CHANGE BAKERS 2017-2018 CHARITABLE CAUSES
Change Bakers host breakfast, lunch, and dinner events. They give guests information about a BPF focal cause and they suggest guests donate to the cause. Suggested donations may not exceed $25, guests may donate less than the suggested amount. Donations are best made on our website, because PayPal will immediately send back a verification for tax purposes. We are a 501(c)(3). Checks should be made out to Big Picture Foundation Inc.. Hosts should take lots of photos to post on the website and should keep a complete list of guests and the amount of each guest’s donation. Thank you! 🙂 You, too, can join the Change Bakers, just by hosting an event!
- Mid-September through mid-October: Hurricane Relief – Proceeds will support work by Americares
- Mid-October through mid-December: Aid to children in Venezuela. Proceeds will support the work of Barriga Llena Corazon Contento.
- Mid-January through mid-February: 9th graders, Sally E., Jessica F. and crew, would like to organize a silent auction to benefit a nonprofit that’s run by a friend’s family. Proceeds will support the organization’s work with children in South Africa. Details to follow.
- Mid-March through mid-April: We will continue to support the United Nations Association of New York’s work to develop the Furaha School at the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya
- Mid-April through the beginning of June: Support for Big Picture Foundation programs

ABOUT OUR CURRENT FOCUS
CHANGE BAKERS’ CHARITABLE DINNERS CHALLENGE
Kids, consider holding a dinner to support a charitable cause!
In early January, a dinner initiated by 9th graders, Sally E. and Jessica F. raised $3000 to support St. Clemens efforts to bring help right to the door of children in homes affected by disease, in South Africa. 9th grader Jessica, who originally hailed from from South Africa, introduced friends to St. Clemens and to the challenges faced by St. Clemens clients. She also introduced friends to other facets of cultural life in South Africa, from traditional clothing to South African flags.


PAST EVENT
VENEZUELA CRISIS OVERVIEW BY MARIA TINEDO
Venezuela is suffering from nationwide shortages of food and medicine. Children are suffering the most. As PBS reports (see the link below), severe malnutrition among kids is rising at an alarming rate. The situation deteriorated over the past few months, as nationwide protests against an illegal and unpopular referendum, together with US economic sanctions to the government, added to the country’s deep economic recession.
VIDEO: About the Crisis & VIDEO: About Barriga Llena Corazon Contento (in Spanish)

On October 20th, 2017, Camilla and friends raised $565 to help Barriga Llena Corazon feed hungry children in Venezuelan hospitals. The kids made “Get Well Soon” cards, with writing in Spanish and ate traditional Venezuelan foods, such as tostones, tequenos, and arenas, among other things.

BARRIGA LLENA CORAZON CONTENTO “What is ‘Barriga Llena Corazon Contento’ (Full Belly, Happy Heart)? It’s an initiative to feed soups, one of the most nutritious and comforting foods that exists, to the hungry children of Hospital J.M. De Los Ríos in Caracas (Venezuela), to some of the nurses and doctors who treat them, and to the starving family members of these children. This initiative is a result of our conviction that the service industry should also have a social impact and help us all to build a better country. Who are we? A group of chefs, entrepreneurs and communicators located in Caracas, Venezuela: Francisco Abenante – Golden Fork award and Chef of La Casa Bistró; is joined by Carlos García -also Golden Fork award and chef of Alto Restaurant, the 32nd best restaurant in Latin America according to the British magazine Restaurant. Chef and restaurateur David Akinin, along with Abenante initiated the idea in 2016. Service industry entrepreneurs Valentina Semtei, and Omar Sharam, as well as communicators Paola Bertorelli, Ana Isabel Otero and Juan Carlos Bertorelli joined in the initial push. The team has been growing continuously with people willing to collaborate with time and donations: Eduardo Moreno -chef of La Esquina, in the VIP hotel in Altamira-, Julio González -chef of the restaurant La Sibilla in the Hotel Cayena- María Elisa Römer -chef of the Bal-Sam group of restaurants, and Elisa Bermúdez @lovelygourmet. What is our goal? To feed hungry kids currently admitted in the Hospital. We want to help doing what we do best – cooking. The collaboration of the team, the kindness needed to support those who need it most, and the idea of cooking as a tool to nourish the body and the spirit. It all came into play when we learned that the children at J.M. De Los Ríos were not getting enough nutritious food to help them through their healing process. We formed as a team and began to prepare soups, the food that in our opinion, best integrates love and nutrition. From that very first moment, using our resources and thanks to the contribution of friends, we have operated uninterrupted since July 2016 and delivered more than 25,000 soups of high nutritional value to children, hospital staff, and family members. We have structured as a foundation because we aim to make this idea a permanent solution to support our ailing hospitals. We aim to be part of an integrated society looking to make a positive change in the country through social action.”
