2019 Campaign for Helping Children of Venezuela

HELPING CHILDREN OF VENEZUELA started in 2017 when the humanitarian crisis was starting to take the lives of one of the most vulnerable sectors of the population in Venezuela, CHILDREN. Back then, of the total number of malnourished Venezuelans 48% of them were between 6 months and 2 years of age and 16% were just babies younger than 6 months. As a new mother back then of my one-year old son Santiago, it was hard to imagine how families were surviving with the scarcity of food and medicines. This hit home very hard and made me want to find a way to help.

Since August 2017 to date, we have sent 25 boxes full of baby items such as formula, powdered milk, vitamins with iron, baby food pouches, diapers  among many other children items to Venezuela. To all of you who donated since 2017, I want to thank you for your kindness for the children of Venezuela.

Boxes full of children items have been sent and will continue being sent to the SVPP (Sociedad Venezolana de Puericultura y Pediatria) in Caracas, Venezuela and received by Dr. Huniades Urbina-Medina.
Dr. Urbina-Medina is our contact for this project in Venezuela. The SVPP is an institution that educates medical students and pediatricians through seminars and conferences. This institution is in close contact with hospitals in Venezuela regarding current challenges and ways to help. Boxes then get transferred to the "Hospital de Niños JM de los Rios", which is the largest pediatric hospital in Venezuela. In addition to sending 25 boxes of children supplies, in April 2018 we donated $400 to feed close to 250 people for 6 consecutive Sundays at a parish in a slum in Caracas, the city I was born.

Venezuela has been in the news a lot lately and the humanitarian crisis is at its peak, leaving everyone, especially children at risk of dying. The most recent data from December 2018 warns 41% of Venezuelans spend all day without eating, 62% look for food to eat in inappropriate places and 78% eat less than they should. Inflation in Venezuelan hit 2,300,000% in February 2019 - that is not a typo. Imagine having money and not being able to walk out of the grocery store with basic necessities. Even worse, the majority of Venezuelans work hard every day and are unable to buy enough food to feed their families.

Our 2019 Campaign’s goal is to RAISE ENOUGH FUNDS to continue sending boxes full of baby items to Venezuela and make a difference in the lives of many children and their families. Soon, the "Helping Children of Venezuela" project will be obtaining the 501 (C)(3) status which will make your donations tax deductible for this calendar year. Thank you for helping the children and families stuck right in the middle of this humanitarian crisis.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND SHOWING COMPASSION THROUGH YOUR DONATION TO "HELPING CHILDREN OF VENEZUELA".

Muchas Gracias and best regards,

Carmen Garcia-Jersild