A Heart for Haiti: Josh Goralski

When Josh Goralski was eight years old, a Catholic priest from Haiti came to the Chicago area, and stayed for a week with his family in his home. This visit opened a multi-decade connection of prayer and visits to the island.

Now, Goralski, has traveled to the country 14 times. As he has gotten to know the people and the communities of Haiti, he felt a calling to re-think the approaches that many have taken to their long-term economic problems. Instead of top-down aid, he wanted to see if resources could be directed toward developing an economic base through micro loans and targeted entrepreneurial training.

The result is Unlocking Communities, a nonprofit that gives Haitians hands-on experience in running a small business, using locally-sourced products like water purifiers.

A recent graduate of Loyola University’s Institute for Pastoral Studies, Goralski talks about his many efforts to find the right connection between his heart for mission, and the needs of the people in Haiti.