Local Fifth Grader Becomes Hero For Haiti

Rachel Wheeler raised $170,000 to build homes for families

Deerfield Beach fifth grader Rachel Wheeler didn’t like the thought of eating dirt.

“It sounds like it tastes nasty,” she said.

When Wheeler first heard some children her age in Haiti must eat mudcakes to stave off hunger, she wanted to help.

Rachel and her family went to community meetings, mailed letters, even sold lemonade to help feed and shelter the poor on the island nation. That was in 2009, even before Haiti’s devastating earthquake last year.

The Wheelers left for Haiti Wednesday morning along with a translator, and more than two dozen volunteers with the group, Food for the Poor.

Rachel raised about $170,000 to build 25 two-room homes in the town of Leogane, located near the quake’s epicenter. At least 200 people won’t have to live on a dirt floor anymore. Now, Rachel gets to meet them.

“I want to tell them that they’re blessed,” said Rachel, getting emotional about the struggle kids her age face in Haiti. She and her family are scheduled to return to South Florida on Thursday.

Wheeler's efforts have also caught the attention of polticians, who praised the young girl for her world view.

“I am most impressed that despite the fact that this remarkable young lady has accomplished more in her 11 years than many do in their lifetimes, she readily acknowledges that her efforts have only just begun," Congressman Alcee Hastings said in a statement. "Rachel’s vision and success are a shining example not only to her peers, but to anyone who has ever questioned how much of a difference one individual can truly make.”

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