A Brighter Christmas Romania (USA Page)
A BRIGHTER CHRISTMAS ROMANIA
(This is the USA Page - To give in Euro, please click HERE )*
Providing much needed Christmas Shoebox Gifts and food packages for poor and homeless children and families in Arad, Romania.
Vis de Copil, a day shelter in Arad, is raising funds to provide for 300 Shoebox Gifts and 100 food packages locally to make this Christmas brighter for the needy children, families and homeless individuals we serve. We need your help.
Though the unique circumstances of 2020 have made it impossible to deliver assembled Shoebox Gifts directly to Vis de Copil, you can sponsor a Shoebox Gift or a food package that will be shopped for and delivered locally. Christmas miracles can still come true for many Romanian friends in need!
VIS DE COPIL ("a child's dream" in Romanian) is a converted residential home in the center of Arad, Romania serving the Roma community and those living in very poor conditions - often without running water, or in some cases, without homes at all. Here, all are welcomed in with unconditional love. Children are given a place to play and learn. There are shower and laundry facilities for adults and a hot meal for all who enter.
AT CHRISTMAS TIME, our staff and volunteers go the extra mile to share the love of Christ and the joy of the season by distributing gifts and household provisions to clients. Because we have been informed that shoebox gifts cannot be assembled and shipped by our partners as normal this year, we are asking for your help in sponsoring a shoebox or food package.
CAN YOU HELP?
A child receives her gift at the Gradina Secreta ("secret garden") day shelter run by Vis de Copil l in Arad -Dec. '19
A team from Dundalk Community Church will travel to Romania in December to shop locally and distribute the gifts and food packages this year. (This will be Randy and Beki Kerkmans' fifth year serving at Vis de Copil, and Kathy Nolan's second time volunteering in Arad.)
SHOEBOX GIFTS will contain age appropriate toy(s) and sweets as well as basic needs like a warm hat, gloves, underwear/socks, toothbrush and toothpaste, and soap.
Estimated cost per shoebox: $29
(about €25 EU/ £23 UK)
FOOD PACKAGES contain basic grocery provisions and perhaps a few luxury items like hot chocolate. Many families we work with live without electricity, so candles may be included.
Estimated cost per family food package: $57
(about €50 EU / £45 UK)
Help us work together for A BRIGHTER CHRISTMAS and meet some very basic needs for these cherished people by sponsoring a shoebox gift or a food package through Vis de Copil . Every gift helps, and it will mean so much. Thank you!
Contact: If you have questions, please get in touch with us:
[email redacted]
*Total raised so far is a combined total from US and EU pages and is updated daily. To see a schedule of fundraising events and updates, please visit A Brighter Christmas 's website. Thanks!
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The ABC2020 Team:
Kenneth and Kathryn Cloke - Founders, Vis de Copil
Philip More - Manager, Vis de Copil
Irina Szabo - Vis de Copil full time staff (she does it all!)
Beki Kerkman - ABC Project Coordinator
Randy Kerkman - ABC Volunteer Lead
Audrey Soh - ABC Volunteer
Andy Nugent - Pastor, Dundalk Community Church
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IF GIFTS SHOULD EXCEED THE GOAL, all funds will be donated to Vis de Copil for day to day running costs (such as heating bills and basic supplies) and for the tangible needs of those they serve (like food, firewood, warm clothing, candles, etc.) at the Gradina Secreta day shelter in Arad, Romania.
Breakdown of Expense in Euro:
€ 7500 = 300 shoebox gifts @ €25
€ 5000 = 100 food packages @ €50
€ 2000 = 3 team members travel expenses @ €650 - 800 each.
€ 500 = payment processing fees (Gofundme does not charge a platform fee, but cc fees are 2.9% + 30c)
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€15000
x 1.18 (approximate exchange rate on 10/5/20)
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$17,700
