While digital marketing tasks, conversations, and strategies may fill our day-to-day, we’re just as focused on the big picture and that applies to helping the community as much as it does to helping our clients. That’s why we make it a point to contribute to organizations taking impactful action towards making the world a better place.
We know the phrase “making the world a better place” gets thrown around a lot, especially around the holiday season, but in this case, it couldn’t be truer, which is where this blog comes in. We’d like to take a moment to highlight an organization that’s close to home, dedicated to creating change across the world.
A Look into Children International
Children International (CI) is a humanitarian organization with over 80 years of service in communities all over the world. What began as a one-room medical clinic in the late 1930’s has since transformed into a global network impacting countless community members.
CI is a high-impact organization that empowers children and youth to break free from the cycle of poverty. Their plan is to create healthy and uplifting environments for kids to thrive in while having access to safe community centers and healthcare, social, educational, and employment programs. The goal is for these kids to be healthy, educated, empowered, and employed. Here’s just a few of their many accomplishments:
- 67+ clean and safe community centers around the world.
- Operations in 10 countries (Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, Philippines, United States, and Zambia)
- 9,000 volunteers and over 1,400 local staff across all countries
- 200,000+ child sponsorships
- 1 million+ children helped through programming and sponsorships
How emfluence Supports CI
Nearly a decade ago, we decided to join Children International on their journey towards ending poverty and we’ve been excited to be involved in a variety of ways.
For one, our very own President and Founder, David Cacioppo, sits on the Board of Directors for Children International with other innovative leaders and thinkers that have all come together to make a difference. He’s been passionate about this cause from the moment he got involved. Having visited CI locations in Zambia, Colombia and Ecuador, he has witnessed first-hand the dramatic impact CI has on the lives of the children in their programs.
We’re also proud to sponsor a group of bright kids, each from different countries. Through these sponsorships, these four kids have access to benefits and services through one of CI’s community centers like medical care, educational support, life skills, job training, and empowerment initiatives.
Say hello to these amazing kids — (from left to right) Camilo, Menphis, Mía, and Rafael!
Finally, we’re always willing to give back in other ways. This can look different depending on what Children International feels they are most in need of.
Last year, for example, the Board of Directors, including David, made it a goal to raise money towards Children International’s HOPE scholarships. These scholarships support post-secondary education for these deserving youths and cover educational expenses such as technology, data plans, transportation, tuition, uniforms and books. It was an easy ask to agree to. Like David says, “As a group of learners and teachers ourselves, this was personally important to our team. emfluence was more than ready to rise to the occasion and pitched in an annual contribution towards the board goal”.
Why emfluence Does It
There’s a reason why we’ve chosen to support Children International for so many years. Children in poverty are at risk of becoming adults in poverty. CI’s programs focus on children as young as three years old all the way into their early 20’s with initiatives and interventions that become the formula for long-term change.
Children International has done incredible work around the world helping kids and their communities escape poverty. They’ve created and implemented a path towards change that works to tackle the issue at the very beginning. When kids are given the chance to learn and grow in an environment that is safe and clean while also having their needs met, they’re able to build a path out of poverty for their own generation and therefore, the next. “In the end,” David mentions, “we’re hoping to get youth in the program employed while providing the support and encouragement along the way to get them there. This is the ultimate sign of success because oftentimes, it not only breaks the child out of the cycle of poverty, but their family as well”.
The Impact of Giving Back
It’s not hard to see the difference that all this makes. We recently received an update on the impact of last year’s Board contribution. 343 HOPE scholars in Colombia and the Philippines are currently being supported through this gift and, as a result, are actively studying towards their future career. CI shared that many students in Colombia are choosing career pathways in the health, industrial, or systems sectors while those in the Philippines are pursuing education, business administration, engineering, or social work. It’s heartwarming to hear about these students breaking the cycle.
As for the four kids we sponsor, we get the privilege to see them grow throughout the years, hear about their progress, and even receive little notes which is all rewarding in and of itself.
It’s truly amazing to see the results from the support that Children International and their sponsors give children all around the world. Whether you’re looking to do more with some extra dollars at the end of another successful year or wanting to get involved long-term, we highly encourage anyone interested to check out the work Children International does on their website.
