Roosevelt Island Resident And Orphans International Worldwide Founder Jim Luce Hosting Friday July 6 Celebration Of The Dalai Lama's 83rd Birthday - Luce Takes Group Of Young Global Leaders To NY State Assembly Chamber Too

Roosevelt Island resident Jim Luce is the founder of Orphans International Worldwide (OIW), a New York state incorporated 501(c)(3) established in 1999 as a response to the global crisis facing orphaned children.



OIW is the co-sponsor, together with The Gaia Holistic Foundation and The Tibet Fund, of a July 6 event to celebrate the Dalai Lama's 83rd Birthday. Mr. Luce will be the Master of Ceremony for the celebration.

According to this press release announcing the event:

Every year on July 6th since his 80th birthday New Yorkers have come together to celebrate H.H. the Dalai Lama’s birthday. The event will be held on Friday, July 6 at 6:30pm, at Marriott Essex House located at 160 Central Park South, New York City.

The event is co-sponsored each year by Gaia Holistic Foundation, The Tibet Fund, and Orphans International Worldwide.

Because Tibet has no country nor embassy, a group started to gather on the birthday of H.H. and celebrate his life to convey his most important teaching: “Compassion.” To introduce the idea of ‘World Peach through Compassion’ to the nations of the world and to people who are suffering.

The director of Gaia Holistic Foundation, Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura-Hillyer states “Compassion means understanding of others and all sentient beings. We celebrate with those who sympathize with this and wish peace for all. Through this kind of caring for others, we can send out energy of collective sympathy throughout the world.”

“Over 100 people will do this together at our dinner gala, with flags of all nations in hands, and together we will send out this caring energy to the people of each country, creating the ‘100 monkeys effect.’ In addition to Tibetan Monks prayer for H.H. the Dalai Lama’s long life, major religious groups will also pray for the same meaning in their own words. Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Buddhist, native Tribes, and Hindu practitioners will join with us,” she states.

This year’s “World Peace through Compassion” awards will be given to Avrol Looking Horse from Sioux Tribe of the Lacota Nation and Eric Ripert from Le Bernadin for their contributions to the World Peace through Compassion. In addition, the Humanitarian Award will be given to broadcaster Rita Cosby. There will be also performances of Tibetan music and dancers, and Red Hawks Native Americans.

In this troubled world especially with so many thousands of displaced refugees, we need to send out the energy of caring for others and pray for the elimination of suffering. This is so appropriate to do this together on H.H.’s Birthday.”

Let's Celebrate Dalai Lama's 83rd Birthday

Click here to purchase a ticket and here for more info from The Tibet Fund.

Jim Luce is also the founder of the James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation whose mission is to:

... support young global leadership impacting positive social change, particularly in the fields of the Arts, Education, and Orphan Care.

Support includes microgrants and ‘spotlighting’ through social media and the Foundation's Stewardship Report on Connecting Goodness, which features original and aggregated content...

The J Luce Foundation Young Global Leaders



were recently introduced on the floor of the NY State Assembly chamber.

Latin Dance Party Cruise Fundraiser For Roosevelt Island Based Orphans International Casa Ana Azua Dominican Republic Orphans Project July 9

Image From Orphans International

Roosevelt Island based Orphans International (OIWW) is holding a Latin Dance Party Cruise on Thursday July 9 to raise funds for OIWW's Casa Ana orphans project in Azua, Dominican Republic.

July 9 Latin Party Cruise of Manhattan Harbor only $10.

To benefit Orphans International – Dominican Republic

Aboard the Queen of Hearts

Board on Right Side of Pier #40

West Houston Street & West Side Highway

New York | NY 10003

212-987-9200

Thursday July 9

Boarding 6:00PM - 7:30PM We leave the dock at 7:30 sharp!

Sailing until 10:30PM

Image From Orphans International

More information is available here on Orphans International and the Casa Ana Orphans Project in Azua Domincan Republic. Click here to register for the event.

