Affinity Kitchens » Affinity Kitchens Charities

Candelaria’s Before & After: Update from Colombia

Affinity Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:48:03 +0000

This is another inspiring update from Astrid, manager of the Opportunity International program that we support in Cartagena, Colombia. She sent us this story about Candelaria who was able to reconstruct her home after it was destroyed:

As the head of her household, Candelaria Sequea works to provide a better life for her kids, who are taking classes in technological training. She has a business where she sells different types of fried foods and soup. She makes sacrifices to support them in their professional development. She stands as a true example of faith and perseverance. Through it all, God’s provision in her business and family is evident.

Candelaria Sequea belonged to a trust group for four loan cycles. However, due to the rain they had on October 18th, her neighborhood of Pozón encountered heavy floods. Her family’s house was destroyed by the water. This crisis forced them to move and pay rent for many months with the hope that they would return to reconstruct a small business where their house once stood.

Through her own determination and with the help of her kids, Candelaria managed to buy some of the materials needed to start construction on her house, and thanks to Opportunity International’s emergency fund, additional materials were donated to finish the job. Today she is able to live once again with her two children in their own home and not pay rent.

She mentions that this location is crucial to her business, which is located at the entrance of the neighborhood, a very commercial area. She is confident that she will be able to reinitiate her lunch sales and continue to buy things for this year.

Astrid

Candelaria’s house (left) is completely destroyed

Astrid visited Candelaria after Christmas and there was nothing left of her home

Candelaria with her new home

Watch the first documentary from our trip to Cartagena during the Summer of 2008.
Watch the second documentary from our follow-up trip to Cartagena during the Winter of 2010.

Visit the Affinity Kitchens YouTube Channel

Opportunity International is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the working poor. They provide small loans that allow poor entrepreneurs to start or expand a business, develop a steady income, provide for their families and create jobs for their neighbors. Opportunity International also offers savings, microinsurance, business training and many more services to 1.1 million working poor in 28 developing nations.

www.opportunity.org

July BBQ Lunch to Benefit At Risk Teens

Jeremy — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 03:55:57 +0000

Join us for a BBQ lunch at our showroom on Friday, July 29 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll have bratwurst & hamburgers for a small donation with all proceeds to benefit OCJ Kids, equipping at risk and troubled teens by providing them tools, resources and positive adult role models to succeed and excel in every area of life.

Click here for the event flier and map.

Special thanks to our Charity BBQ Sponsors:

See ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2′ a Day Early and Support a Worthy Cause

Jeremy — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 21:58:21 +0000

Seating is limited – visit www.childhelp.org/harrypotter to reserve your seat

Join us for a special advance screening of ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2′ as a private benefit for Childhelp, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect.

We’re honored to be co-sponsoring this special event with Sub-Zero Wolf, Allstate Appliances and J.R. McDade Company.

Harkins Scottsdale 101 Cine Capri
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Movie starts at 6:00 pm

Click here to download the event invitation for details

Wilfrido’s Before & After: A Roof & Floor Program Update from Colombia

Affinity Staff — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:31:48 +0000

Here’s the latest update from Astrid, manager of Opportunity International’s Roof & Floor program that we support in Cartagena, Colombia. She sent us this story about Wilfrido who was able to build his new home with the help of the Roof & Floor program:

Wilfrido Pérez Lucas, is married to Saudith Carpio have a daughter and a baby on the way, Wilfrido is a client Opportunity international, at this time the have six loans in the trust group “Amigos del Progreso” Wilfrido’s he is the President of the trust group.

He began his business selling coffee in the street with a small box where had a few thermos with coffee, but 3 years ago he bought a bicycle he installed a tent and adapted a support where accommodates 10 thermos that have traditional coffee, chocolate and coffee with milk and additionally sells sandwich, with this transport called Café Charly Wilfrido can go to different areas to sell their products.

Wilfrido’s works in the morning from 7:00 am to 11 am and in the afternoon from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. In the neighborhoods around, he always alert with a horn and people know that came Charly Café, this way is as Wilfrido wins the provision for his family and also wants to achieve the dream of learning English with this hope was that he came to this city to work and study another language.

Wilfrido applied to the Roof and floor for home program, he lived with another family in a small house of wood in a small room, Wilfrido had a property where he began the construction of his house by placing wood which would functioned as columns and also bought part of the roof, he needed buy wood and make the exterior walls and Interior, today Wilfrido enjoys his new house in wood, this is a space in which they now live more comfortable with his family, and he is grateful with God and with Opportunity International that he could apply to this credit that improved their quality of life.

