The A2 Vertical View for 9/22/25: Thom Bales, Executive Director, Haiti Nursing Foundation
Twenty years ago, Ann Arborites founded a nursing school in the Republic of Haiti, which, despite various episodes of economic peril and social unrest, has remained viable and strong.
The Faculté des Sciences Infirmières de l'Université Épiscopale d'Haïti (We abbreviate to “FSIL”) was Haiti’s first baccalaureate nursing school and has had 282 graduates, plus several cohorts of graduate students.
The school is intimately involved in its community of Leogane, and holds community health clinics, provides school nurses for six schools, and coordinates a summer camp and Christmas party for hundreds of area children.
My organization, Haiti Nursing Foundation, is a 501c3 charitable organization created to raise support for the nursing school. Although we have supporters in 32 states, 80% of our support comes from southeast Michigan.