We Cancerve Funds Shoes For African Orphans

Bel Air, Md. -- The We Cancerve Movement, Inc., a Harford County based nonprofit organization run by youth, presented a $500 check to the Children of Zion Village orphanage in Namibia March 12 during the kickoff meeting of the new all-youth board of advisors. Steve Christenbury accepted the check on behalf of the orphanage.

The funds will be used to purchase shoes for the nearly 60 children who live at the Southern Africa orphanage, which was established in 2003 by Mount Zion United Methodist Church, located in Bel Air, Md. Children there range from infant to 20 years old.

Donating to their mission, seemed like “the right thing to do,” said We Cancerve Founder Grace Callwood, 13. “I thought that their mission was impactful and their mission was one I could identify with. I support their mission. I felt moved to support them.”

She said having her board join this presentation was particularly special because “they were able to experience their first order of business as members of We Cancerve. They got to see work We Cancerve does as well as see what others in our community do.”

The 2018 Board Members are Mario Nandalal, Harford Day School; Ashlee Brockwell, Patterson Mill Middle School; Jaydn Betters, Bel Air Middle School; Samantha Bowling, William S James Elementary School; Deetya Chhatwal, Homestead-Wakefield Elementary School; Charley Dallhoff, Jarrettsville Elementary School; Alexia Dialinos, Bel Air Middle School; Colin McAtee, Ring Factory Elementary School; Katelyn O'Connor, C. Milton Wright High School; Abigail Slovick, Notre Dame Prep; Elizabeth Wesdock, C. Milton Wright High School and Tiffany Williams, North Harford Middle School.

We Cancerve brings happiness to sick, foster and homeless children by creating projects and initiatives that can be supported by the community. With the help of its board of advisors, We Cancerve’s year-round projects and initiatives include a free summer enrichment day camp for homeless children in Bel Air and Aberdeen, managing inventory and the décor of its free clothing store they named La Magnifique Boutique and bundling books and stuffed animals that match the main characters in sets they call “Books & Buddies” for hospitalized children. They’re currently in the midst of one of their major projects: the Eggstra Special Easter Bags-kits giveaway, where they’re aiming to distribute 1,000 bags filled with Easter candy and spring novelties to nine homeless shelters and transitional housing programs for homeless families with children, five hospitals, two group homes and an orphanage in Catonsville.

For more information on We Cancerve, visit www.wecancerve.org.