Astrid

Watch the first documentary from our trip to Cartagena during the Summer of 2008.
Watch the second documentary from our follow-up trip to Cartagena during the Winter of 2010.

Visit the Affinity Kitchens YouTube Channel

www.opportunity.org

June BBQ Lunch to Benefit Children with Life-Threatening Conditions

Jeremy — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:15:51 +0000

Our generous sponsor Yoga Village will match total donations up to $300.

Join us for a BBQ lunch at our showroom on Friday, June 24 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll have bratwurst & hamburgers for a small donation with all proceeds to benefit Ryan House, providing essential care for children with life-threatening conditions and their families.

Click here for the event flier and map.

Special thanks to our Charity BBQ supporters:

May BBQ Lunch to Benefit Special Needs Children

Jeremy — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:02:38 +0000

Our generous sponsor Mutual of Omaha Bank will match total donations up to $300.

Join us for a BBQ lunch at our showroom on Friday, May 27 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll have bratwurst & hamburgers for a small donation with all proceeds to benefit The Sydney Hudson Foundation, providing vital services, equipment, supplies & activities for special needs children.

Click here for the event flier and map.

Special thanks to our Charity BBQ supporters:

Carmen’s Before & After: A Roof & Floor Program Update from Colombia

Jeremy — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:21:15 +0000

Opportunity International’s Roof & Floor program manager, Astrid, sent us an update about Carmen, a participant in the program that we support in Cartagena, Colombia. Astrid is learning English; here’s the update in her own words:

Carmen is married to Diocletian and have 2 children who live with her.

Carmen has worked with opportunity for 6 cycles in the Group’s confidence “God is love” is a very enterprising women and it is known in his Trust Group program to be very responsible with their financial obligations and is currently the President of the group. She is happy to work with this organization because it sees the opportunity to progress and improve their quality of life, also she has learned to work in Group and to share and help in fellowship with the members of his group.

Carmen has a small restaurant that serves in his house for 14 years, the husband also works independent business making wood furniture and together have been able to maintain his family and to their children, it is a family United and very special.

Carmen she apply to the “Roof and floor for my home” program with the hope of improving the bathroom of his house in unfavourable conditions, the loan was made and she was able to make a new bathroom, now Carmen and her family are very happy to be enjoying this benefit him they enjoy Opportunity with this program; The benefits that she sees have this new bathroom is that you have good presentation and at the same time you can enjoy better health and comfort.

Astrid

Watch the first documentary from our trip to Cartagena during the Summer of 2008.
Watch the second documentary from our follow-up trip to Cartagena during the Winter of 2010.

Visit the Affinity Kitchens YouTube Channel

www.opportunity.org

BBQ Lunch to Benefit Abused, Neglected & Homeless Children

Jeremy — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:53:34 +0000

Our generous sponsor TRUE will match total donations up to $500.

Join us for a BBQ lunch at our showroom on Friday, April 29 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll have bratwurst & hamburgers for a small donation with all proceeds to benefit Free Arts of Arizona, bringing the healing powers of the creative arts to abused, neglected and homeless children.

Click here for the event flier and map.

Special thanks to our Charity BBQ supporters:

BBQ Lunch to Benefit Children’s Angel Foundation

Jeremy — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:35:43 +0000

Our generous sponsor Airpark News Feed will match total donations up to $500.

Join us for a BBQ lunch at our showroom on Friday, March 25 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll have bratwurst & hamburgers for a small donation with all proceeds to benefit Children’s Angel Foundation, the fundraising arm of nonprofit healthcare provider Hacienda Healthcare.

Click here for the event flier and map.

Special thanks to our Charity BBQ supporters:

BBQ Lunch to Benefit Children & Families Dealing with Childhood Cancer

Jeremy — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:55:48 +0000

Our generous sponsor Rich Goldman Asset Management will match total donations up to $500 – Listen for Rich on the Hugh Hewitt Show.

Join us for a BBQ lunch at our showroom on Friday, February 25 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm. We’ll have bratwurst & hamburgers for a small donation with all proceeds to benefit Children’s Cancer Network, providing financial, educational and psychosocial support to children and families dealing with childhood cancer.

Click here for the event flier and map.