Why?

We have spent considerable time with non-profit organizations, especially orphanages, schools, and housing programs. Over time, we realized that these organizations often uncover unique, life-changing situations that, given adequate resources, they would be eager to address. But those organizations receive funding for narrowly-defined services – for instance, funding for education and food for the children at an orphanage, or the medicine for a clinic. Obviously, these are great and necessary needs to address, but, to illustrate, here are a few stories involving individuals who needed something more:

Anna, a resident of a women’s shelter, was violently attacked by her estranged husband and her jaw was badly broken. When we met her, Anna had been at the shelter for two months. She was forced to simply let her jaw heal in its misshapen form because she lacked the money for medical costs to properly reset and heal her jaw. The surgery likely would have cost $400-$500 USD.

David, an older teenager, had spent most of his life with a tube inserted in his stomach for proper food intake. His mother had given him a bottle of kerosene to drink when he was nine months old to stop his crying. As a teenager, David became hooked on drugs and one day he was involved in a near-fatal accident. David lost his front teeth, but gained a strong spiritual belief and a loving home at the orphanage. The cost to surgically repair his digestive system and teeth was estimated to be in the $3,000 USD range – a large sum. But when enough people pool their donations together, a life-changing need like this can be achieved.

There was another story about a child named Selma... a child living in an orphanage while her mother struggled through drug rehab. Selma was without US citizenship papers and consequently was unable to leave Mexico with her American mother. Her need was resolved through the intervention of caring individuals who made consulate visits and handled other necessary filing and administrative arrangements. Selma now lives in the US and is happy to be reunited with her mother, who is living drug free. It took the efforts of many people working together, but their direct involvement and collective efforts paid off.

These stories inspired a group of individuals to start an organization that exists simply to allow every person who desires to do so, to have their own story of directly altering the life of someone for the good.

The organization is called Selma’s Story … a story based on the impact of a few individuals whose persistent actions resulted in a happy, life-changing ending. It is our hope that every person has the opportunity to be involved in his or her own Selma’s story. It can truly be life-changing – not only for the Recipient, but also for the Donor.

The organizations that we partner with to find the stories and see them through to successful completion are called Field Partners.

Those individuals who review the life challenges of others and become compelled to participate in their unfolding stories are called Donors. Donors can contribute the full amount needed or just a portion. We hope you will consider being one of them.