Although we didn’t know it at the time, Saving the Hungry was born on the streets of Dar Es Salam in Tanzania in 2011. This is where we saw gut- wrenching poverty. Mothers and children sleeping on cardboard boxes, young children fighting for scraps of food. No hope for the future – just raw survival instincts.
Shortly after our trip to Tanzania we traveled to Nicaragua where we spent time at a local orphanage. You cannot hold a broken child that has been beaten against a concrete wall and not feel something inside you move. It was in that grass roots orphanage, holding that little girl that we knew we had to help – we just didn’t know how or what?
After returning to Canada, Danielle posted a message on Facebook inviting those in her community to join her on a volunteer trip to Nicaragua “I had no idea if anyone would be interested and was actually surprised when I had a good response.”
“Since those joining me were all friends from my business community I knew they would also want to a short vacation before going back to their hectic jobs, so I built a “tour” that would offer 4 days of volunteering and 6 days exploring the country. The first trip was a success and coming home we had a waiting list for the next team”
Nigel says “the surprise for him has been how many parents book their young adults on our teams. It is a wonderful way for parents to get their children to think outside of their bubble and ‘connect’ on a whole new level. They get involved in fundraising, make new friends and many have found a cause that gives their lives meaning and direction and in some cases even realign priorities”
Since it’s humble Facebook beginnings; Saving the Hungry now works to help Not for Profits in Central America, Africa, Asia and South America.
Shortly after our trip to Tanzania we traveled to Nicaragua where we spent time at a local orphanage. You cannot hold a broken child that has been beaten against a concrete wall and not feel something inside you move. It was in that grass roots orphanage, holding that little girl that we knew we had to help – we just didn’t know how or what?
After returning to Canada, Danielle posted a message on Facebook inviting those in her community to join her on a volunteer trip to Nicaragua “I had no idea if anyone would be interested and was actually surprised when I had a good response.”
“Since those joining me were all friends from my business community I knew they would also want to a short vacation before going back to their hectic jobs, so I built a “tour” that would offer 4 days of volunteering and 6 days exploring the country. The first trip was a success and coming home we had a waiting list for the next team”
Nigel says “the surprise for him has been how many parents book their young adults on our teams. It is a wonderful way for parents to get their children to think outside of their bubble and ‘connect’ on a whole new level. They get involved in fundraising, make new friends and many have found a cause that gives their lives meaning and direction and in some cases even realign priorities”
Since it’s humble Facebook beginnings; Saving the Hungry now works to help Not for Profits in Central America, Africa, Asia and South America.
