Successful Haitian American Immigrant Returns
Home to Help Starving Kids

For Immediate Release
Contact: Anasia Hairston
Phone: 770-438-1373

ATLANTA _July 19, 2007 – After 23 years of chasing success in America, Rene Godefroy’s philanthropic dream is finally coming true. On August 3rd, Godefroy will travel to his tiny and impoverished village in Haiti with a group of health specialists and entrepreneurs to assess how he can help deprived kids in his village.

Godefroy, one of America’s most sought-after keynote speakers for corporate 500 companies and the award-winning author of Kick Your Excuses Goodbye started a health clinic in his village in Haiti with some friends. Now he wants to expand the vision by building schools, orphanages and a leadership center to raise a new breed of conscientious leaders to lead his country.

“When I was leaving Haiti at the age of 21, I promised my fellow villagers that I would do great things for them in the village. It took many years. Now I am ready to walk my talk.” Said Godefroy who arrived in America with $5, two shirts, one pair of pants and unable to speak any English.

In South Florida, Godefroy invested his only $3 to start a business. He bought a sponge, dishwashing soap and a bucket. He then started roaming the parking lot of Total Bank pleading with customers for a chance to wash their cars. After many rejections, people started saying yes.

“Success is all about persistence focus and guts. When you get a no, you can’t stop. Just use the four letter word: n-e-x-t. I was the starving kid begging the American tourists in Haiti. And I was persistent. It’s the same attitude that makes me successful in America.” Said Godefroy as he reflects on his American journey.

While a doorman at a posh hotel in Atlanta, Godefroy discovered which books to read to help him succeed from the back seats of the cars he was parking. He often used his lunch hour to sneak into the ballroom and listen to famous motivational speakers. Now the man who exploited every window of opportunity in America wants to be the light at the end of the tunnel and the hope for the hopeless in his native village.

As a philanthropist, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur, Godefroy believes that we can reshape our dismal environment by changing the way we think. The trip to Haiti will start with a big dinner for the kids in the village and an empowerment speech to large crowd of his fellow villagers. Then Godefroy will spend time in the health clinic as well as building a much needed latrine for the local school.

Haiti, in Haitian Creole: Ayiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a Latin American country on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. A former French colony, Haiti became the first independent black republic and the only nation ever to form from a successful slave rebellion. Haiti remains one of the least-developed countries in the Western Hemisphere. About 80% of the population lives in abject poverty, ranking the country second-to-last in the world for that metric. However, since the recent presidential seating, Haiti’s economy has been increasing, and may be on the upsurge.
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If you’d like more information about Rene Godefroy visit www.villagehero.com. To schedule an interview with him, please call Anasia Hairston at 770-438-1373 ext 3 or e-mail Anasia at anasia@villagehero.com.

About Rene Godefroy
Rene Godefroy is an inspirational speaker and author of the best selling book Kick Your Excuses Goodbye. To receive FREE periodic motivational strategies on how to become wildly successful, visit his web site at, Motivational Keynote Speaker

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