Jochnick Foundation awards $200,000 grant to Christel House International
Friday, December 21, 2012
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Christel House International has received a grant of $200,000 from the Stichting af Jochnick Foundation. This one-year grant provides school uniforms for the students of Christel House Mexico (CHMX) and covers two-thirds of the learning center’s nutrition program.
This is the second grant the Jochnick Foundation has awarded Christel House International.
“This grant will significantly impact the lives of our students and their families in Mexico City,” said Cheryl Wendling, senior vice president of Christel House International. “We are enormously grateful for the Foundation’s strong belief that children born into poverty are not destined to stay there. Many thanks to them for recognizing the value and dignity of our children and helping us nurture and nourish their minds, bodies and spirits.”
CHMX was established in 1998 and currently serves more than 450 students in grades 1-9 who live in the deeply impoverished neighborhoods of Mexico City. All Christel House learning centers provide access to high quality education, nutrition, health care, life skills training, character development and career counseling with the goal of addressing the root causes of poverty.
“Our deepest thanks to the Jochnick Foundation for their donation to Christel House Mexico,” said Javier Alarcón Benet, CEO of CHMX. “Generous gifts from donors like the Jochnick Foundation provide the financial and moral support needed to continue our mission. The thoughtfulness of our donors is truly making a difference in the lives of so many children and helping them and their families escape poverty forever.”
“Looking at our world and life today there are clearly issues that need to be addressed when it comes to children and the world’s health,” said Kajsa Aberg, managing director of the Jochnick Foundation. “We are convinced that education is one way to help children break the cycle of poverty and help them towards a brighter future. Christel House learning centers address this issue in a successful way.”
Since 2004, the Stichting af Jochnick Foundation, based in the Netherlands, has supported projects that focus on children, youth, education and world health. To date, the Foundation has helped educate more than 89,000 children. Their goal is assist more than 100,000 children by 2014.
-30-
About Christel House International
Christel House International (CHI) is tackling poverty and leading the effort to transform generations of at-risk communities. CHI was established in 1998 by founder Christel DeHaan and currently serves over 3,600 impoverished children around the world. By providing high quality education, nutritious meals, regular health care, character guidance, life skills development and career counseling, CHI helps students grow into confident, competent young adults. Family and community workshops also help to improve children’s home environments. CHI operates five learning centers in India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S.A., as well as College & Careers and career development services in Venezuela. For more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org.
About the Jochnick Foundation
The Stichting af Jochnick Foundation was established in 2004 by the af Jochnick family who wanted to contribute to the greater good and give something back to society. After establishing Oriflame Cosmetics (www.oriflame.com) in 1967, Jonas and Robert af Jochnick started visiting developing countries. It was then that they realized the tremendous need for social contribution. For more information, please visit www.afjochnickfoundation.nl.