Orphans International Founder Jim Luce Writes On Tibet For Huffington Post

Image of Potala Palace in the capital city of Lhasa from Huffington Post

Roosevelt Island resident and Orphans International founder Jim Luce writes a blog for the Huffington Post and sends the following message:

My article on Tibet just came out in HuffPo – I have now been asked to meet with the Dalia Lama’s Representative to North America. ;-)

An excerpt of Jim's article - Tibet: Polar Perspectives Can Both Sides Be Heard - is below.

The 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's exile has generated much press and media attention.

News accounts have been full of the Dalai Lama's visa revocation which blocked him from speaking at an coming 2010 World Cup-related peace conference in South Africa, where two other Nobel Laureates where scheduled to speak.

In reading these articles, I find little background on China's side of the story and was curious to learn more about the conflict.

Many Chinese friends speak to me with great pride about how their country has profoundly helped Tibet -- especially the children. And our own government, as well as all 192 member states of the United Nations, acknowledges that Tibet is part of China....

The rest of the Huffington Post article is here.

Orphans International Providing Job Skill Lessons and Student Internships For Roosevelt Island Residents

What Color Is Your Parachute Image From Job Hunters Bible

Roosevelt Island based organization Orphans International (OIWW) is used to providing care and services to children in such faraway places as Haiti, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. According to their web site, OIWW was created:

... as a response to the global crisis facing orphaned children. OIWW has established a network of locally incorporated homes to house and educate children orphaned and abandoned after the Tsunami in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and the 2004 hurricane in Haiti....

OIWW is now initiating a program to assist Roosevelt Island residents with workshops teaching job skills and internship opportunities for students. OIWW sent the following message explaining the program.

OIWW Job skills Workshops
Donation: $10. Per class

HS Community service is free.

Held at 559 Main on Roosevelt Island, on your laptop or our computers

Helping Island residents gain the skills they need for today’s job market.

Taught by the interns, volunteers and friends of OIWW.

"High School Community Service credit at OIWW" Yes, high school students can conveniently do their community service hours here on Roosevelt Island.

Come learn what work is available and what skills teens will learn. We are open for scheduled after school hours and certain Saturday Mornings.

Our present High School student volunteers will present the OIWW opportunities for Sophomores and Juniors.

Monday March 23 4 PM

“Want to be an Intern or Volunteer?”

Come learn what work we have and skills we teach at OIWW.

Thursday March 26 7 PM

“Design Colorful E-newsletters”

Using Constant Contact, Stephanie Liu will guide you as you build your own newsletter. "Making beautiful e-marketing newsletters...fast" OIWW uses Constant Contact to design elaborate and fun to read =newsletter and e-brochures. Bring your laptop computer or use ours, our talented interns will show you how to design a piece just for your family or your favorite charity. You will receive advanced information of what to bring to the class.

E-mail Linda@oiww.org to receive your instructions of what to bring to class.

Saturday March 28 10 AM

HS internships

Come learn how HS Sophomores and Juniors can complete their community service on RI.

Tuesday March 31 7 PM

Resume Preparation Workshop

Deborah Drucker is an HR professional who scans 100’s of resumes each week looking for the “right” candidates. She knows that resumes must be clear and concise to be noticed. Bring your resume. She will conduct a one hour interactive Resume Preparation Workshop with a "step-by-step" process that includes:

- understanding your career goals

- a method to gather your information

- creating a resume format/style for in-person and online applications

- how to clearly express your experience and background

Personal questions and advice will be offered after the program.

Saturday April 11 10 AM

High School Sophomores and Juniors can complete their community service on RI.

Thursday April 16 7 PM

“Winning In A Tough Job Market”

Breaking through the crowd takes skill. Getting meetings takes ability. Outlasting your competition takes a special knack. Ultimately how you handle yourself determines whether or not you get the offer. Learn techniques that will add to your competitive edge. Hone your job search with the most up to date strategies, techniques, and methods developed by the Five O’Clock Club, America’s Premier Career Coaching and Outplacement Resource.

