2026 Recipient: Andi Healy

Like many of the volunteers with Mercy Focus on Haiti, Andi Healy’s involvement began with an invitation from Sister Mary C. Sullivan, who asked Andi if she could help by “answering the phones.” What began as simple administrative support, however, quickly blossomed because of Andi’s passion for serving her sisters and brothers in Haiti. She became a committee member of what was then known as “Focus on Haiti,” and in December 2011 she was part of the contingent that visited Haiti to meet with six possible partners. Along with Sister Betty Scanlon and Bob Greene, Andi made the recommendation to continue discerning around two religious communities in Haiti, leading to a long partnership with the Religious of Jesus and Mary in the Gros Morne region.

Over the years that followed, Andi continued to serve in numerous capacities: she chaired the Immersion Committee, the Development Committee and the Rainwater Harvesting Taskforce, was a member of the Executive Committee (of which she became the Vice Chair), and she was a key member of the Executive Director Search Team. “Across all these roles,” said Kathy Gauthier, the Chair of the Governing Council, “Andi brought energy, integrity, and Mercy, always prioritizing the needs and interests of our Haitian sisters and brothers.” As Chair of the Immersion Committee,
Andi created the protocols for bringing students from Mercy-affiliated high schools and universities to Haiti for trips focused on the Mercy values of service, cross-cultural understanding and humility.

Andi later helped to establish the rainwater harvesting program, which began with plastic cisterns to help residents capture rainwater for personal use and agriculture. Because the plastic receptacles proved to be less than ideal, Andi began researching longer-lasting alternatives. After determining that ferrocement construction would meet the needs of the people in Gros Morne, Andi arranged to have an engineer from the United States travel to Haiti to train 19 local masons in constructing the new cisterns, providing not only safe water for residents but also creating a new
and growing source of employment. She was pivotal in bringing Alexandra (Alex) Fiefie into the Mercy Focus on Haiti family as the in-country liaison, creating a closer connection to the day-to-day operations in Gros Morne. Andi also served as a mentor to Alex as she assumed a leadership
position on the MFOH Governing Council. “Personally, Andi’s compassion and mentorship had a transformative impact on my life when I served as a liaison for MFOH,” said Alex. “She supported me emotionally during challenging times in Haiti, prioritized my safety during my transition from my hometown to Gros-Morne and from Gros-Morne to the United States for school, and even helped finance my studies.” “Her unwavering kindness and commitment continue to inspire me to this day,” Alex added.