By Ernesto Cullari
Over 5,000 people were killed and nearly 2,000 are still missing since Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in early November. We can easily recall the devastation and the loss that occurred on the Jersey Shore following Hurricane Sandy. Many of us are still rebuilding lives, homes and businesses. Haiyan was the most violent storm to ever make landfall and only you can begin to imagine their suffering. On behalf of my mother Lee, my step dad Matt and the 27 orphans living under their care in Bohol, the Philippines, I thank you for recently coming to their aid in such a desperate time of need. Street Kids Philippine Missions will continue to meet the needs of these children because of your generosity.
Even before the storm, the Philippines was a place of both beauty and squalor. The Philippine Islands are home to many of the world’s most alluring beaches. Yet not far from the tourist attractions and the luxurious hotels are some of the filthiest shantytowns on earth.
Imagine a neighborhood constructed of trash and debris; with walls and roofs made of cardboard, tin and sheetrock. Pirated electricity from neighboring gated enclaves lights the dark and dingy nights, for the few foolish enough to reroute the current into their hand patched shack. Fires often ravage and raze shantytowns.
Not everyone who is poor or destitute lives in shantytowns. Entire families live on doorsteps, street benches, inside cardboard boxes erected on sidewalks. Many of these are former sales clerks, teachers or small business owners. In the Philippines, there are only rich and poor. Corruption, addiction, cronyism and the mindset of those who have lived under multi-generational poverty have seen to it that the middle-class does not grow roots and flourish.
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Posted: December 20th, 2013 | Author: admin | Filed under: Ernesto Cullari, Typhoon Haiyan | Tags: Ernesto Cullari, Philippines, StreetKidsPM, StreetKidsPM.org, Typhoon Haiyan | 1 Comment »
For too many of us in New Jersey, it is not hard to imagine what life is like after a catastrophic storm. We just have to remember what we were doing one year ago.
We also know the difference between charitable acts and contributions that met immediate needs and those that meet long term recovery needs. Some of us will never forget the kindness and generosity we gave or received immediately after Sandy; meals, supplies, shelter, a shower, a place to charge a cell phone, cleaning out a destroyed home. Some of us are still filling out forms in the hopes of getting needed long term recovery aid.
As we confront, or deflect, the images coming from the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, we are fortunate to have a way to contribute that will make an immediate impact to the survival of 27 orphans.
Street Kids Philippine Missions is a orphanage with 501 C tax status run by our friend Ernesto Cullari’s mother, Lee. Lee and her husband Matthew founded the orphanage in February or 2010 in Bohol. They started caring for 6 children. Now they are raising 27 children. In 2012, Lee and Matthew cared for the children with a budget of $2000.00 per month. Amazing.
Today, in the aftermath of Haiyan, they need food, clean water and clothes and power. They are purifying their water with chemical tablets.
StreetKidsPM is hoping to raise $30,000 to recover from Haiyan. $1,111 per child. They need water purification equipment, generators, food and clothing.
Please make a one time contribution, or enroll to make monthly contributions to StreetKidsPM here.
Also, Cullari is holding a fundraiser on Wednesday December 4th from 6PM till 9PM at SeaGrass Restaurant in Occean Grove. Tickets to the fundraiser are only $50 and can be purchased here.
For questions or to make offline reservations to the fundraiser, call Ernesto at 732-504-4506.
Posted: November 18th, 2013 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Typhoon Haiyan | Tags: Ernesto Cullari, Philippines, StreetKidsPM, Typhoon Haiyan | Comments Off on Knowing where the money goes
Over 5,000 people were killed and nearly 2,000 are still missing since Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in early November. We can easily recall the devastation and the loss that occurred on the Jersey Shore following Hurricane Sandy. Many of us are still rebuilding lives, homes and businesses. Haiyan was the most violent storm to ever make landfall and only you can begin to imagine their suffering. On behalf of my mother Lee, my step dad Matt and the 27 orphans living under their care in Bohol, the Philippines, I thank you for recently coming to their aid in such a desperate time of need. Street Kids Philippine Missions will continue to meet the needs of these children because of your generosity.