This year has been unlike any other we’ve seen in our 14 years of giving opportunity to children around the world. But thanks to our community's continued generosity, we were able to make tangible impact in 2020 and bring real and immediate relief to children and families who were hit hard by the pandemic.

To date, we have championed 132 Local Heroes in 67 countries, funding 434 projects which have brought opportunity and relief to 178, 184 children and counting.

It’s been a year when all of us in the world were suddenly unsure of what we could count on in life. The fragility of all that we knew was suddenly staring us in the face and we were unsure of what tomorrow would bring.

This year we were able to accomplish the following, thanks to our incredibly donors and supporters:

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Provided three months of food to 100 infants, 3 pregnant women, and 12 elderly forced to flee their homes due to regional violence
• Continued to support the construction of the first public library in the Congo

Ecuador

• Provided books and equipment and completed renovations for the first public library in Puerto López

Ethiopia

• Supported an microloan program to promote entrepreneurship for young mothers and give them a means to care for themselves and their children.
• Provided 50 families with one month of food and supplies during the government lockdown period for COVID

Guatemala

• Funded an English learning program for youth at a school in Jocotenango to improve future job opportunities
• Provided groceries to families in Jocotenango and surrounding villages who have lost income due to COVID-19 lockdown
• Furnished a computer lab, community library, and learning classroom in Sololá, providing a safe afterschool space for youth

Haiti

• Provided food and water to a temporary refugee shelter for children and adults who have fled violence in Cité Soleil

India

• Empowered girls and young women in Lucknow by teaching self-defense techniques as well as providing financial security through vocational training programs for victims of sexual violence
• Prevented a school for children of ethnic minorities from closing its doors in Rajasthan
• Fed hot meals and provided food packets to families in Lucknow whose income have been affected by COVID-19.
• Ensured children at a school in Bihar had access to clean, filtered and temperature-regulated drinking water
• Provided food packets to families in the Dharavi slum whose income have been affected by COVID-19
• Provided food for orphans residing in a school in Bihar during COVID-19 school closure

Israel

• Supported a peace and reconciliation program for Israeli and Palestinian youth in the West Bank

Kenya

• Provided scholarships to youth to continue their education
• Supported children with disabilities in Samburu
• ·Expanded the income-generating projects in Mt. Elgon
• Provided 40 families with one month of food and supplies during COVID
• Provided the students of KGSA with face masks and hygiene supply during the stay-at-home orders so they could stay safe
• Provided 63 orphans with two months of food during the stay-at-home orders
• Trained teacher assistants so they could work in Kenya’s public elementary schools so they can ensure students have access to quality education
• Empowered local innovators to start and strengthen schools, programs, policies, and technology to improve education
• Provided 600 face masks so vulnerable children could comply with government restrictions during COVID

Mexico

• Expanded a program to two vulnerable populations in México to provide education, sports, and psychosocial skills
• Supported healthcare and transportation needs for a child in an orphanage in Tepoztlán
• Provided support for children living in 10 villages in Jalisco

Nepal

• Provided an empowerment and microloan program in 3 districts for girls at risk of being trafficking

Peru

• Continued to support an English program in two primary school in Ollantaytambo
• Supported efforts in survivor recovery and trafficking prevention in Iquitos

Rwanda

• Provided support to orphans so they can have their basic needs met and prepare to successfully become independent, productive members of the community

Senegal

• Provided food for 2500 street children so they had access to nutritious food during the government lockdown period

South Africa

• Provided food for orphans during the government lockdown period so they could stay safe and healthy

Southern California

• Provided resources and support to asylum-seeking youth on both sides of the US-Mexico border and enabled the organization to double their capacity
• Improved the quality of life for foster youth residing in a group home in LA
• Ensured that teen moms and their children have access to support, knowledge, and care in Fountain Valley
• Provided financial support to vulnerable families so they could sustain themselves during the stay-at-home orders
• Provided computers to a tutoring program so they could continue to support LAUSD students participating in distance learning
• Kept the doors open to a resource center that empowers youth within and beyond the juvenile justice system in Santa Barbara
• Housed three families for a year so they received the support needed to transition out of homelessness
• Created two safe zones so the children in Watts have the access to their online classes, mental health services, and academic tutoring so they do not fall behind this school year
• Provided 190 families with groceries for five months during the COVID stay-at-home orders
• Launched a telehealth mental health program so vulnerable youth would still have access to counseling and support during the COVID stay-at-home orders
• Supported a vocational training program to provide sewing and fashion design skills to foster youth
• Provided facemasks, hygiene supplies, and school supplies to children across LA so they can have the supplies they need to participate in distance learning
• Provided formula, diapers, baby supplies, and support to teen mothers in Los Angeles and Orange County
• Housed homeless college students so they had a safe place to live while they completed their education
• Supported a vocational training program to provide culinary skills and employment experience for youth in South Los Angeles
• Piloted life skills program and mentorship programs reaching vulnerable children in South Los Angeles

Tanzania

• Continued to support the construction of a centre for youth with disabilities in Moshi
• Built classrooms for vocational training programs and at a continuation school in Moshi
• Provided scholarships to youth to continue their education
• Launched an agricultural program for young mothers so they can learn an marketable skill and be able to care for their children
• Provided food, facemasks, and hygiene supplies to vulnerable children so they could stay safe during the COVID pandemic
• Provided food and hygiene supplies for 238 children living in a leper community and ensuring the local health clinic had medicine and supplies to provide quality care to patients

Uganda

• Enabled a community based organization to continue administrating to the needs of vulnerable children in Katwe during the COVID pandemic
• Enabled youth to continue their education

United Kingdom

• Provided food and support services to 179 vulnerable children during the stay-at-home orders
• Provided virtual programming and opportunities to stay connected and active during the stay-at-home period for 517 children

United States

• Supported a school-based violence prevention program for youth in Brooklyn
• Kept families safe by providing COVID-19 related safety equipment and sanitizing supplies to families in Chicago
• Provided essential supplies, wellness checks, and other necessities for youth in Brooklyn who were impacted by COVID-19
• Expand a mentorship and workforce development program for teens in Chicago
• Bridged the technology gap by providing Chromebooks and internet for refugee girls in Chicago and Austin to attend summer camp virtually
• Ensured teens had access to internet, tablets, and other online learning tools to proceed with summer programming safely
• Provided PPE and cleaning supplies to keep families in Chicago safe in the winter