Veronique Michelot
President, Founder
Veronique Michelot’s birthplace, Haiti, once known as the Pearl of the Antilles and famous for being the home of the world’s first successful slave revolt and independent Black nation, fell on hard times from its inception due to the efforts of the world’s super powers to stifle the development of the new nation. For over two hundred years, those efforts have left Haiti hard pressed to support her people. As many other families have done over years Veronique and her family immigrated to the United States when she was a teenager settling in New York City. As an immigrant, Veronique found the hustle and bustle of the city bewildering and exciting, followed the path of most immigrates who arrive in the United States, attending school and working multiple jobs she worked hard to establish a life in her new country.
Veronique Michelot’s philanthropic career began in 1991 after visiting the pediatric ward at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince. As a native of Haiti she was familiar with the deprivation of it’s people, but that knowledge was not enough to prepare her for what she saw that day. She left the hospital in tears and was determined to make a positive contribution to the lives of Haiti’s children. In the beginning, Veronique supported a myriad of projects and causes, but wanting to do more she was reminded of her own childhood and remembered how important of a role education played in her life. Always believing that education was the door to freedom, that offered a chance at a brighter future, she began to focus on education. Using her own funds, Veronique, began sponsoring the education of individual children and a school in Bercy, Haiti.
Over a 25-year period, she has awarded thousands of dollars of grants to support the education and empowerment of the people of Haiti. After nearly 30 years of dedicated hard work and the desire to do more Veronique established Helping Hands Across the Ocean in 2015 with a mission to empower the Haitian people through the betterment of their children.
Veronique, continues to work hard at promoting the mission of HHAO with the belief that in Hait as in America, anyone with access to education and the desire to learn can be successful and change the world.