JUPITER, Fla. — I caught up with Kevin O’Reilly in Jupiter recently. He loves seeing the fondant, a special icing, turned into cake artistry at places like Nina’s Fresh Bakery. O’Reilly’s business success has allowed him something else too, namely the chance to help others. O’Reilly told me, “As a company owner I always wanted to give back.”
O’Reilly’s focus is on Haiti. He went there in 2012, two years after a devastating earthquake hit the impoverished country. O’Reilly joined hands with Concern Worldwide U.S. It is a half century old international humanitarian organization based in Ireland, but with a growing footprint in the United States.
O’Reilly vividly recalls the visit to Haiti. He said, “(They) helped them to get back on their feet, to get settled again, putting in things like water pumps to provide clean water and rebuilding some schools.”
O’Reilly has the connections to make a difference. He was born in Dublin. His business, Satin Fine Foods, is based in New York’s Hudson Valley. Now he calls West Palm Beach home. He remarked, “I think most people want to do something good. I think most people want to give back to help others.”
He’s banking on it. O’Reilly is hosting an outreach effort next week to try and build support for Concern Worldwide U.S. and, by extension, for the people of Haiti. He said, “Sometimes we have to stop and think the price of a cup of coffee or fast food meal can go a long way. That $5, $10, $20 can go a long way.”
A long way, indeed. And for the people of Haiti every bit of help is critical in the daily fight to survive.
