How One Teacher in Nicaragua is Changing Lives through ESL Education

How One Teacher in Nicaragua is Changing Lives through ESL Education

May 3, 2023

Unity 4 Orphans’ dedicated teachers like Nellys in Nicaragua encourage and instruct the students in our ESL program and help them break the cycle of poverty.   When Nellys was searching for a new job, a recruiter pointed out the position with Unity 4 Orphans at our English as a second language (ESL) program in …

Expanding ESL Education to Vulnerable Children in Ecuador

Expanding ESL Education to Vulnerable Children in Ecuador

April 24, 2023

Unity 4 Orphans founder Joe Brandi and longtime champion Nick Ospina share an exciting update about bringing ESL education to vulnerable children in Ecuador.   If you’ve been on a service trip with U4O, you may have met Nick Ospina, a frequent volunteer, trip leader, and close friend of Joe. Nick’s bilingual skills always provide …

New Bike and Scooter Donations Bless Kids at Orphanages in Tijuana

New Bike and Scooter Donations Bless Kids at Orphanages in Tijuana

April 13, 2023

The children at the orphanages served by Unity 4 Orphans are riding new bikes and scooters thanks to drives held by Moonshot Brands and SmarterX. One of the pillars of our philosophy is Play 4 Change, a program that includes monthly service trips when volunteers visit the orphanages U4O supports in Tijuana. Our holistic approach …

Giving Time and Talent to Serve Orphaned Children in Mexico

Giving Time and Talent to Serve Orphaned Children in Mexico

April 3, 2023

Unity 4 Orphans champion Nick Ospina sheds light on what drew him to our organization and the vision for expanding our programs to serve vulnerable children. Spanish Speakers Help Volunteers Connect with Kids at the Orphanages In early 2020, Nick joined the volunteer leadership team for service trips to orphanages in Mexico with U4O. He …

Kaiser Physicians Spearhead a Learning Materials Drive

Kaiser Physicians Spearhead a Learning Materials Drive

March 24, 2023

Kaiser Emergency Medicine’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee held a drive to collect educational toys and learning resources for children at orphanages in Tijuana, Mexico served by Unity 4 Orphans.   Kaiser Doctors Collect Educational Materials for Orphaned Children Resident physician and president of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee Dr. Marlene Alfaro came up with an …

From ESL Student to Teaching Intern: A Success Story from Nicaragua

From ESL Student to Teaching Intern: A Success Story from Nicaragua

March 17, 2023

A former student from Unity 4 Orphans’ ESL program in Nicaragua shares how learning English has changed her life and what inspires her to teach others.   Yanelis began in U4O’s ESL program over three years ago and didn’t know any English prior to enrolling. Although she was intimidated in the beginning, the teacher and …

5 Ways to Give to Vulnerable Children

5 Ways to Give to Vulnerable Children

March 10, 2023

Unity 4 Orphans’ holistic approach to supporting abandoned and vulnerable children offers a variety of ways to get involved and change a child’s life for the better. Check out the top five ways people are contributing to our organization in 2023 and see if one, in particular, speaks to you! #1 Sponsor A Child in …

Matching Gifts Multiply Your Donation to Vulnerable Children

Matching Gifts Multiply Your Donation to Vulnerable Children

February 28, 2023

Through Unity 4 Orphans’ new Matching Gifts page, donors can see their money go even further in the fight against poverty for orphaned and vulnerable children. You may have read the story about the Meyers family’s matching gift during giving season, and why they’ve made it a tradition. We’ve been blessed by the generosity of …

Did You Know You Can Donate Your Birthday to Children in Need?

Did You Know You Can Donate Your Birthday to Children in Need?

February 20, 2023

Donating your birthday to Unity 4 Orphans is a simple, yet effective strategy to give back in 2023 and introduce others to our mission! Did you know that you can donate your birthday to help children living in poverty? With a fresh new year in front of us, this is a great opportunity to help …

Child Sponsorships Are at the Heart of Our Mission in Nicaragua

Child Sponsorships Are at the Heart of Our Mission in Nicaragua

February 10, 2023

The success of our ESL program is fully dependent on the generosity of our regular donors, and each child we welcome begins with the need for a dedicated sponsor. Unity 4 Orphans Provides Language Acquisition through Child Sponsorship We offer three levels of support, with the goal of full sponsorship, whether solely through one individual …

Read About U4O’s Origin Story on CanvasRebel

Read About U4O’s Origin Story on CanvasRebel

February 3, 2023

San Diego magazine interviews Unity 4 Orphans founder Joe Brandi on his vision for starting a nonprofit focused on helping orphaned and vulnerable children. Many in our community know what U4O’s mission is and what we stand for but may not know the origin story behind Joe’s vision for our nonprofit. In an interview with …

Joe Brandi Shares Top 3 Goals to Transform Lives in 2023

Joe Brandi Shares Top 3 Goals to Transform Lives in 2023

January 27, 2023

Unity 4 Orphans’ founder Joe Brandi shares a vision for 2023 to begin building the Transformation Center, bring ESL education to Ecuador, and gain sponsorship for children in Nicaragua. A Vision for Vulnerable Children in 2023 #1 Build the Transformation Center We have been raising funds to break ground on the Miramar Transformation Center and …

One Family’s Matching Gift Raises Twice the Funds for Vulnerable Kids

One Family’s Matching Gift Raises Twice the Funds for Vulnerable Kids

January 13, 2023

One San Diego family shares their journey of giving generously to vulnerable children, whether serving orphans or raising funds through matching gifts. The first time Zack and Stephany went on a service trip in 2013 they were newly dating, and found that it was a great way to connect with each other and children who …

How do we make the world a better place for underserved and at-risk children?

