Our Philanthropy Work
9 / 13 / 2024 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
President Radio Interview
The President of the nonprofit organization, Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids, conducted from her hotel room, a radio interview with a popular local, City of Pereira radio station. Her morning interview was not only heard by Pereira's citizens but was also listened to by many Colombians that morning, throughout the nation. The interview was instrumental in shedding light and making aware to Pereira's citizens on how a very small, brother and sister nonprofit organization from Southern California, had stepped-up to sponsor and support the needs of 60 almost forgotten, disabled boys and girls in their own backyard.
9 / 13 / 2024 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids Team Group Photo
Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids U.S. and Colombia based group of supporters, posing outside of the Fundación Sinapsis Vital Orphanage in Pereira, Colombia with the Director of the facility and several of its staff members.
9 / 13 / 2024 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Thankful to Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids Sponsorship
The Director, its nurses and staff members for the Fundación Sinapsis Vital Orphanage, located in the
city of Pereira, Colombia, giving their heartfelt thanks, appreciation and gratitude for the continued sponsorship and support, by our nonprofit organization, Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids, for the 60 disabled kids residing at their facility. During this trip, a needed washer and dryer was donated along
with vitally needed undergarments for the boys and girls there.
4 / 2024 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
15 Wheelchairs to Facilitate Mobility to Orthopedically Impaired Orphans
Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids, delivered 15 wheelchairs to Fundación Sinapsis Vital during the week of April 22, 2024. Neither heavy downpours, nor blocked narrow roads, stopped us from trekking up through the mountain road on three different occasions to deliver the wheelchairs.
April 22nd was the fourth anniversary of Kai’s passing from Glioblastoma. Being able to do this work in his honor, would have made both he and Cora proud. Their legacy of love continues and reaches individuals who may have never had the honor of meeting them. Thank you for your donations, without your support, the delivery of these needed wheelchairs would not have been possible.
9 / 13 / 2024 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Donation of Washer & Dryer to the Fundación Sinapsis Vital Orphanage
The donation of a needed washer & dryer for the disabled children at the Fundación Sinapsis Vital Orphanage, in Pereira, Colombia, to support their clothing hygienic requirements. This donation was presented to the Director of the Facility and was made possible by the generous donors who believed in our cause and donated to the Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids.
8 / 2023 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Donations of Undergarments and Dryer for the Orphans
Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids delivered a brand new dryer and packages of new underwear and socks to Fundación Sinapsis Vital. Thank you for all of your donations which made this possible.
8 / 2022 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Government Recognition
On August 30th, Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids was given a special recognition by the government of Pereira for the work they are doing to help under-resourced individuals with special needs living in Fundación Sinapsis Vital orphanages.
7 / 2022 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Socks & Underwear Donation
On Friday, July 22nd the representatives from Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids delivered two suitcases full of new packages of socks and undergarments for the orphans at Sinapsis Vital Mundo Nuevo to use.
We received a tour of the facilities. We also sat down with the management of Sinapsis Vital Mundo Nuevo which included Mr. Robert Godoy, the administrator; Ms. Lina Castrillon, Unit Coordinator; and Mr. Adilson Rodriguez, the psychologist. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss further assistance to Sinapsis Vital Mundo Nuevo from Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids.
4 / 2022 - Sinapsis Vital, Mundo Nuevo
Pereira, Colombia
Wheelchair Donation
The Mundo Nuevo location houses orphans who have significant cognitive and orthopedic disabilities, many of them are not able to ambulate on their own. There was a need for wheelchairs, and Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids, came through with brand new wheelchairs for the residents.
On April 19, 2019 Kai Raecke visited the orphanage with me, and he saw the need for the wheelchairs. He was moved to tears. We both vowed to return to the states and try to find them wheelchairs, unfortunately Kai was not able to fulfill that wish. Delivering these chairs to the orphanage helped me to realize his wish and keep our commitment to the orphanage.
12/22/2021 - Fundación Sinapsis Vital
Pereira, Colombia
Clothes Dryer Donation
Kai Raecke would have been 65 on this date, therefore, as a way to commemorate his birthday and give back to others, Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids donated a dryer to the special needs orphanage Sinapsis Vital. Our foundation owes a big debt of gratitude to all who contributed to help make this event a success. Thank you again for your kindness.
The day was a collaborative effort between the administration of Pereira, specifically Doctor Maicol Lopera, Presidente del Concejo de Pereira and Doctor Carlos Olivares Santos who were instrumental in providing snacks for the kids to celebrate the event. In addition to the efforts of Doctora Marta Lucia Sanchez, Administradora y Representante Legal del Centro Comercial - San Andresito which donated clothing and gifts for the residents. A big thank you for Doctora Janeth Huertas Bohorquez, Directora de la Mesa Nacional de Propiedad Horizontal for Colombia, for whom without her assistance in the form of “boots on the ground” this would not have been possible. On the day of the event, it was raining and thundering which made this gift very timely and much needed. Pereira’s weather is tropical and humid, however, it also has a very hearty rainy season which helps to promote the lush vegetation. The rainy season makes it difficult for the staff to dry the kids' clothing and bedding, which is why they asked for a dryer on our last visit in September.
