TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Although they’re no longer able to visit in person, students at SUNY Broome haven’t stopped lending assistance to the impoverished people in Haiti.

The school’s Engineering Club organized a special Haitian lunch fundraiser last week in the college’s cafeteria.

American Dining Creations donated chicken, salad and other food items.

Then Tsha’s Kitchen in Binghamton, which is owned by a Haitian-American family, prepared a traditional Haitian meal that included curry chicken, rice and beans, fried plantains, pikliz, which is a spicy cole slaw, and Tsha’s award-winning mac and cheese.

Engineering Club member Kimzer Jean-Baptiste was born in Haiti but grew up in New York.

SUNY Broome students used to travel to Haiti each year to provide dental hygiene and other routine medical care to needy Haitians.

But those trips ended first with the pandemic and now because of ongoing civil unrest in the country.

So, Health for Haiti has pivoted to sending needed equipment.

Jean-Baptiste said, “It’s more of a send where we have people over there, we know other contacts that can be there at ground zero to help with our efforts over there. Sending money over, sending other materials over, so that they can continue to grow and continue to take care of the community.”

Health for Haiti previously sent the makings of a water filtration system.

It’s currently raising funds for a solar-powered kitchen.

The event included a demonstration of Haitian cooking by owner Judith “Tsha” Charles.

The fundraiser brought in $600 in ticket sales and another $270 in donations.