Our Work
The purpose of the Foundation's activities and support are to ensure at-risk children living in poverty have the tools they need for success, and food to alleviate hunger and ensure proper childhood development.
Recent Programs
San Isidro Labrador - Marikina
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Holy Family
School Supplies Assistance Program - SY2025 - 2026
Children of very low-income families in three parishes located in Marikina City, Philippines were identified for the School Supplies Assistance Program for the 2025-2026 school year. Due to their financial condition, many of these identified children were not able to attend school in previous years because they didn’t have the tools to learn. Studies have shown that lack of sufficient educational resources can also affect the students’ attitude and performance. On the other hand, being prepared keeps children motivated and excited. Studies show that children having school supplies of their own can improve grades, creativity, attitudes towards learning, behavior, peer relationships and self-image.
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To alleviate this problem, the Foundation purchased and pre-assembled grade-appropriate backpacks, school supplies, and school shoes, which were provided to the children of Holy Family, San Isidro Labrador, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parishes. Working with volunteers from these three parishes, the backpacks were assembled (filled with supplies and shoes), and distributed to 250 San Isidro Labrador children in Grades 1 – 10 on Saturday, May 24, 2025, 150 Our Lady of Guadalupe children in Grades 1 – 10 on Saturday, May 31, 2025, and 149 Holy Family children in Grades 1 – 10 on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
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Maria Concepcion Sandi and Marilyn Sandi Manuel are members of the Branch of the Foundation in the Philippines. Ms. Sandi is liaison to Holy Family Parish and Ms. Manuel is liaison to San Isidro Labrador and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parishes.
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Feeding Program Sponsorship - CY2025
San Isidro Labrador and Our Lady of Guadalupe parishes in Marikina City, Philippines feed children of very low-income families in their respective community. The families are food insecure and as a result, these children go hungry and don’t receive adequate nutritious food to develop properly, leading to health issues and at times, death.
These two parishes have insufficient internal funds to feed the children. Therefore, feeding of these children happens typically only once per month, and only if an outside sponsor is found.
In 2025, the Foundation has been sponsoring the feeding of up to 80 children once each month within the boundaries of San Isidro Labrador Parish and up to 170 children twice each month within the boundaries of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. As of May 31, 2025, the Foundation has sponsored the feeding of 1,077 children at Our Lady of Guadalupe, and 340 children at San Isidro Labrador. As part of the feeding program, the volunteers give basic catechism to the children before each meal.
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"Catechism, we believe, is a valuable tool by which we may communicate the truths of the Word of God to the children, our future generation. It does not only teach basic Christian doctrine, but also shows how to live according to God's law and how to pray. That is why our main goal now is to catechize the children in every feeding activity so that they may learn the "basic" truths of Christian faith and living as they build a relationship with Jesus Christ." - San Isidro Labrador
Past Programs
School Supplies Assistance Program - School Years 2021 - 2025
Feeding Program - Calendar Years 2021 - 2024
Through the Weekend Food Program in 2021 and 2022, the Foundation researched, purchased, sorted, bagged, and delivered food for 24 children at risk of going hungry over the weekend in grades kindergarten through eight at St. Linus Elementary School in Norwalk, California. This program provided food every weekend during the academic school year. Food programs such as this have been shown to decrease absenteeism, behavioral trips to the principal’s office, and trips to the school nurse for hunger-related ailments. All of these factors lead to more instructional time in the classroom for students, which lead to better academic outcomes for children living in poverty. The Foundation provided 4,392 meals to these children during the Fall semester of 2021 and the Spring semester of 2022.
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The Foundation switched the focus of feeding children in poverty to Marikina City, Philippines, and in calendar year 2022, the Foundation sponsored 201 meals at Holy Family Parish following the distribution of backpacks and supplies, and in calendar year 2023, another 265 meals were sponsored at Holy Family.
In calendar year 2024, the Foundation sponsored 257 meals at Holy Family Parish, 335 meals at San Isidro Labrador Parish, and 545 meals at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, all in Marikina City, Philippines.