How do we make the world a better place for underserved and at-risk children?

January 6, 2023

Troubles worldwide can feel overwhelming and discouraging, but it only takes one small act of kindness to change the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children. Unity 4 Orphans provides several ways to care for vulnerable children living in poverty, setting them on a course to secure futures with more opportunities. Our programs include English as …

SDVoyager Magazine Gives Joe Brandi a Shoutout!

SDVoyager Magazine Gives Joe Brandi a Shoutout!

December 30, 2022

Unity 4 Orphans founder Joe Brandi tells SDVoyager magazine about his background, what makes the organization succeed, and what he loves about San Diego. In an interview published by SDVoyager magazine, U4O founder Joe Brandi shared a bit about his upbringing and the beginnings of our nonprofit organization. Growing up in Sonora and Santa Cruz …

What’s in a Name? Unity 4 Orphans Says it All!

What’s in a Name? Unity 4 Orphans Says it All!

December 23, 2022

Joe Brandi shares what Unity 4 Orphans means to him and what inspires our nonprofit to continue growing to support even more orphaned and vulnerable children. Our Nonprofit’s Name, Unity 4 Orphans, Says It All Joe Brandi’s vision to help children who have been orphaned, abandoned, and oppressed by extreme poverty remains at the forefront …

What Do Staff and Volunteers Love Most About Working with U4O?

What Do Staff and Volunteers Love Most About Working with U4O?

December 12, 2022

San Diego nonprofit Unity 4 Orphans helps change the lives of children living in poverty through the kindness of donors and a dedicated group of volunteers and staff. U4O Provides Volunteer Opportunities at Orphanages in Mexico Why is it important to volunteer through service trips? “Orphanhood is in the heart more than the legal papers, …

Meet Julia, Unity 4 Orphans Engagement Specialist

Meet Julia, Unity 4 Orphans Engagement Specialist

December 2, 2022

Our newest team member has been volunteering with Unity 4 Orphans since 2021, leading service trips and now as a special liaison to engage and support our community. Join us in welcoming Julia to the team officially, although she’s been involved with our organization for over a year and a half. She originally heard about …

Help Make Unity 4 Orphans’ Transformation Center a Reality in 2023

Help Make Unity 4 Orphans’ Transformation Center a Reality in 2023

November 25, 2022

A longtime dream to build a Transformation Center to house Unity 4 Orphans’ ESL program in Nicaragua will become a reality in 2023, thanks to our generous community. For those who have been following Unity 4 Orphans for some time, you may have heard our vision for the Transformation Center in the small rural community …

Age Is Just a Number in Supporting Orphaned and Vulnerable Children

Age Is Just a Number in Supporting Orphaned and Vulnerable Children

November 18, 2022

Unity 4 Orphans’ Wave-A-Thon draws surfers and boogie boarders of all ages and raises funds for orphaned and vulnerable children in San Diego and Latin America. When Joe Brandi made an announcement in a church service at La Jolla Christian Fellowship and asked for participants for U4O’s 3rd annual Wave-A-Thon, Kristan Peterson felt a tug …

Bringing Hope to Children in a Poor Village in Ecuador

Bringing Hope to Children in a Poor Village in Ecuador

November 11, 2022

Unity 4 Orphans founder Joe Brandi shares a vision for poor children in Ecuador to provide hope through education and holistic care. Every Saturday for the past seven years, a group of volunteers has been serving local children from a poor community in Ecuador. In his travels to prepare for U4O’s expansion into the country, …

A Life-Changing Camp Experience for Adolescent Boys from the Orphanages

A Life-Changing Camp Experience for Adolescent Boys from the Orphanages

November 4, 2022

Unity 4 Orphans helps adolescent boys from orphanages in Tijuana to attend a weekend camp that teaches them their value in God’s eyes and gives mentoring support. When APV Camp–which stands for Abstinence, Purity, Value–began in 2004, teenage girls ages 13 and up were given the opportunity to learn their value as they grew into …

A Firsthand Look at Poverty Conditions for the Children We Serve in Nicaragua, Part 2

A Firsthand Look at Poverty Conditions for the Children We Serve in Nicaragua, Part 2

October 28, 2022

Unity 4 Orphans volunteers shared their time, talents, and hearts with children from our ESL program in Nicaragua breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Welcome to the continuation of our story featuring the experiences of U4O volunteers Paul & Sara Giret, who joined Joe Brandi on his trip to Nicaragua in the summer of …

A Firsthand Look at Poverty Conditions for the Children We Serve in Nicaragua, Part 1

A Firsthand Look at Poverty Conditions for the Children We Serve in Nicaragua, Part 1

October 14, 2022

Witnessing poverty’s effects on the children in Unity 4 Orphans’ ESL program in Nicaragua, one volunteer shares her experience and encourages child sponsorship. Every year, U4O founder Joe Brandi visits our ESL program in Miramar, Nicaragua to connect with the children and staff, hear their needs and celebrate progress in pursuing English fluency. The biggest …

Extending U4O’s ESL Education Program to Children in Ecuador

Extending U4O’s ESL Education Program to Children in Ecuador

October 7, 2022

Unity 4 Orphans’ program to help children break the cycle of poverty through ESL education, nutrition, and psychological support is expanding to Ecuador. In many small coastal villages in Ecuador, the conditions are fairly rural, with no paved streets and humble homes. U4O’s founder Joe Brandi continues to pursue a God-given vision to step into …

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