Emmy-nominated actor Rainn Wilson is best known for his quirky character Dwight Schrute on NBC’s The Office, but this funny man carries with him more than a celebrity title and cult-like fan following. This past summer, Wilson traded in the offices of Dunder Mifflin and the Hollywood spotlight for a raw look at the poverty-riddled country of Haiti.

As an official spokesperson for the Mona Foundation, a Kirkland-based nonprofit organization focused on grassroots educational initiatives around the world, Wilson traveled with his wife, Holiday Reinhorn, to visit two schools and an orphanage on the outskirts of Port-Au Prince in Haiti.

“Haiti is a tragic and broken country, but the people have amazing spirits and so much hope,” Wilson said, who was named a spokesperson for the Mona Foundation in 2007. “Education can foster that hope and it was nice to see the Mona dollars at work.”

The Mona Foundation was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Kirkland. The organization has grown from funding two development projects to financially supporting roughly 20 projects in 15 countries, serving an estimated 30,000 children.

This past week, Wilson returned to his Eastside hometown to join the Mona Foundation in celebrating their 10th Anniversary Celebration fundraising luncheon on Mercer Island. The Shoreline native used his blend of humor, uncanny wit and heart to charm the luncheon guests and raise funding for the ongoing projects supported by the Mona Foundation.

“When you’re a celebrity, you have an obligation to help charities because you have such an ability to raise money. Just your presence at an event will help to raise awareness and funding,” he said, adding, “It can be for kittens with three legs, it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re out there doing good. Everyone has a responsibility to help others – celebrity or not.”

Wilson stumbled upon the Mona Foundation two years ago through a family connection. His father was good friends with the founder of the Mona Foundation and encouraged his son to look into the organization.

Wilson decided to use his newfound celebrity for good.

“When I started getting famous, I got approached by several charities, asking me to get involved and host events. I didn’t want to spread myself too thin. I wanted to find a charity I could get behind and really make a significant impact. My dad knew the founder of Mona Foundation in Seattle and the more I researched the organization, the more I stood behind what they were working to accomplish,” Wilson explained.

The Mona Foundation’s vision is to help the world’s poor help themselves and become agents of change in the process of their own development through education and skill training.

During his trip to Haiti, Wilson and his wife visited the Anis Zunuzi School, one of the many schools benefiting from the support of the Mona Foundation. The couple spent their time playing with the children, meeting with teachers and visiting with Sue Puzo, the founder of the K-10 school.

In 2008, supporters of the Mona Foundation helped raise funding for student texts, translations, scholarships and several professional development courses for the Anis Zunuzi School.

“What is so commendable about Mona is the way the foundation raises the funds and support, then allows the school to designate where and how to use the funding. They don’t go in and tell the schools what they need. Mona funds the long term vision,” Wilson said. “I think this makes all the difference.”

The goal of Anis Zunuzi School is to continue to foster growth, eventually becoming an educational model for the country of Haiti.

“Traveling to Haiti, where there is bone-aching poverty, was a very eye-opening experience,” Wilson said.

The comedic actor plans to continue his work with the Mona Foundation, next traveling to visit a small orphanage in Manaus, Brazil.

“Eastsiders should feel very proud to be the birthplace of such a wonderful organization,” he said. “The Mona Foundation is a great hometown effort.”

To learn more about the Mona Foundation and ways to get involved, visit www.monafoundation.org.