We worked in conjunction with the Haitian Ministry of Health and leadership organizations like Handicap International to help provide an organized and unified response to the massive task of treating so many horribly injured people. Our first phase involved patient care at a variety of sites including Harvard Humanitarian Initiative's Field Hospital at Fond Parisian and Matthew 25 Community house in Port-au-Prince.

We are happy to report that all of our patients are back on their feet and walking successfully with their new prosthetic limbs! We are building a support network around them so they will have easy access to prosthetic care for the long term.

Providing a prosthetic limb is only the very beginning of a long and challenging road to recovery for Haiti's amputees. Most are homeless and have lost their ability to make a living. Our response is to provide vocational training and assistance in rebuilding their lives. We are developing innovative solutions for amputees to assist them in regaining financial independence as well. The focus is on making long term, sustainable progress to ensure the success of each patient.

Recently, the lack of trained medical staff in Haiti has been identified as a growing crisis that threatens the survival of the entire Prosthetics effort. We have been training local staff since the first day we arrived and we are about to scale up these efforts once we secure the funding. Our goal is to support the transition of this relief effort into a long term, sustainable industry in Haiti.

We are helping to develop training and professional development opportunities for Haitians who want to start a career in Prosthetics Rehab and Physical Therapy. Later in 2011 we will host several special events to raise money to support small, community-based prosthetics shops like Mission of Hope as well as to provide transitional housing for amputees.

The foundation's administrators, managing director and board of directors are all volunteers so there are minimal administrative costs and no overhead. We have developed our projects to maximize the long term positive impact of your generosity. In short, we are changing lives for the better every day in Haiti! Contact the Managing Director of our Haiti operation to find out more.

Dennis Acton is the founder of NEBCO Foundation and was our first member on the ground two weeks after the earthquake. His efforts to coordinate the amputee database with Global Relief Technologies (www.GRT.com) put him at the epi-center of the disaster and gave us an amazing perspective into the need for amputee care. Moved by his experience, Dennis has worked tirelessly in coordinating NEBCO Foundation's amputee response, from setting up logistics in Haiti to connecting the team with all the key players in the region. He earned a bachelors of science degree in Communications from Southern Ct State University and has 9 years of military experience in the Army National Guard as a communications sergeant and paratrooper with the 242nd Engineer Batallion, 19th Special Forces Group and 173rd Long Range Surveillance Detachment.

Fabienne Jean began her road to recovery at a remote amputee clinic called Mission of Hope not long after she lost her leg in the earthquake. The only landmark we had to find her was that it was located not far beyond the mass graves where 300,000 victims of the earthquake were buried. From the first encounter with her, we knew she was special. She has proven that since then by working so hard to recover while dedicating herself to helping other amputees despite her own desperate situation.

Fabienne now works for NEBCO Foundation as the Program Director for our Haiti operations. She has been called the "ambassador to the world for haiti's amputees" by the media, who have paid special attention to her story. This is a big responsibility though, and she is working hard so that soon she can serve effectively in this role.

Andy Darril, age 22, resides in Port-au-Prince and is the first local person that joined our training program. He acts as our translator and has become very skilled as as a technician therapist assistant.

Andy is a prosthetic assistant for our patient Fabienne Jean, a well-known dancer who lost her leg in the earthquake. He has been to every medical appointment with her since shortly after the quake. He is also a skilled dancer and is Fabienne's practice assistant.

Chris Croasdale, CP is a skilled and experienced Prosthetist and Branch Manager of our Somersworth, NH office. He is the "go-to guy" at NEBCO for challenging upper and lower extremity prosthetic applications. Prior to coming to NEBCO, Chris held a variety of clinical management positions both here and abroad. Chris graduated from the London School of Prosthetics, England in 1989. After serving as a staff Prosthetist in Preston, Liverpool and Oxford, he became assistant manager of the Wirral Limb Centre, England from 1991 to 1998. Chris was Student Training Supervisor for prosthetic interns attending Salford University, England and also co-ran the Wirral Amputee Sports Club. Chris has a special interest in high activity and sports prosthetics for lower limb amputees.

He has made multiple trips to Haiti and the team relies on his knowledge and experience to solve any problem encountered.

Chris Phillips, CPO is an experienced prosthetist with multiple trips to Haiti for NEBCO Foundation. He also serves as the manager of NE Brace Company's Exeter office.

As a Below-Knee amputee, Chris has first-hand experience as a patient as well as a Prosthetist. This unique perspective combined with his creative mind for problem solving and in-depth knowledge of the industry make him an outstanding CPO. Chris earned his orthotic & prosthetic certificates from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. Chris spent several years prior to his post-graduate work as a prosthetic technician and looks forward to using his skills to help the amputees of Haiti.

Karen Acton, PT, CO is a founding member of NEBCO Foundation's team and is the General Manager of NEBCO. She oversees the activities of all patient-care offices, and NEBCO’s corporate headquarters in Manchester, NH. Karen has Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, which she received from Quinnipiac College in 1994. She earned her Certificate in Orthotics from Northwestern University in 1997 and her Certificate in Prosthetics from Northwestern University in 1999.

As a physical therapist, Karen worked on the rehabilitation staffs at Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee and the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH. Her training has been put to excellent use in training our new amputees to walk with new limb. She has also helped tremendously in continuing the foundation mission by providing ongoing support from NE Brace Co.