Outreach to Haiti to Honor Supporters at 40th Anniversary Celebration
Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti will mark its 40th anniversary on Sunday, November 1, 2026, with a celebration at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich honoring people whose generosity has grown into something deeper than service alone — enduring relationships with individuals and families in Haiti.
Father Frank Rouleau, David and Pam Jarrett, and Jim and Mary Ann Hubert will be recognized as honorees, while Mrs. Julie Wood and The Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation will receive the Works of Mercy Award.
The day will begin with a 10:30 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Richard F. Reidy, followed by an 11:30 a.m. luncheon in the Cathedral Hall, the presentation of awards and a silent auction.
David and Pam Jarrett: Helping One Student Became Helping a Family
David and Pam Jarrett’s involvement with Outreach to Haiti has included student education, fund development, board service and participation in the dental ministry. But perhaps the clearest example of the heart of the ministry can be seen in their relationship with Jimmy Jean Felix and his family.
David and Pam Jarrett
Jimmy had successfully completed the education program when he approached the Jarretts about his brother, Riguerson, who was ready to enter high school but needed someone willing to help make that education possible.
The Jarretts agreed.
What began as assistance for one young man soon became a relationship with Jimmy and his seven siblings. Jimmy was determined that his brothers and sisters should have the same opportunity to receive an education, and with his encouragement the Jarretts helped bring together a group of people willing to support them.
The result was not simply a series of sponsorships. It was a circle of people helping a family move forward together.
That is part of the beauty of Outreach to Haiti’s work. A student is not simply a name attached to a tuition payment. Behind every student is a family, and behind every family are hopes for children to learn, grow and have opportunities that might otherwise be beyond their reach. The ministry creates a way for people here to accompany those families over time and to share in those hopes.
For the Jarretts, that relationship has continued through the years as they have watched members of the Jean Felix family pursue their education and build their futures.
Jim and Mary Ann Hubert: Service Rooted in Human Dignity
Jim and Mary Ann Hubert have served the mission through education, health care, fundraising and parish outreach, but their experience of Haiti has always been deeply personal.
Jim and Mary Ann Hubert
They sponsored several students, including Josue, who studied agronomy and later wrote three books to help Haitians grow their own food. His story offered another example of what education can make possible: one person receiving an opportunity and then using that opportunity to help others.
The Huberts also established a Haiti Ministry at their parish and for 20 consecutive years organized a dinner and craft fundraiser, giving others an opportunity to learn about Haiti and the people they had come to know.
“They opened our eyes to the hardships of their everyday lives and changed us in ways we didn’t expect.”
— Jim and Mary Ann Hubert
Their work extended to the dental clinic begun by Ralph and Mary Lou Bozza, where they assisted with fluoride treatments, instrument sterilization and dental hygiene education for people who previously had little or no access to care. Jim also participated in a portion of Outreach to Haiti’s 337-mile fundraising bicycle ride.
But some of their most lasting memories came from the simplest moments. At Mother Teresa’s baby hospital, they learned that the babies wanted to be held. Something as simple as blowing bubbles could bring a smile. At Hospital Sans Fils, they sat with people who were dying and witnessed the resilience, faith and hope of the Haitian people.
That sense of encounter is at the heart of the ministry. Outreach to Haiti provides education, health care and assistance, but its work is also about recognizing the person in front of you — the child who needs to be held, the student hoping for an education, the family working toward a better future.
Honoring a Ministry of Compassion
Father Frank Rouleau will also be recognized during the anniversary celebration for his connection to Outreach to Haiti and support of its mission.
Mrs. Julie Wood and The Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation will receive the Works of Mercy Award, recognizing their support of the ministry and its work on behalf of the people of Haiti.
Together, this year’s honorees reflect what has sustained Outreach to Haiti for 40 years: generosity expressed not only through financial support or service, but through presence, friendship and a willingness to remain connected.
That is what makes the ministry distinctive. It does not simply ask, “What can we provide?” It also asks, “Whom are we called to walk with?”
Sometimes that begins with helping one student attend school. Sometimes it begins in a dental clinic or by holding a baby. Over time, those moments can grow into relationships that cross borders, embrace entire families and change the lives of the people on both sides.
The 40th Anniversary Celebration will be held Sunday, November 1, at the Cathedral of St. Patrick, 213 Broadway, Norwich. Mass begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by the luncheon at 11:30 a.m., awards and a silent auction.
Tickets are $60 per person and $40 for clergy and religious.