REPORT ON TABITHA BULGARIA FOUNDATION’ S CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN 2019
HUGE THANKS TO ALL OUR DONORS!
As always in the Eve of Christmas we have been indebted to our donors, volunteers and fans for their kind understanding and commitment to the underprivileged children in Bulgarian homes. Thanks to their support we made many children and elderly happy and radiant for the Christmas season. More than 15-20 social institutions with almost 500 children and 80 low-income senior people (from Roman and the region) received presents, parties and warm food at Christmas and the New Year diners.
PROMOTIE Foundation / G.O.A.L.Inc , the Webbers (UK)/ Baroteque Slon/Tabitha-Netherlands/ The Matovs
Every Christmas, in the last 9-10 years we have received generous financial support from Stitching Promotie (NL) which has held the Bulgarian children’s fate at heart. Without their great contribution we would not have been able to launch the Christmas campaign to all the institutions Tabitha works with. We are grateful to Maarten Koel for his understanding and personal engagement in helping the children in Bulgaria.
We also want to thank G.O.A.L. Inc (UK) and the active role of Jody Kerr and her supporters’ fundraising initiative which provided additional Chrismas money for 4 homes(, Pleven, Roman, Dren and Samokov). Thanks to the organization and mostly to the Webbers, Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation got a new van in 2019. We also got financial support for the van from Maarten Luykx (NL) and Bulgarian American Society (US). We would like to acknowledge the many-year dedication and financial help from Orphan appeal’s charity (Ireland), especially of Catherine Barkley’s, her wonderful sisters Miriam and Betty and their group of children, relatives, friends and colleagues at Christmas, which made the children in Roman very happy.
Thanks to our donors from Baroteque SLON, the most exclusive night bar in Sofia, more than 450 underprivileged children and young adults received 700 kg fresh meat( which was donated by Agrotime Ltd from a slaughterhouse near Bulgarsko Slivovo), boxes of fillets and bags full of treats. We greatly appreciated the personal involvement of Kalin Borissov, his team and partners for their compassion and contribution to the less fortunate in the social homes in the Eve of the New Year!
We would specially like to recognize the 20-year of support from Tabitha Netherlands and especially to the Boitens for their moral guidance and financial support which made Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation able to do its work.
Tabitha Foundation also appreciated the traditional New Year’s initiative of Ivan and Philip Matovs and their friends who collected money at their New Year’s party and will pay for the Master degree in Pedagogy for Iso Ljubenov, who is an orphan who grew up in the orphanage in Gorski Senovets. He got a Bachelor degree at Sofia Conservatoire in Jazz and Pop singing. Thanks to their fund-raising and with the generous contributiont of Maria Soskova we will help Itso earn a better living.
We 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, Lisan, Tsveti and Alexi, who helped us make it through the Christmas campaign in December 2019.
Preparing presents for 450 children with the help of volunteers.
We appreciated the financial support of Lisa and George Frej for bed linen sets for the children from Borovan Centres for accommodation of a family type. We also received kind donations from friends and family which will provide for the urgent needs of the children in the social institutions from:
Maria and Joe Eileen&Toni Reagan Marie Halbherr George and Lisa Freij
Like every year in the last six years we received a generous lump sum from the Foundation MAX Maakt Mogelijk (NL) for the old people with low income in the town of Roman and the region through “Tabitha Netherlands” and the personal commitment of Rients Boiten. It allowed us to provide for 45 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 celebration was preceded by a lot of shopping and making of winter packages and presents.
The elder children from the Roman social institution helped us make and distribute the winter packages. The misery in which the old people live is heartbreaking; their low incomes do not allow them to enjoy their old age. The people were moved by the generous donation because it would help them make it through the winter.
Winter packages and wood for 45 destitute retired people in Roman and the region.
At Christmas MAX foundation also transferred money for a Christmas party for the elderly. We organized a feast for 40 old people in Roman. The kids from the orphanage performed at the party. The Mayor of Roman attended the elder people’s Christmas party to pay them respect. We made presents for all the people. Mr.Boiten helped us with the distribution of the wood and winter packages.
The elderly enjoyed the good food, the presents and the wonderful atmosphere.
Thanks to PROMOTIE FOUNDATION (NL) we provided Christmas presents for all social the institutions with which Tabitha Foundation works with – nearly 500 children and young elders. Some of the institutions got additional donations from other of Tabitha’s partners.
The Christmas celebrations were preceded by a lot of shopping and presents making.
BOROVAN (NW Bulgaria – 140 km off Sofia) – Centre of accommodation of a family type – 19 children and young adults’ aged 9-19 living in a miserable situation.
Giving the children presents and meat!
