REPORT ON TABITHA BULGARIA FOUNDATION’ S CHRISTMAS 2020
SINCERE THANKS TO TABITHA’S DONORS!
In the midst of COVID 19 challenges we managed to organize a Christmas campaign for almost 600 children and young adults from more than 20 Bulgarian social institutions. In the Eve of Christmas we were indebted to our donors, volunteers and supporters for their kind understanding and commitment to the underprivileged children in Bulgaria. 2020 was a roller coaster year and the lockdown prevented the institutions of having real Christmas festivity but thanks to the support we received we made many children and elderly happy and radiant for the Christmas season. Some 100 low-income senior people (from Roman and the region) and from a Pensioners Club in Stara Zagora got presents and food at Christmas and the New Year.
PROMOTIE Foundation / G.O.A.L.Inc , /Tabitha-Netherlands/ / Secrete Angels/Every Christmas, in the last 10 years we have received generous financial support from Stitching Promotie (NL). It has always shown concern about the underprivileged children in Bulgarian institutions and without their great contribution we would not have been able to launch the Christmas campaign. We are grateful to Maarten Koel for his understanding and help for the children in Bulgaria.
As ever we are indebted to Tabitha Netherlands for their 20-year of support for the less fortunate in Bulgarian social homes and especially to the Boitens and the young volunteers for their financial support and moral guidance which made Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation able to do its work
We also want to thank G.O.A.L. Inc (UK) and to acknowledge the active role of Jody Kerr, Alice Danesh and Emma Daw’s kind donation which provided additional Chrismas money for 4 homes(, Pleven, Roman, Dren and Samokov).
Emma in Pleven Jody feeding a baby G.O.A.L Inc groupWe would like to recognize the many-year dedication and ceaseless help of Bulgarian orphan Fund (Ireland) at Christmas , especially of Catherine Barkley’s, her wonderful sister Miriam , relatives, friends and colleagues, which made the children in Roman very happy.
The kind donation from the Nationwide building fund (UK) and the personal involvement of Ken Heather was greatly appreciated for the compassion and contribution to the destitute children in the social homes in the Eve of the New Year!
We are also grateful to Native Connection Ltd, and we want to acknowledge the personal efforts of Kelsa Smith Myskurova who has been helping Tabitha’s activities for years.
Before Christmas we were approached by a number of very kind hearted women from the International and local community, calling themselves “Secret Angels “ who made personal presents to the children and young adults from the social homes in Dren, Roman, Samokov and Vratsa and 30 senior ladies from Roman. They did a marvellous job and made many children and elderly happy for Christmas. They also collected staple food and extra money for additional products which we distributed to many social institutions
Tabitha Foundation also appreciated the personal donations of dear friends and relatives like, Maria Soskova & Joe Miller, Philip Matov, Jonathan Morris, Andrew Yong, Kristina Atanasova , Jana and Eli Angelovs |and Ivanka Traikova. They will help Tabitha’s efforts to support the underprivileged children.
Maria and Joe Philip Jonathan and his friend Andrew KelsaWe are grateful for the help of our friends who gave us a hand in packing the presents for the homes. Special acknowledgement to our volunteers Iliana, Tsveti and Alexi, who helped us make it through the Christmas campaign in December 2020.
Preparing presents for 600 children with the help of volunteers.Like every year in the last seven years we received a generous lump sum from the Foundation MAX Maakt Mogelijk (NL) for the destitute old people in the town of Roman and the region through “Tabitha Netherlands” and the personal commitment of Rients Boiten. It allowed us to provide for 50 retired people winter packages with staple food: cooking oil, rice, beans, lentils, sugar, instant soups, macaroni, biscuits, waffles and 2 m³ fire-wood per person. The elder children from Roman social institution helped us make and distribute the winter packages.
Winter packagesand wood for 50 destitute low-income people in Roman and the region.At Christmas MAX foundation also transferred money for a Christmas party for the elderly. Due to the lockout we failed to organise the usual Christmas dinner but managed to provide 30 elderly with generous food packages to spend a merry Christmas. We also cheered up some 50 retired people from a Pensioners’ Club in Stara Zagora with Christmas treats and presents.
Instead of Christmas party the elderly received food and presents.Thanks to PROMOTIE FOUNDATION (NL) we provided Christmas presents for all social the institutions with which Tabitha Foundation works with – nearly 600 children and young elders. Some of the institutions got additional donations from the above mentioned donors.
The Christmas festivity was preceded by a lot of shopping, organization and presents making.BOROVAN (NW Bulgaria – 140 km off Sofia) – Centre of accommodation of a family type – 21 children and young adults’ aged 9-19 living in a miserable situation
The children were excited and helped with the donation.BOTEVGRAD – TWO CENTRES FOR ACCOMMODATION OF A FAMILY TYPE – there are 23 children and young adults, aged 6-25, most of them with serious mental and physical disabilities. We brought them presents and food for Christmas and the New Year’s Eve and sweets.
We cheer up the Christmas season at the Centre with nice presents and food!DREN – two Centres for accommodation of a family type “Joy” – 23 children, aged 6 – 17 years. We provided presents, slippers and bags with treats so the kids were really excited.
