Mid-Year Update: How U4O is Growing in 2024
Unity 4 Orphans has experienced incredible growth in the first half of 2024 and is eager to be a part of changing the lives of more vulnerable children than ever before this year.
Thanks to our dedicated staff and volunteers, generous donors, and hardworking in-country partners, we’re seeing unprecedented expansion in our locations served and programs offered. We can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the second half of 2024.
Unity 4 Orphans Brings Hope to Abandoned and Vulnerable Children
With over 1 billion vulnerable children worldwide, we know the way to healing and rising above the poverty line is through education, counseling, and nutrition. Our holistic approach continues to form roots in communities where opportunities are scarce and conditions are often dangerous.
Child labor, human trafficking, gang and drug violence, teen pregnancy, and extreme poverty are all very real realities for vulnerable children. Unity 4 Orphans is fighting for a brighter future where orphaned and vulnerable children experience power and transformation in every area of their lives.
–Joe Brandi, Founder and Mission Director
We’ve increased the number of in-country partners, with more than 23 dedicated educators, counselors, and volunteers internationally. As we look at transformation stories of our well-established programs in Tijuana, Mexico, and Miramar, Nicaragua, we expect similar testimonies from locations in Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, and hopefully other Latin American countries where children lack opportunities for brighter futures.
Record-Setting Gala Fundraiser Positions U4O to Lift Children out of Poverty
This year’s Open Hearts Gala raised over $200K and sets us up for a successful second half of 2024 that will enable us to continue our expansion to El Salvador and strengthen our programs in all 30 sites throughout Latin America and the US.
These kids have seen all the bad in El Salvador and by teaching them English we’re giving them the opportunity to see something better. I also see it as an opportunity to teach them about the love of Jesus; we want to improve their lives in every area.
–Becky, El Salvador Partner
We’re humbled and thrilled by the funds raised at this year’s gala and excited to put them to good use. The Open Hearts Gala continues to grow, just as our programs and partners do the same, and we can’t wait to see how kids in desperate need of educational and holistic intervention flourish as a result.
Expanding Our Base of In-Country Partners Gives Kids Solid Mentors
Individuals embedded in their communities have the highest success rates at re-directing local children and teens in danger of dropping out of school. Our unique model empowers and equips dedicated partners to guide youth to reach their full potential by pursuing their education, healing from trauma and abuse, and believing in their ability to achieve different results than what they see around them.
Girls start having babies at 15, 16, and sometimes as young as age 12. They don’t understand the consequences and often have several children by different fathers by the time they’re 25. [Despite these stories,] we have to keep hoping that some of them will pursue their education and achieve their goals.
–Karen, Ecuador Partner at Dame Tu Mano
Identifying dedicated partners is an important aspect of our mission to help as many children living in poverty as possible and the incredible network we’ve built so far is just the beginning. This year we’ve begun new partnerships not only in El Salvador, but in Punta Mita, Mexico, and close to home in San Diego, with more to come in the second half of the year.
The Next Season of Unity 4 Orphans’ Ministry is Well Underway
As our organization has experienced growth at the partner level, we’ve also been bolstering our headquarters team through a new leadership structure that’s already serving our interests well. Through concerted efforts to let each team member shine at what they’re specifically gifted to do, our team is more solid than ever and able to push forward into a new season of ministry.
It’s truly beautiful to see what God is doing through our team in the United States and Latin America! We’re interdependent on each other, and on our community of donors and volunteers. Individually we can do so little to improve the lives of vulnerable children, but together we can do much more and see true, lasting transformation!
–Caitlin Snyder, Engagement Director
We look forward to sharing more about how our holistic model is distilling into 3 major focus areas: counseling, English as a second language, and tutoring. So many exciting developments are coming down the pipeline and Joe Brandi is about to head to Central and South America for his annual trip, where he and a few team members will visit existing partners and identify new ones. Stay in the loop by following us on social media and staying current through our monthly newsletter!