We hope that through the generosity of our donors worldwide, we will be able to continue to fulfill some of the unmet needs of the residents at the special needs orphanage, Sinapsis Vital.
9 / 2021 - Fundación Sinapsis Vital
Pereira, Colombia
Luis Fernando Buritrago is the Director of Fundación Sinapsis Vital - Mundo Nuevo. This site caters to orphans that have multiple significant disabilities. They are often wheelchair bound, in addition to having cognitive disabilities, some of the residents have G-tubes that allow them to receive their nourishment in this manner. These students remain in their wheelchairs 90% of the day, consequently, their wheelchairs breakdown often.
When Kai and I visited in 2019, we observed wheelchairs that had been patched together with wire holding the legs with the wheels together, some of the wire was rusty, other wire ends were taped over so that they wouldn’t scratch the person in the chair. Kai and I knew we had to find a way to get better wheelchairs for these kids.
Fundación Sinapsis Vital, La Florida
Geraldine Rangel, Masters Degree in Social Work, is the Associate Director of Fundación Sinapsis Vital - La Florida. This site caters to orphans that have cognitive disabilities. The students at this site receive donations of used clothing and they do not have families that would take them in or take care of any additional supplies they may need. For example, one student is a talented artist that would love to go to the local university and study fashion design. He is also very proficient at painting murals, so each time we visited we would bring him painting supplies and easels. The associate director on the video is asking for assistance in the form of donations to facilitate purchasing a dryer, along with tables and chairs, which will benefit all the students.
Meeting with Local Government
Officials for the City of Pereira
On September 8, 2021 representatives from the government administration of the city of Pereira, Risaralda, met with Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids to discuss the possibility of forming a collaboration between the public and private sector. The focus of the collaboration will be the orphans of Fundación Sinapsis Vital at both the Mundo Nuevo site and the La Florida site. Present at the meeting were Maicol Lopera Cardona, Councilor of the City of Pereira; Carlos Olivares Santos, Assessor for the state of Risaralda; and Wilfor Lopez, Operational Director for the Mayor’s of Pereira’s Office, and Janeth Huertas Bohorquez, National Coordinator of Horizontal Property for Colombia. The city of Pereira asked Kai’s and Cora’s Foundation for Kids, to do an in depth study of the clients’ needs so that we can begin working together.
2019 - Fundación Sinapsis Vital
Pereira, Colombia
From Idea to Reality: The Evolution of Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids
April 12, 2019
One of the residents needed easels and paint to create art. He is quite a talented artist, who is able to create paintings and sell them at art fairs. All he needed was some supplies. Kai and I bought him several easels, paints, brushes, and a paint easel so that he could place his canvas on while painting. Without any funding from the special needs orphanage, it would be nearly impossible for his to continue his passion.
A Future Seamstress
and Designer
April 12, 2019
This young resident enjoyed sewing. She would often design and sew her own clothes by hand. Kai and I found a fabric store and bought her many yards of different types of materials so that she could sew clothes for herself and the other residents. It was our hope that on a future trip we could bring her a small sewing machine.
2019 - Fundación Sinapsis Vital
Pereira, Colombia
The Talent of a Young Artist
April 14, 2019
The young man to whom I gave the blank canvas to and the paint supplies, made this artwork that proudly hangs on my living room wall at home.
2018 - Bringing Happiness
At Kai's and Cora's Foundation for Kids, we are dedicated to stepping up our efforts in addressing some of the needs of the population we serve. Back in 2018, on a trip to bring supplies to the kids at the orphanage, I noticed that there were about 25 residents watching a 19" TV. The residents poured out of the little TV room, half of them could not hear the dialogue of the show, and the other half could not see the picture. I spoke with Kai, and he agreed that a better gift would be to donate a large screen TV. Purchasing the TV was not a problem, getting it up the very rocky road to the orphanage was quite a task.
My cousin, Janeth who was with me at the time, helped obtain transport in a truck and we bounced up and down all the way to the orphanage. The excitement of the residents when they realized the TV was for them, filled my heart with joy. The residents cried, my cousin and I cried, and even some of the staff cried. A simple thing as a 43" flat screen smart TV brought so much joy to residents who never leave the campus.
Bringing Supplies
With this initiative, our goal is to promote great opportunities for those in need. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential. Learn more about our work by getting in touch with our team today and see how you can assist us in this effort.