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Change Bakers’ Challenge #1 – Support Relief Efforts in Texas Mid-September through mid-October: Proceeds will support Americares’ relief efforts . Publication: FIVETHIRTYEIGHTHurricane Harvey’s Impact — And How It Compares To Other Storms By Rachael Dottle, Ritchie King and Ella Koeze
Hurricane Harvey, which dumped an estimated 27 trillion gallons of water on Texas and Louisiana, looks to be one of the most damaging natural disasters in U.S. history. Flooding continues to affect large areas of Houston, Beaumont and other areas of Texas. Tens of thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes, and rig shut downs and evacuations along the Gulf have curbed oil and gas production. The White House, meanwhile, is expected to ask Congress for $14.5 billion in relief funding. While we don’t know Harvey’s ultimate toll on life and property — and won’t for some time — here are the best estimates of the hurricane’s impacts so far, and how they compare to the destruction wrought by other major storms. Read the Complete Article
AMERICARES
“Americares is a health-focused relief and development organization that responds to people affected by poverty or disaster with life-changing medicine, medical supplies and health programs. For nearly 40 years, we have responded rapidly and effectively to the needs of our local partners and their communities.” – Americares Website
Change Bakers’ Challenge #2 – Aid to children in Venezuela
Mid-October through mid-December: Proceeds will support the work of Barriga Llena Corazon Contento
VENEZUELA CRISIS OVERVIEW BY MARIA TINEDO Venezuela is suffering from nationwide shortages of food and medicine. Children are suffering the most. As PBS reports (see the link below), severe malnutrition among kids is rising at an alarming rate. The situation deteriorated over the past few months, as nationwide protests against an illegal and unpopular referendum, together with US economic sanctions to the government, added to the country’s deep economic recession. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/venezuelans-suffer-deadly-scarcity-food-medicine/
https://www.instagram.com/barrigallenacorazoncontento_ve/
BARRIGA LLENA CORAZON CONTENTO “What is ‘Barriga Llena Corazon Contento’ (Full Belly, Happy Heart)? It’s an initiative to feed soups, one of the most nutritious and comforting foods that exists, to the hungry children of Hospital J.M. De Los Ríos in Caracas (Venezuela), to some of the nurses and doctors who treat them, and to the starving family members of these children. This initiative is a result of our conviction that the service industry should also have a social impact and help us all to build a better country.
Who are we?
A group of chefs, entrepreneurs and communicators located in Caracas, Venezuela: Francisco Abenante – Golden Fork award and Chef of La Casa Bistró; is joined by Carlos García -also Golden Fork award and chef of Alto Restaurant, the 32nd best restaurant in Latin America according to the British magazine Restaurant.
Chef and restaurateur David Akinin, along with Abenante initiated the idea in 2016. Service industry entrepreneurs Valentina Semtei, and Omar Sharam, as well as communicators Paola Bertorelli, Ana Isabel Otero and Juan Carlos Bertorelli joined in the initial push.
The team has been growing continuously with people willing to collaborate with time and donations: Eduardo Moreno -chef of La Esquina, in the VIP hotel in Altamira-, Julio González -chef of the restaurant La Sibilla in the Hotel Cayena- María Elisa Römer -chef of the Bal-Sam group of restaurants, and Elisa Bermúdez @lovelygourmet.
What is our goal?
To feed hungry kids currently admitted in the Hospital. We want to help doing what we do best – cooking.
The collaboration of the team, the kindness needed to support those who need it most, and the idea of cooking as a tool to nourish the body and the spirit. It all came into play when we learned that the children at J.M. De Los Ríos were not getting enough nutritious food to help them through their healing process. We formed as a team and began to prepare soups, the food that in our opinion, best integrates love and nutrition.
From that very first moment, using our resources and thanks to the contribution of friends, we have operated uninterrupted since July 2016 and delivered more than 25,000 soups of high nutritional value to children, hospital staff, and family members. We have structured as a foundation because we aim to make this idea a permanent solution to support our ailing hospitals. We aim to be part of an integrated society looking to make a positive change in the country through social action.
https://www.gofundme.com/barrigallena
- from the Gofundme page for Barriga Llena Corazon Contento
Change Bakers’ Challenge #3 – Details to Follow
Mid-January through mid-February: 9th grader, Sally Mann and crew, would like to organize a silent auction to benefit a nonprofit that’s run by a friend’s family. Proceeds will support the organization’s work with children in South Africa. Details to follow.
