With the holiday season approaching, the season of giving comes along with it. Many visitors here in Columbia are looking for ways to give back to the community. While there is great need, it appears difficult for most to volunteer in a way that makes a difference.
That hasn’t stopped Expat Steve Cha from helping out by giving back to the community in Medellin where it is needed most. He helped to create Empower The Barrios, an organization that is focused on giving back to the community where it is needed most. Their crown jewel is the annual toy drive. Christmas 2022, Empower The Barrios gave over 5000 gifts to underprivileged children in Medellin. This year they have a lofty goal of 10,000 gifts.
He is a firm believer in the theory of “leaving the country better than you found it”, and his team has done just that. It’s a great thing to see other expats that are doing something to better the lives of Colombians, and especially for the most important demographic, the underprivileged children.
Brightening the life of one child at a time
Christmas, and December, in general, is a hard time of the year for some families, despite the joy that is going on all around them, oftentimes many of those underprivileged families can’t provide gifts in December, leaving the children feeling a low self-worth, which in many cases affects them later in life. Imagine if you could brighten the Christmas of a child who may not get any gifts. You have this opportunity.
To get involved, you can bring unwrapped toys by their office at CRA 32d #9-17, or you can message them on their social media channels. Remember, it doesn’t take much to make a difference in the lives of these children. Not to be Sally Struthers here, but for the cost of one Starbucks coffee, you can change the life of one child this Christmas.
Charity outside of Christmas
If you want to get involved with this incredible cause, you can learn more on their website at https://www.kindfootprint.org, you can contact them on WhatsApp at + 573227419375 and follow them on Instagram @empowerthebarrios. In addition, I would highly recommend following Steve Cha on instagram as well, @stevechaa, the videos he posts are inspiring and will make you want to get involved.
In closing, I would like to reiterate that this is an incredible opportunity for you to help the impoverished children of Medellin. To you, it’s a caramel macchiato, to them it’s a glimmer of hope and a sign that the world does have good people in it. Your small donation goes a long way in improving the lives of these children.
