner.com.

Para información sobre Wisin y Yandel, vaya a www.wisinyandelpr.com o www.wyrevolucion.com.

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WISIN AND YANDEL CONTRIBUTE $200,000.00 IN AID FOR HAITI

$100,000.00 TO REBUILD ST. JOSEPH’S HOME FOR ABANDONED BOYS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE AND $100,000.00 IN ELECTRICAL GENERATORS

"St. Joseph's is more than a home for orphaned and abandoned boys; it is the heart of their community. Its resurrection will speed the resurrection of the Haitian capital. By aiding with its reconstruction Wisin y Yandel are picking up where fellow Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente left off: aiding a regional neighbor in desperate need of help after an earthquake," author and journalist Benjamin Skinner

SAN JUAN, PR (January 19, 2010) – Grammy Award winning Latin artists Wisin & Yandel announced their contribution of $200,000.00 in aid for Haiti: a $100,000.00 donation to “Hearts With Haiti” for the reconstruction of St. Joseph’s, a home for abandoned boys in Port-au-Prince; and $100,000.00 in electrical generators.

"The moment we saw the tragic results of the devastating earthquake, we set the wheels in motion to try to help our neighbors in Haiti in the best way we can," expressed Yandel. "We researched different organizations and decide to donate $100,000.00 to "Hearts With Haiti", a non-profit organization that runs several homes for abandoned children in Haiti. The main home was St. Joseph's House, which crumbled down the day of the earthquake. Our hope is that with our donation they will be able to rebuild it and continue to help more children." added Wisin.

Author and journalist Benjamin Skinner, who has just returned from a rescue mission in Haiti to bring the director of St. Joseph's to the United States to receive medical care after being severely injured in the earthquake, attended the conference to speak about the humanitarian work of "Hearts With Haiti” and St. Joseph’s House.

"St. Joseph's is more than a home for orphaned and abandoned boys; it is the heart of their community. Its resurrection will speed the resurrection of the Haitian capital. By aiding with its reconstruction Wisin y Yandel are picking up where fellow Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente left off: aiding a regional neighbor in desperate need of help after an earthquake," Skinner said.

Four years ago Skinner stayed at St. Joseph's, where he was nursed back to health by it’s director when he contracted a severe case of malaria during a visit to Haiti while writing his book on modern-day slavery, "A Crime so Monstrous".

"Watching the TV coverage we realized the enormous need for electrical generators in Haiti so we called up a friend who sells them and he immediately agreed to help out, so in addition, we will be donating $100.000,00 in electrical generators which we will deliver to those who most need them," mentioned Wisin, referring to Enrique González Domínguez owner of Power Sports Warehouse in San Juan, who joined the duo in making this donation of generator which will be distributed to a variety of community-based organizations in Haiti.

"Hearts With Haiti" is a non-profit (501c3) organization whose primary mission is to support the vision and ministry of the St. Joseph Family in Haiti, which includes the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys in Port-au-Prince, Wings of Hope in Fermathe, and Trinity House in Jacmel. It was founded by Michael Geilenfeld, who I form part of the brotherhood of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and had a dream to offer a Christian family life to the children abandoned of Haiti. “Hearts With Haiti” only utilizes 2% of its budget in administrative costs since the majority of its staff are volunteers. Founded in 1985 by Michael Geilenfeld, a former brother with Mother Theresa’s Brothers of Charity, in a small home with five boys, “Hearts With Haiti” began getting boys off the streets and offering them a Christian family life. Twenty-four years later there are now three homes serving more than 80 children. “Hearts with Haiti” also provides financial assistance to the children and young adults of St. Joseph’s in Port-au-Prince, Wings of Hope in Fermathe, and Trinity House in Jacmel, through donations and fundraising activities. Because the leadership of all three homes and the boys themselves believe in giving back in gratitude for having been brought off the streets, the St. Joseph Family has reached out to provide opportunities for the poorest of the poor children in their neighborhoods. For more information on "Hearts With Haiti" visit: www.heartswithhaiti.org.

Benjamin Skinner is a fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy of Harvard Kennedy School, and a Senior Fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University. He has reported on diverse topics from five continents for Time, Newsweek International, Travel + Leisure, and others. His first book, A Crime So Monstrous, was awarded the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize for nonfiction, as well as a citation from the Overseas Press Club in its book category for 2008. He was named an Adventurer of the Year 2008 by National Geographic Adventure. For more information on Benjamin Skinner, go to www.benjaminskinner.com.

Wisin & Yandel, began their career together more than ten years ago in their native Puerto Rico within the Latin music genre Reggaeton. Wisin & Yandel have set themselves apart from the crowd by creating their own brand of Latin Urban/Popular music and continually raising the bar for themselves and the industry with each musical production. In the past five years alone, Wisin & Yandel have accumulated an impressive record-breaking 11 Platinum Albums in the United States as well as 10 Platinum Albums and 8 Gold Albums across Latin America. The duo holds the record for most number ones on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay Chart having placed NINE different songs since the chart’s creation in 2005. They also hold the record for most number ones for a duo or group on Billboard’s “Latin Songs” chart (which includes songs from all Latin genres) with SIX songs. In 2009 alone, they had three number one US Latin radio singles. The duo have garnered a 2009 Grammy Award for Best Latin Urban Album for “Los Extraterrestres” and two Latin Grammy Awards: in 2008 for Best Urban Album for “Los Extraterrestres”; and in 2009 for Best Urban Song for “Abusadora”. They currently have a 2010 Grammy nomination for Best Latin Urban, Alternative or Rock Album.

Their world-wide tours sell out the most important venues in each of the cities they visit, including The Staples Center in Los Angeles, American Airlines Arena in Miami and Madison Square Garden in New York to name a few.

The duo does not take their enormous success lightly and strives to give back to the community at large whenever they can. In June 2009 they launched an unprecedented program (amongst Latin artists) to benefit “Habitat for Humanity” by donating a portion of the revenues made during their US tour to help build homes for needy families. At last count, the donations exceeded $100,000.00.

For more information on Wisin & Yandel, visit www.wyrevolucion.com or www.wisinyandelpr.com.