The Taina's Hope initiative was established by Longchamp Charities in 2001 by Marjorie Longchamp and Beatrice Brice. Both women are natives of Haiti, and have made it their mission to transform the quality of life for the disadvantaged families and communities of Haiti.

While growing up in Haiti, Marjorie Longchamp was more fortunate than most children. Her parents exposed her to the hardships that many people face on a daily basis, and instilled in her strong values of community service and leadership. Although she was still young when she left Haiti for the United States, Marjorie was old enough to understand the distressed conditions that others her age remained in. Upon leaving, she promised her mother that she would one day give back to the country she was born in.

Over the years, Marjorie made regular visits to her home country. With each visit, she became more and more upset over the immense poverty and hopelessness that permeated Haitian communities. During a visit in 1985, she became especially disturbed while passing through a poverty-stricken, mountainous village in Thomassin. She saw a number of street children begging for scraps of food, digging in the garbage, and eating anything they could find to ease their hunger. Many looked malnourished and uncared for, and when she asked them if they had a place to go for food, they replied that their only source of food was at the regional garbage dumps. Then and there, Marjorie's childhood wish to help the children of Haiti was re-born, and she vowed to never lose sight of it again.

After that memorable visit, Marjorie continued to make regular trips to Haiti, and during these visits she would ask family members and friends to volunteer their homes as temporary shelters for the abandoned orphans of Thomassin and nearby areas. She went on to establish Longchamp Charities, Inc. in order to duplicate her efforts and expedite the work with the assistance of others who shared her vision of assisting those in need.

In 2001, Marjorie joined forces with Beatrice Brice, a fellow Haitian, humanitarian and philanthropist. Together, they opened God's Angels of Hope, a group home for the orphans of Thomassin. They have gone on to establish several more programs that focus on providing food, education and medical care for the disadvantaged children and families of Thomassin, and named their initiative 'Taina's Hope.'

Given the many obstacles that stand in the way of implementing positive change in Haiti, both Marjorie and Beatrice could have walked away from their initial pursuit. Beatrice miraculously survived a violent kidnapping and gunshot wound that could have ended her life. Marjorie has suffered debilitating illnesses that ordinarily challenge even the most determined. Yet they persevere, motivated by their shared vision of transforming Haiti one child at a time.

Namesake

Longchamp Charities decided to name its mission in Haiti after the Tainos Indians, who were the native inhabitants of Haiti. The Tainos were known for being peaceful, friendly, communal and happy. They were also known for their innovative culture and technologies, and they often traveled throughout the nearby islands, replenishing less developed communities. Taina's Hope carries on this legacy of friendship and sharing, providing resources and support to those in need.