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When the Pass It On movement contacted The Orphan Foundation, it gave new life to the foundation’s fundraising and awareness efforts. They suggested that the foundation consider contacting schools and students about helping with the foundation’s mission. The thought of asking children and teenagers to help less fortunate children now seems rather simple in hindsight, but it just wasn’t the first thought that came to the foundation. And it will come as no surprise that as soon as the foundation posted the project on VolunteerMatch.org, they drew immediate inquiries and help. The kids were just waiting to be asked. So just what kind of a foundation are the kids rescuing? The Orphan Foundation is tackling a daunting project - rescuing the 163 million orphans and displaced children of the world. They do this by helping to remove the barriers to adoption through financial grants and advice, as well as by providing support services to those children still waiting to be adopted. In total, the 163 million children create a population count that would make them the 7th largest nation on the planet - slightly larger than Russia. To make matters worse, some of the statistics surrounding these kids are pretty bleak. Less than 50 of those children will end up homeless. Imagine having to leave the orphanages and foster system at 18 years of age and go out and earn a living - without a family to help - and the challenge will become very clear. But school children are coming to the rescue. They are creating micro-fundraisers and increasing awareness while being affectionately ordained with titles like “Pass It On Student Director” and “Pass It On Student Executive Director” for The Orphan Foundation. From lemonade stands to beverage booths at school sporting events; from garage sales to backyard barbeques, kids are showing everyone that they have the creativity, ingenuity and willingness to step up to the challenge of helping other kids find their way into a loving home and family. But fundraising is only a part of the foundation’s challenge. Awareness is still a very big problem around the world. In most all countries orphans and foster kids are “hidden” from the public eye in substandard institutions and given substandard care - out of sight, out of mind. As a result, The Orphan Foundation is trying to increase the awareness part of their mission in order to encourage millions of families - all over the world - to step up to this global challenge. And stepping up is just what many heroic families are doing. In the foundation’s first three grants, families stepped up in a very big way. One single mom of very modest means was rescuing a boy from China who was missing an ear, and who was, as a consequence, not deemed capable of contributing to society. But this wasn’t her first rescue - it was her third “special needs” child! In another case, a family had been on a wait list for two years trying to adopt a child with Down’s syndrome. When they finally arrived at the top of the list, the boy was diagnosed with a special heart problem that needed repair. So they turned to the foundation for help with the medical bills. And the third family probably made the most life-threatening rescue of all these families. They rescued a child from Liberia, who was on the wait list to get into an orphanage, and in danger of being killed by the opposition soldiers. Imagine being on a wait list to get into an orphanage. These heroic families are now being joined by children all over the country in these noble efforts. You will pass them every day on the streets, and not even know of their bravery and warm hearts. Their ranks are growing with each passing day. They know no bigotry, no deception, nor bias of thought that would ever prevent them from the simple act of rescuing and loving a child that would otherwise be lost to the world. It is truly a movement of love, and of “hope ascending.” If you would like to find out more about The Orphan Foundation and their Kids4Kids Project, you can go to the “Volunteer” page of their website at http://www.TheOrphanFoundation.org or send an email to Kids4Kids@TheOrphanFoundation.org.
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