2 BOTEVGRAD CENTRES OF ACCOMMODATION OF A FAMILY TYPE – there are 22 children and young adults, aged 6-25, most with serious mental and physical disabilities. We brought them presents and food for Christmas and New Year’s Eve and sweets.
We cheer up the Christmas season at the Centre with nice presents and food!
DREN – Home for children deprived of parental cares “Joy” – 22 children, aged 4- 17 years. We provided presents of their choice and bags with treats so the kids were really excited. With the support of G.O.A.L. we brought them TV – set for the elder group.
The children had a good program but the enormous TV set and presents were the most exciting part.
DUPNITSA SOCIAL HOMES – 21 children and adults 7- 19 years of age: the Centre for accommodation of a family type for children with disabilities and the Home for children deprived of parental cares. We provided for them presents, slippers and meat and bags with treats for the New Year’s celebration.
There was a Christmas play, performed for the children. They were happy with the presents!
GORSKI SENOVETS –Day care centre for 25 handicapped children and young adults “Small Sun” –, aged 8-25, with serious disabilities. The young adults were very excited to participate in the Christmas party and welcomed St. Clause who brought them presents. We provided them with Christmas treats and chocolates.
The Koledari danced. St.Clause brought presents and distributed them
MEZDRA – Complex for children with mental and physical disabilities (60 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 warm blankets and bags with delicious treats and chocolates and brought them meat for the New Year’s diner.
We also supplied shoes and treats to 5 children from a poor family with only a father who is invalid.
Presents for 60 children and adolescents/. Meat + bags from Baroteque Slon(Sofia)/ Shoes for a poor family
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. The party was attended by St. Clause who distributed toys, sweets, and chocolates to the kids. G.O.A.L. Inc provided also money for Aptamil Premature, adapted mild for prematurely born babies. The Social home cannot afford to buy these products which are of great importance to the children. We also brought them biscuits and meat.
Enjoying the Christmas party /St.Clause presents to the kids/ Aptamil Premature/Biscuits and meat
ROMAN – Complex for social services for children and families: 85 children and young adults (5 Centres for accommodation of a family type and a transitional apartment for young adults who are due to leave the institution, 60 children, 35 with disabilities) and 25 children from the Day Care Centre. We got presents to all children from Promotie donation. Thanks to our friends from the Irish Orphan Appeal we organized a wonderful Christmas party for all children and the staff in a nice restaurant in Mezdra (30 km from Roman). It was a day out of the institution and the children enjoyed every minute of it. The children surprised us with great performances. All expenses for the party, DJ, transport and the Christmas presents were covered. We also made the children wonderful presents and sweets bags. Our donors from G.O.A.L. provided food for Christmas and New Year’s Eve diners. All the children got meat and bags with treats for the New Year.
Lots of presents A new TV set and tableware Kids performing and singing Presents from Baroteque Slon
Dances, presents and food for the Christmas and New Year’s Eves. Presents from Baroteque Slon
SAMOKOV CENTRE FOR ACCOMMODATION OF A FAMILY TYPE. – 12 children, aged 9-16 years. We brought them presents and cosmetics. They not only performed for us but had cooked lunch and Christmas cookies to treat us.
The kids performed for us. The kids had cooked dinner for us! Presents from Baroteque Slon
STARA ZAGORA – Home for children deprived of parental cares “THEOPHANO POPOVA” Home (14 children, age 9-18, few of them slightly mentally disabled). We provided for them presents, food and refreshments for the Christmas holidays. We also brought them meat, fillet and bags with sweets by Baroteque Slon.
Receiving presents. Meat Enjoying the New Year’s diner!
STARA ZAGORA 7 Centres for accommodation of a family type – 70 children and adults, aged 7-19. They all received meat, fillet and bags with treats from Baroteque Slon and Agrotime Ltd
Meat for all the 7 CNST from Bartoteque Slon, Agrotime Ltd and their partners!
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” ( 24 children, aged 6-19, few with mild mental problems). The Christmas party was organized in their home with a thorough preparation and the children enjoyed the party very much. We brought them underwear, socks and chocolates. We also provided them with meat and bags with 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. The children were happy and enjoyed the party for Christmas. Though some were in invalid chairs they were also included in the celebration. Thanks to their babas the children performed songs.
Enjoying the party and the presents! Food for all!
HAPPY CHILDREN WITH MANY PRESENTS
MANY PRESENTS, RADIANT FACES, HAPPY CHILDREN!
MANY THANKS TO ALL DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR CONCERN, UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT FOR THE UNDERPRIVILAGED CHILDREN AND OLD PEOPLE FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS!
Tabitha Bulgaria Foundation is looking forward to fruitful cooperation with the donors in 2020 for the sake of the less fortunate children!
TABITHA BULGARIA TEAM
/ALBENA & GEORGE/