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Here is something worthwhile that some of you may find interesting to send stuff to:
Capt Max H. Hopkins
Attn: Any Marine
Local Outreach Program Coordinator
JSOTF-P FWD Site 1, JOC
APO AP 96401
Greetings from Zamboanga City, Philippines. My name is Captain Max Hopkins and I am the Community Outreach Project Coordinator for the Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines. For the last couple of months many of you have been working with CWO4 Noe Tuparan at this location. Noe returned to his family and permanent duty station at the end of June. The address remains the same to send your gracious donations and is as follows: .
I am very excited to say your donations of clothes, school supplies, food, and toys are making a world of difference over here. Words cannot describe the smiles and wide eyes of the children when we bring your donations to them. They are so gracious and thankful. We are currently supporting one orphanage and two schools. The follow is a brief description of each Local Community Outreach Program (LCOP):
Foundation for the Development of Children Inc. (FDCI), an orphanage for Region 9 in the Southern Philippines consisting of five provinces. This orphanage was designed to accommodate a maximum of 40 children but currently accommodates 54 children from newborn to seven years old. Most of the infants were abandoned, found in a dumpster, or born in a women's prison. Their meals consist of two vials of rice and whatever soup can be added.
SOUTHCOM Elementary Public School has approximately 3,600 students. Due to limited government funding, each class of 50 children receives only four textbooks. Many of the grades have over 11 classes. They use plastic chairs with no desks and have very limited school supplies. In addition, the school has some challenged children who are hearing impaired, unable to speak, visually impaired or mentally challenged.
SOUTHCOM Madrasa Muslim School has approximately 98 students from very poor families. There are no Arabic textbooks or school supplies available and the teacher's medium of instruction for the Arabic language is from mouth to ear.
Many of you ask what items you can provide to better support our efforts here. I have had the opportunity to meet with the Director of FDCI, the General Parent Teacher Association of SOUTHCOM Elementary Public School and the faculty at SOUTHCOM Madrasa School and spend time learning of their needs and receiving their requests. Above all, they wanted me to pass on their thanks and blessings for your donations. Though I am the one they see each week, I could not bring them the donations without your support. You are the ones who make our programs a success and I want to thank you as well. The following are items that each LCOP has requested:
Foundation for the Development of Children Inc. (FDCI):
- Clothing for children age newborn to 7 years of age
- Blankets and crib sheets
- Cloth or disposable diapers
- Medical supplies such as bandages, band-aids, medications for children etc.
- Common needs for children i.e. cream for diaper rash, baby powder, nooks, teething rings etc.
- Toys of all types
- Crayons and coloring books
- Puzzles
- Canned goods, rice, noodles (please pack items carefully as the mail handling is a little rough)
SOUTHCOM Elementary Public School:
- Dictionaries
- Encyclopedias or other reference books
- Globes, world maps, world atlas
- Microscopes and science kits
- Number and alphabet blocks
- Clay and Playdo
- Crayons and coloring books
- Nursery rhythms
- Puzzles
- Rubber alphabet mats
- Pens and pencils (pencil sharpeners)
- Chalk
- Pencil erasers
- Notebook paper or spiral bound notebooks
- Flashcards in:
Numbers
Colors
Shapes
Subtraction
Addition
Division
Multiplication
SOUTHCOM Madrasa Muslim School:
- Pencils (pencil sharpeners)
- Pencil erasers
- Chalk
- Notebook paper or spiral bound notebooks
- Toys
- Clothes for children age 4-21 years
- Canned goods (non-pork products)
- Snacks for the school day
If you would like to donate any of the above items to a specific LCOP please write the name of the LCOP on the Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note or include a note in the box stating which one you would like the items to go.
I am pleased to say I have been able to make contact with a charity organization called Brother's Brother Foundation in cooperation with the Rotary of Makati and through their program, Books Across the Sea (BATS), we are now able to provide text books to SOUTHCOM Elementary Public School. Our first book delivery should be by the end of the month. I will include pictures in my next update.
Again, I would like to thank you for your support and good wishes. You are the ones who make my job easy and allow me to accomplish the mission at hand.
28 May 2005
Supplies are requested for the local elementary schools such as books (text books for mathmatics, classic works for grades K-6), paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, markers etc. Clothes (used or new), toys, and new medical supplies still in manufactured wrapping (most recent request is for a blood pressure monitor) for the local orphanages.
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