About MSOE Gives BackIn 2009, Matthew Simberg attended the Montessori Model United Nations (M.M.U.N.) Conference in New York City. He still remembers how, at the opening ceremony C.E.O., Judith Cunningham, announced the different participating Montessori schools that traveled from different countries. One of those schools was from Haiti. The following year, in January of 2010, the devastating earthquake had hit Haiti, and that same school’s building was destroyed from the earthquake. She announced that they were not able to attend because it. Matthew remembers wanting to do something to help, but felt helpless. Four years have now passed and things have changed.
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With the help and support of several families, Judith Cunningham and Michael Jacobson, Matthew Simberg, M.Ed., was able to establish Montessori Seeds of Education in less than 8 weeks, during the summer of 2014. When M.S.O.E. began the school year, Matthew began spending a lot of time at FedEx/Kinkos preparing materials for the classroom. During this time, he cultivated a relationship with one of the employees, Dieubon Merice, also known as J.B. One night, J.B. was speaking with Matthew about Haiti and how his mother and grandmother were both from there. He went on to talk about children there and how he once tried to help those in need. and he was unable to successfully do it on his own. Matthew remembered his experience at the M.M.U.N. in 2009 and realized what a great experience it could be for the school, families and children to start a project with J.B. and to successfully give to those children in need.
Thanks to J.B. and his family, we now have a warehouse in Haiti where we will be shipping items and have already shipped donated items. Additionally, thanks to Judith Cunningham, M.S.O.E. will be working with and receiving help from H.E. Ambassador Jack Brewer, C.E.O. of The Brewer Group, and founder of the Jack Brewer Group Foundation. Amb. Brewer already does extensive work in Haiti and with Montessori. Thanks to Jack Brewer and Danielle Berman, managing director of The Brewer Group, Matthew has been in contact with Joel Dixon, a founding board member of Educate Haiti Now. Amazingly, all of this communication and plan setting has taken place between November and December of 2014.
Our primary focus is to give to those children attending Montessori schools; however, we are not limiting our scope to just those children. We will be collecting non-perishable food items, along with school and medical supplies, to benefit the children and families of Haiti. Montessori materials, as well as books written in French or English, are needed and will be accepted. Please contact Matthew Simberg at [email protected] with any questions regarding this project or about shipping items.
Thanks to J.B. and his family, we now have a warehouse in Haiti where we will be shipping items and have already shipped donated items. Additionally, thanks to Judith Cunningham, M.S.O.E. will be working with and receiving help from H.E. Ambassador Jack Brewer, C.E.O. of The Brewer Group, and founder of the Jack Brewer Group Foundation. Amb. Brewer already does extensive work in Haiti and with Montessori. Thanks to Jack Brewer and Danielle Berman, managing director of The Brewer Group, Matthew has been in contact with Joel Dixon, a founding board member of Educate Haiti Now. Amazingly, all of this communication and plan setting has taken place between November and December of 2014.
Our primary focus is to give to those children attending Montessori schools; however, we are not limiting our scope to just those children. We will be collecting non-perishable food items, along with school and medical supplies, to benefit the children and families of Haiti. Montessori materials, as well as books written in French or English, are needed and will be accepted. Please contact Matthew Simberg at [email protected] with any questions regarding this project or about shipping items.