FOOTHILL RANCH, CA – March 21, 2017 – One Heart for Hope held its recent humanitarian, medical, and optical mission in the Philippines last Feb. 21-March 4, 2017. The mission served over 1,600 children and adults in the following locations: an orphanage in Cavite (Friends of Samaritan’s Place); “Aetahanan” a shelter that houses college aeta scholars in Sta. Rita, Pampanga that the organization helped built in 2014; Sta. Ana, Pampanga; Sto. Domingo and Tiwi, Albay; and Ugong, Valenzuela – One Heart for Hope Tutorial Center for zero-knowledge impoverished children.
Major donors and partners for this successful mission were – Virginia Lam and family, Zenaida Lam and family; Carol Snider, Tomasinong Bicolano doctors and team, Legaspi Eye Center team, private donors for Bicol mission, Divina Macapilac and family, David family, Angels of Hope USA, Cervello Technologies, private donors for Santa Ana mission, Holiday Inn Burbank, Universal Rubina-Philippines, and all board members of One Heart for Hope. Fundraising for Pampanga was coordinated by Divina Macapinlac and Bicol mission by Virginia and Alison Lam.
“We cannot sustain our mission of hope without the generosity and support of our donors. It was wonderful to be able to witness and hear first-hand the stories of the children and families we served, message of gratitude from parents of new scholars, children we gave joy to, families whose lives have been changed in tangible and meaningful ways through our humanitarian efforts,” says Merlita Helms, President of One Heart for Hope.
“To all those who joined us, we hope that after this mission, you left with a sense of joy and fulfillment. Despite of poverty you witnessed and their difficult circumstances, you gave these children smiles, their hearts were filled with love, and a sense of hope and inspiration,” added Ms. Helms.
Board members who joined the mission were –Estrella Claudio, Merlita Helms, and Janie Hale. Officers who joined were Divina Macapinlac, Mariacora Rauen, Annabelle Abesamis, Candy Uvero, Virginia Lam, and Noel Galang. The mission team was joined by over 200 local volunteers and coordinators from its respective locations.
