Kristin O'Connell Email & Phone Number

As Executive Director and Founder of Devoted to Children (D2C), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, I manage a small orphanage/children's home for orphaned and/or abandoned children in Haiti. I organize yoga infused volunteer service trips to Haiti to work together with the children's home and the local community on sustainable projects.Here is my story:On a trip to Haiti in May 2012 (I was volunteering as a midwife for 3 weeks in a birth center), I had a serendipitous encounter with a Haitian humanitarian who shared his vision of an orphanage with me. This kind man had been looking after a group of orphans since the 2010 earthquake. On his own, he had been providing these abandoned kids with a place to go for afternoon activities. These children, having either lost their parents in the earthquake or as a result of disease from the aftermath, were lucky if they had one small meal a day, clothes to wear or a piece of cloth to sleep on. Since then, this man had struggled to keep them off the streets and give them any resources that he could.As I was told story after story of the desperate situation at hand, I realized I had been given a life-changing opportunity. I knew I had two choices; either I could return home simply thankful for my experience in Haiti, or I could take a leap of faith and help this man fulfill his vision. In that moment of truth I knew my answer… at the very least I had to try.As a mother, wife, midwife, yoga teacher, and friend who has been fortunate to have an abundant life… how could I walk away from this situation where I knew I could make a difference? How could I abandon these children who have nothing and no one? Would you?And so I started Devoted to Children…

Listed skills include Yoga, Healing, Public Speaking, Nonprofits, and 22 others.