Change Bakers’ Challenge #4 – Furaha School at the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya Mid-February through mid-March: We will continue to support this project of the United Nations Association of New York
Big Picture Foundation kids will help the United Nations Association raise funds to build the Furaha School at the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. All Rye kids may contribute to this collaborative initiative. Kids should plan a lunch or dinner on (or before) June 20th and ask each guest to donate $25 towards the UNA’s school-building project. There are no requirements for the dinner parties, other than kids should add their own creative twist to the dinners they host. Kids can serve pizza to two friends or serve 15 friends multi-course feasts.
ABOUT UNA-NYC – “UNA is a force for change.
Through the work of the United Nations Association of New York and the over 175 community-based chapters around the country, UNA-USA creates a powerful national constituency for a United Nations that advances American interests in a global system. UNA offers each and every American the opportunity to connect with the critical issues confronted by the U.N. — from global health and human rights, to the spread of democracy, equitable sustainable development, and international justice. UNA educates Americans about the work of the United Nations, and builds public support for more effective U.S. engagement in the U.N.
UNA is a catalyst.
As a convener for a wide variety of groups (business, academic, diplomatic, government, grassroots), UNA provides a bipartisan forum for analysis and discussion on a wide range of global issues important to America’s role in the world. These unique programs position UNA as an incubator of new ideas and approaches for a more effective United Nations.
UNA is an advocate.
Coordinated by UNA-USA’s Washington Office, UNA advocacy efforts support responsible U.S. participation in the U.N. and other multilateral international institutions. UNA serves as a resource for the U.S. Government, monitors key international affairs developments in Congress, and disseminates timely “Action Alerts” on legislation. UNA also coordinates an annual Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill.
UNA is an educator.
Americans of all ages benefit from supporting UNA. Our innovative classroom curricula for students in grades 6-12, the highly acclaimed Model United Nations learning experience, in addition to our series of public lectures and seminars, are a few examples of how UNA raises the public’s understanding of global issues.
UNA is a doorway.
Members of UNA receive “behind-the-scenes” news and information about the U.N. and global issues. Members are also invited to an exclusive annual “Members’ Day” event at United Nations Headquarters in New York each spring. Join UNA today!
Change Bakers’ Challenge #5 – Unqualified support to the International Rescue Committee “The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Our Impact In 2016, more than 26 million people benefited from IRC programs and those of its partner organizations. In 2016, the IRC and its partner organizations:
- Helped more than 24 million people gain access to primary and reproductive health care.
- Vaccinated more than 173,000 children under the age of one against measles.
- Supported 2,507 clinics and health facilities that helped 171,000 women deliver healthy babies.
- Supported more than 21,000 community health workers to treat communicable diseases in children under age 5 and treated more than 186,000 children under the age of five for acute malnutrition.
- Gave 3.8 million people access to clean drinking water or sanitation.
- Provided schooling and educational opportunities to more than 1.5 millionchildren; trained more than 33,000 educators and supported more than 11,000 schools.
- Provided counseling, care and support to more than 42,000 vulnerable children and trained more than 2,200 child protection workers.
- Created or supported 2,000 village savings and loan associations that benefited more than 58,000 members who saved more than $2.4 million.
- Helped more than 4,000 people access financial services.
- Trained some 15,000 farmers in agriculture and agribusiness, and provided almost 40,000 farmers with access to markets and farm resources including seeds and fertilizers.
- Provided job-related skills training to more than 53,000 people.
- Helped create or support 40,000 businesses.
- Provided cash and asset transfers to more than 227,000 individuals and displaced households, 46 percent of whom were women.
- Provided counseling and health, social and legal services to more than 14,400 survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and reached some 1.8 million people with community-based gender-based violence prevention efforts.
- Offered legal assistance to more than 37,000 people; trained 27,394 people in the principles of human rights and protection; offered information on preventing and responding to human rights abuses to more than 267,000people.
- Trained over 31,300 people in the principles of governance (improving government accountability) and provided information on governance to more than 156,400 people.
- Through the Resettlement Support Center in Thailand assisted more than 13,000 refugees from East Asia to resettle in the United States.
- In the United States, helped resettle 13,400 newly arrived refugees.”
- Taken from the IRC Website
Change Bakers’ Challenge #6 – Support to Big Picture Foundation Big Picture Foundation Mission: (1) Children will thoughtfully engage with a global community by using art as part of outreach initiatives; (2) Children will use art as a tool for building a network of international friends; (3) Children will learn about world cultures while working on Big Picture Foundation endeavors. Big Picture Foundation programs are FREE for all children. Participating is fun and easy! We offer opportunities for middle and high school age children to participate in community building art events. We also invite students to share accomplishments in the arts and to share accomplishments using art for outreach. We encourage interactions and collaborations among groups for the sake of building a creative and joy filled global community. Please help us make our program sustainable. Thank you!