During an amazing Webvention, ASEA’s Advancing Life Foundation received donations from around the world to support our 2021 initiatives. ASEA associates and guests donated more than $123,000, and ASEA Corporate matched every dollar to bring the total amount to nearly $250,000! These funds will have a major impact in our ongoing efforts to provide COVID-19 relief, fight human trafficking, provide clean water, and expand educational opportunities.
To bolster our COVID-19 relief efforts and help manage growing food insecurity, we have established a new partnership with Global Food Bank Network, which helps establish food for areas all around the world and trains volunteers and employees in operations and management. Advancing Life funds will go to areas in Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, and Southeast Asia, where the need for food supply is at an all-time high.
We continue to passionately support Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) in their work against human trafficking. Current plans include funding another rescue mission for 2021 and equipping a new mobile forensics lab. The lab will aid each unit with a search warrant and allow for immediate extraction of electronic data from hard drives, smartphones, and other devices. This added efficiency will allow officers to accomplish more while the warrant is in effect, helping ensure the perpetrator is charged quickly and taken off the streets.
According to Unicef and WHO, one third of the global population does not have access to clean water. The Advancing Life Foundation understands how critical this basic need is for breaking cycles of poverty and will continue to support clean water initiatives in partnership with Vision Cambodia. We have also recently reached a new partnership with an organization named Techo to serve people in rural villages in Mexico. By providing clean water through rain harvesting systems and handwashing stations, they provide clean water to struggling families for drinking and food preparation while also helping prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Ten rural villages will receive rain harvesting systems and handwashing stations for schools, community buildings, and bus stations. Children will be taught proper handwashing skills and a committee will maintain all stations around the area.
Advancing Life will continue to seek and support education initiatives like the Inta-Kara Vocational Center in Ecuador and school renovation projects in Cambodia. We know that access to education is key to creating sustainable solutions within any community.
If you would like to aid the efforts of the ASEA Advancing Life Foundation and help those in need, please make a contribution at advancinglife.org. Your gift goes further in 2020 and throughout 2021 when you make it a monthly pledge! The foundation’s corporate partner, ASEA, is matching all donations throughout 2021 given as part of a monthly pledge—so select the Monthly option when you give, and every contribution will have double the impact on worthy causes worldwide!