The idea of creating Lend a Hand, or 8, came after my trip to the Philippines in 2013, post-Hurricane Yolanda. The devastating impact of Hurricane Yolanda left many without a home, hungry, and without proper clothing. I knew I needed to help in any way possible, so I booked a flight and let the universe guide me. Then, I met Cruz Compound and a couple of new friends, including Cherry, which led me to where we are today.

 

Cherry and I met prior in Cebu. She had already established her project locally. Together we raised $2,500 with our fundraiser and had a shopping spree for the kids on Christmas Eve. I felt the Christmas cheer that year. It was such an empowering experience!

 

Teaming up with my fantastic friend John Nguyen and the community.

We wanted others to feel the enormous surge of joy and happiness coming from our hearts, so Lend a Hand, or 8, was created. We have since done multiple fundraisers and toy drives during the Holiday season for orphanages in Mexico. In recent years, our team has grown with more volunteers. We now have sponsors to help multiple families in need!

 

Goal

We have assisted about 15-25 families annually and hope to help 50 families this year. With a goal of $500 per family (located in OC/LA, we hope to reach our goal of $25,000. We are working hard with local non-profits, school counselors, social workers, and other local businesses to find those families that need it the most!

To nominate a family, please use our link: Nominate a family

Please check out the Original project when I was in the Philippines.

link: Christmas Magic