The children got presents, chocolate treats and lots of food.DUPNITSA SOCIAL HOMES – 30 children and adults 7- 19 years of age: the Centre for accommodation of a family type for children with disabilities 1+2 and a transitional home. We provided for them presents, slippers, food and bags with treats.
Around the Christmas tree! Happy to have presents and extra foodsGORSKI SENOVETS –Day care centre for 25 handicapped children and young adults “Small Sun” –, aged 8-25, with serious disabilities. The young adults received bags with alimentary provisions and small presents, delivered to them because of the lockdown.
No parties but still a lot of presents!MEZDRA – Complex for children with mental and physical disabilities (58 children and adults, age 4-25, accommodated in 4 Centres, a protected house for 6 young people and a transitional home for 10 adolescents. We bought them soft toys – Panda and delicious treats. We also bought them food, salami, cheese and meat for the New Year’s diner.
Presents and food for Christmas and the New Year’s diners were greatly appreciated.MEZDRA – We provided food and presents to 30 children from low-income families.
The poor children were happy to have presents, clothes and food for Christmas! Shoes, clothes, presents and food to 5 children from a poor family with only an invalid father.PLEVEN – Home for medico-social cares (70 kids, 0 – 4, 5 years, more than 70% of them bed-ridden or with serious mental and physical problems. There was not a great celebration like every year but the children received presents, treats, Infantrini and Aptamil Premature, adapted milk for prematurely born babies. The Social institution cannot afford to buy these products because of insufficient budget although the milk and the Infantrini are of great importance to the children’ growth.
Enjoying the presents and Aptamil PrematureROMAN – Complex for social services for children and families: 55 children and young adults (2 Centres for accommodation of a family type and a transitional apartment for young adults who are due to leave the institution, and 25 children from the Day Care Centre for disabled children. We provided presents to all children from Promotie donation. Thanks to our friends from the Irish Orphan Appeal they got delicious food for the Christmas and New Year’s diners. They also got the jacket from G.O.A.L.Inc.
Lots of presents and food!ROMAN 2 – Three Centres for accommodations of a family type for children and young adults with disabilities – 30 people, aged 5-25. We made them presents of their choice and brought them food from Orphan Appeal Fund (IRL).
Presents and food for the Christmas and New Year’s Eves.SAMOKOV CENTRE FOR ACCOMMODATION OF A FAMILY TYPE. – 12 children, aged 9-18 years. That was the only social institution which threw a Christmas party and we attended it. The children had made a round loaf of bread for us because they attended Cooking lessons. We brought them presents and food for Christmas. They not only performed for us but had cooked lunch and Christmas cookies to treat us.
We brought them presents! George broke up the bread! There were much food and treats for them!
STARA ZAGORA – Home for children deprived of parental cares “THEOPHANO POPOVA” Home (10 children, aged 10 -18). To our regret after 15 years of supporting the orphanage, many renovations, education trainings for the children, the institution was closed down. For their last Christmas party at the orphanage we bought them presents and food.
We brought them presents! Food and drinks for the Christmas party. Departure
STARA ZAGORA 7 Centres for accommodation of a family type – 80 children and adults, aged 7-19. They received 2 dish washers and a laundry machine. We also provided meat, salami, cheese chocolate treats and presents.
2 Dishwashers + a laundry machine Food and treats for the Christmas and New Year’s diners.
STAR OF HOPE Shelter house in Sofia. The flat is accommodated by young girls from Roman, Lom and Vratsa social institutions which Tabitha has supported. Most of the girls we have known from small kids.
Food was provided and they prepared nice meals for Christmas and New Year’s Eve!
VRATSA HOME for children deprived of parental cares ”Assen Zlatarov” ( 10 children, aged 10-18, few with mild mental problems). The orphanage was closed down before Christmas so we gave them a number of personal presents to help them at the new social institutions.
The kids got presents both from Promotie and Secret Angels and chocolate treats.
VRATZA SOCIAL COMPLEX, (50 children) consisting of 3 Centres for accommodation for disabled children – 42 children and adults, aged 6 – to over 25 years and a transitional home for 8 young adults. We provided food and presents for all of them and some detergents. The children were happy and enjoyed the party for Christmas but we could not attend it. Though some were in invalid chairs they were also included in the celebration. Thanks to their grannies the children performed songs.
Food and detergents Enjoying St.Clause and the presents! Transitional home’s dinerl!
VRATSA “Center for Mums and Babies” – it is a crisis centre, sheltering women and babies who have suffered home violance, underaged pergnant girls too. At the moment there are 5 mothers with 6 babies and small kids who lack diapers, clothes, food and medicines.
We made them persents, brought them clothes, food and diapers.
MANY PRESENTS, RADIANT FACES, HAPPY CHILDREN!
MANY THANKS TO OUR DONORS AND THE VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR CONCERN, UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT FOR THE UNDERPRIVILAGED CHILDREN IN THE EVE OFTHE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS!
Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation is looking forward to fruitful cooperation with the donors in 2021!
TABITHA BULGARIA TEAM
/ALBENA & GEORGE/