SARASOTA - Acclaimed ShelterBox founder Tom Henderson and Haitian Response Team Leader David Eby arrived in Sarasota Tuesday to thank students for donations to aid Haitian earthquake victims.

Students at St. Martha's School have raised more than $8,000 to supply ShelterBoxes to families who lost everything in the earthquake.

Henderson traveled from England to thank them personally, and the students presented him with the $8,000 check.  Henderson told the students that they should be very proud, and the money they raised will help 80 people.

For four years now, the students have been raising money for ShelterBox.  But when the kids saw the devastation and suffering in Haiti, they kicked up their efforts, and the results were astounding.

Henderson and Eby told the students that so far more than 7,000 boxes have arrived in Haiti and thousands more are needed.  Each box costs $1,000 and inside are the basics a family of up to ten people will need to get by for the next year.

"Our ShelterBox is a 10 person tent and it's a weatherproof tent, and then inside of the box also comes with the supplies of tools for the people that need help," says Emily Caldwell, 8th grader.

"It's very rewarding to see the hope and excitement on face they've been under cotton and they'll be able to get under a tent and it'll keep them out of the sun and rain," says Eby.

ShelterBox responds to disasters across the globe, and they say they are called on every six weeks for a new disaster somewhere around the globe.

They have still got quite a challenge in Haiti. They say over all more than 200,000 boxes are needed.