Kansas City, MO (February 27, 2018) Children International has opened a new community center and youth resource center in the Philippines. Together, the new centers will provide life-changing benefits to 7,000 children and youth living in poverty.
The community center and youth resource center, which make up the new Daraga community campus, were inaugurated on February 22. The community center features a medical clinic, dental clinic, children’s playroom, library, computer lab and nutrition center. The youth resource center, which is designed to meet the needs of teens, includes several meeting spaces where life-skills workshops and career-readiness programs can take place. There is also a playground and an outdoor sports court as part of the campus, which provide safe spaces for kids to play.
Children International has been working to fight poverty in the Philippines for 35 years. The new community campus is located in a very poor area near Legazpi, where many families live on less than $100 a month. The homes there are shacks that have been built using bamboo or coconut wood with thatched roofs. The area is prone to flooding, so many homes are built on stilts. The building that served the area previously was too small and outdated to continue meeting the needs of the kids Children International serves.
Children International’s newest community center and youth resource center were inaugurated on February 22. | Download image
The lead donors for the new Daraga community campus, Dr. Steven Laufer and Chani Laufer, have been long-time supporters of Children International. Dr. Laufer said, “I sponsored my first child in college when I realized I could make a difference in a child’s life for a small amount of money. After a number of years, I decided I also wanted to support Children International’s broader efforts in the community – to help them build infrastructure that could support their programs for many years to come. Chani and I are so happy that we’ve been able to support the construction of the new community center and youth resource center, knowing that they will make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of children!”
Learn more about Children International’s community centers.
About Children International
Children International is a leader in the movement to eradicate poverty. From toddler to young adulthood, we surround kids with a caring team, a safe place and a clear path out of poverty through programs focused on health, education, empowerment and employment. Our supporters are inspired as they see children radically change their lives and create a ripple effect that impacts their families and communities for generations to come.
