MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
As you review our website and our Assisting Children in Need Facebook page, I can imagine that for some it may be hard to imagine the scenarios Assisting Children in Need (ACN) faces and the challenges ACN attempts to address. No matter what the hardship, the children ACN serves all have dreams of what they would like to be one day, and only you and others like you can help them reach their goal.
Who are our ACN supporters? I am amazed by and in awe of all that our supporters do to assist us. Some give to us from their family foundation. Some simply reach into their pockets and generously give because they feel we are a cause worth supporting. One runs marathons and asks his sponsors to earmark their sponsorship money to ACN. One conducts an annual fundraiser to build awareness of the work we do, and some organize bake sales by children wishing to reach out to and support children they have never met. Some determine that the most they can give at this point in their lives is a gift of time and effort (see Volunteer). One chooses to support ACN as a vehicle to help him realize a long term dream of giving vulnerable children the tools they need to acquire knowledge. Supporters are literally keeping alive the hopes and dreams of hundreds of children who otherwise would not receive help, as they literally have nowhere else to turn.
How does ACN identify what project proposals to support? Once an applicant meets ACN criteria (see Grant Requests) we look for remarkable project leaders. There are so many wonderful people out there who genuinely wish to help others, and I am so lucky to be in contact with them. I recently had the honor of meeting a charismatic young political refugee who told me about his incarceration and torture during the time of civil war in his country. His back is scarred with the brandings and whippings he received for suggesting that unused land should be cultivated by his country’s landless and impoverished people. His thoughts, and the thoughts of many like him, are not focused on the past, but rather on what could be done, with financial support, for his country’s most vulnerable children. Another courageous leader is a very dedicated woman I admire very much who was raped and left for dead when rebels surrounded her village, set 700 of her fellow villagers on fire, and killed the remaining men and raped the remaining women. After all these individuals have been through, their thoughts go not to the heartaches and injustices of yesterday but rather on the promise of tomorrow. These are the types of people ACN looks for projects to support. A strong leader is critical.
With ACN support, the project leaders then develop programs to provide the tools necessary for vulnerable children and their families to become increasingly self-reliant. Projects address many needs, ranging from educational scholarships, medical funding, and vocational training to hot lunches, cultivation assistance, shelter, and income generating activities.
Every year the list of children and projects ACN supports changes. This is usually due to children graduating or a project phasing out its need for continued ACN funding as the project becomes self-sustaining.
Thank you for reviewing our website. We need financial and volunteer assistance, but just telling a friend about the work we do will be helping the children by increasing awareness of the challenges they face.
With warm regards,
Dr. Frank Klein
Founder & CEO, Assisting Children in Need