Consuelo Foundation: 20 years of hope

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

MAKATI CITY, Philippines – For 20 years, Consuelo Foundation has
offered hope to about 50,000 children and families in the Philippines.

Offering support to non-government and nonprofit organizations, the
Consuelo Foundation has been involved in programs for the development
and rehabilitation of abused children and spouses, as well as the
homeless.

The Consuelo Foundation has about 125 partner organizations both in
the Philippines and in Hawaii.

The Consuelo Foundation started a year after Consuelo Zobel Alger’s
meeting with Patti Lyons who established Child and Family Service
Philippines in 1987. Lyons was foundation president and CEO until
2006.

After struggling with funding for the shelter program for the sexually
abused kids in Baguio, Lyons met Consuelo and introduced the Filipina
who retired in Hawaii to the shelter kids.

Alger had a vision to renew hope for those who have lost it and give
hope to those who have never had it

“After introducing to Consuelo the 40 children in the shelter, she
told me: ‘You know dear, I never had a child of my own. And I think
that now I have 40 children and I want to do this forever.’ Consuelo
then became a benefactress of the CFSPI. And a year after started her
foundation,” Lyons said.

Alejandro Padilla, Consuelo Foundation board of director member and
grand nephew of Consuelo, said the foundation supports organizations
through various activities, including capacity building, training in
entrepreneurship, finance and service delivery or whatever aspect that
the foundation sees is required to better run operations.

“We are forming joint ventures by choosing organizations with programs
that can be duplicated in other areas and support them in the
long-term so we have a sustainable program, Padilla said.

A good example of this join venture is the foundation’s program with
local partner International Deaf Education Association (IDEA)
Philippines. Bohol-based IDEA trains houses deaf and blind
individuals, allowing them to earn by working in the restaurant and
café located within the vicinity of the organization’s compound.

According to Geri Marullo, the president and CEO of the Consuelo
Foundation, the organization will focus on different programs this
year.

These programs will include ‘Healthy Start’ under which LGUs will go
house-to-house to look for cases of abuse in families, training for
e-skills, livelihood as well as teaching social responsibility and
life skills.

The foundation will also start a program for training foster parents
who will take care of the children coming from the shelters they
support.

The Consuelo Foundation together with its partner organizations held a
program Monday to commemorate its founder. Concurrent with the program
is a two-day meeting of the foundation’s local partners to share best
practices and innovations.