Our major Operation Starfish® collection takes place the weekend of May 2 & 3. This weekend, we commemorate the 12th anniversary of Father Richard Martin, who returned to God in 2014 after serving as Nativity’s pastor for 17 years. Fr. Martin began Operation Starfish, working with Food For The Poor to develop Nativity Villages with housing, clean water, sanitation, schools, clinics, and small businesses throughout Haiti. Thank you for giving to Operation Starfish® and investing in Fr. Martin’s vision of bringing families out of poverty in Haiti, one person at a time.
Donate to Operation StarfishMaking a Difference for 28 Years
1998 – 2026
In 1998, Nativity Catholic Church began a ministry to the poor of Haiti. Fr. Richard Martin called it “Operation Starfish.” Until Fr. Martin’s death in 2014, Nativity worked with Food For The Poor to develop “Nativity Villages” with housing, clean water, sanitation, schools, clinics, and small businesses throughout Haiti. Fr. Bob Cilinski expanded Operation Starfish to Jamaica and Honduras and brought more young adults into this ministry.
Impact
14 “Nativity Villages” with more than 1,500 homes, providing essential needs such as shelter, sanitation, clean drinking water, schools, clinics, businesses, and jobs. A 15th Nativity Village is now under construction.
Full medical school scholarships for students in Jamaica.
Two health clinics in Honduras, with two set to be built in the coming year.
Nativity mission trips that allow parishioners to witness firsthand the difference their generosity makes.
Since 1998:
$9.8 million in cash.
$3 million in goods.
Projects in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Honduras.
Starfish Story
A young child walked the beach at dawn and noticed an old man picking up starfish and tossing them into the sea. Catching up with the man, the child asked why he was doing this. The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the sun. “But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” exclaimed the child. “How can you make a difference?” The old man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it safely into the waves. He turned to the child and said, “It made a difference to that one.”
based on the writing of Loren Eiseley
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact
Jim McDaniel
Coordinator, Operation Starfish
operation-starfish@nativityburke.org