Barry Wants to Raise $100k for Haiti

In the past week, numerous celebrities have stepped forward to donate money. Big names like Sandra Bullock, Madonna, Ted Turner and “Brangelina,” just to name a few. Now it’s time to add our very own “Mayor For Life” to the list.

Council member Marion Barry told the Washington Post that he has ambitious goals to help Haiti.

“I am asking that the District of Columbia join me for a citywide crusade to raise funds and supplies on behalf of the people of Haiti,” he told the Post. “The situation in Haiti has touched my heart so that it has compelled me to personally donate $1,000 of my personal funds to the relief effort.”

Barry has named this endeavor “DC Delivers: Help for Haiti.” His goal is to raise $100,000 for earthquake victims. But where did he find the $1,000 to donate from his personal account? The Post wonders this, as well:

In recent years, Barry’s financial situation has been well publicized after he was convicted in 2006 of failing to pay his taxes, causing the IRS to garnish his wages.

But Barry’s past is not stopping him for helping the earthquake victims. He’s calling on Mayor Adrian Fenty and Council Chairman Vincent Gray to accompany him to Haiti, according to the Post.

In separate letters to Gray and Fenty, Barry said he couldn’t stand by while the people of Haiti suffer.
“As a public servant, I believe it is my duty to help in any capacity that I can even when it steps outside my jurisdiction,” Barry said. “I ask you, along with the entire City Council, step up the challenge and join me in personally donating and publicly raising whatever funds you can.”