Harriet Katz has a Doctorate in Social Work, is certified by The Five O’Clock Club as a Career Coach, by the Association for Psychological Type International in the Myers Briggs Assessment (MBTI), and by The Centre For High Performance in leadership behaviors and development (UK). She has been a therapist, an Associate Professor at Yeshiva University, and Director of the Wiener Management Center at UJA-Federation. Over the past decade, she has been a Career and Personal Coach.

Saturday April 18 10 AM

High School Sophomores and Juniors can complete their community service on RI

Tuesday April 21 7 PM

“On-line Research”

Do you wish you could find things on-line? Find information about a company where you are applying for a job? Use Google better? Get the answers you are looking for? Elena Carasca is a professional researcher. She helps not for profits find information on foundations, donors, corporations and private businesses. She will reveal where she finds FREE information that will give you confidence when you go for interviews.

"The one who knows the most gets the most"... come learn to do on line research.

Saturday May 2 10 AM

High School Sophomores and Juniors can complete their community service on RI.

Tuesday May 5 7 PM

"Using Salesforce.com for database work"

This is one of the hottest "cloud computing" programs in the world of business and OIWW has it for their volunteers to use and train on. Come get a taste of how data entry is done on Salesforce so that when you interview you can say "I am familiar with Salesforce". Talented OIWW volunteers will train you.

Thursday May 7 7 PM

" NYS Jobs search sites"

Come get the basics about where the job listings are. And we will also discuss sites like Craig’s list, the Foundation Center, Monster.com and agencies. HR professionals will make some suggestions you may not have heard about. With less jobs listed, you need to work harder and smarter to find work today.

Tuesday May 19 7 PM

"Become a Personal Assistant"

Paris Hilton has one (or two) and everyone needs one. Come learn how your skills might make you perfect for becoming a personal assistant to a busy executive. Linda Stanley, OIWW Ex. Dir., has worked as a free lance assistant to lawyers, professors and senior citizens. She will show you how to present your job skills so clients will be thrilled to have you as their PA.

Saturday May 23 10 AM

High School Sophomores and Juniors can complete their community service on RI.

OIWW’s mission is to ensure the physical survival of the orphaned children we serve, to help them reach their potential, learn to appreciate diversity, and develop a capacity for leadership. Through a small-home, family centered approach, OIWW helps children in need become healthy, contributing members of their local communities and happy citizens of the world.

OIWW’s mission is to ensure the physical survival of the orphaned children we serve, to help them reach their potential, learn to appreciate diversity, and develop a capacity for leadership. Through a small-home, family centered approach, OIWW helps children in need become healthy, contributing members of their local communities and happy citizens of the world.

OIWW is a 501(c)(3) Not-for-Profit Corporation

Orphans International Worldwide

Associated with the U.N. Dept. of Public Information

559 Main Street, New York, N.Y. 10044 U.S.A.

Phone: 212-755-7285

Orphans International Love Is a Verb Fundraising Event At Gallery RIVAA, Friday February 13

Love Is A Verb logo from Orphans International

I received the following invitation for all Roosevelt Islanders from Jim Luce of Roosevelt Island based Orphans International.

"Love is a Verb"

Friday Feb. 13

RIVAA Gallery

529 Main Street

7 to 9 PM
Come to RIVAA gallery Friday Feb. 13 for an exciting evening hosted by Orphans International.

The party will feature Valentine trivia games featuring Roosevelt Island 'Lovers", lots of creative Valentine hearts, great food and wine....all for a $10. donation to OI Haiti. The theme is " Love is a Verb" and OI will be honoring child sponsors, many who live on Roosevelt Island.
OIWW interns are gathering exciting raffle and auction prizes, so guests can sign up to win a 5 day vacation at a 5 star resort, tickets to Manhattan events, certificates for dinner for 2. Contact linda@oiww.org or call 212-755-7285 if you have questions.
Everyone is welcome.

More on Orphans International here.

Orphans International Fundraiser at Kurve On December 1

Orphans International Logo

Jim Luce of Roosevelt Island based Orphans International sends the following invitation.

Please join Orphans International on Monday, December 1, 2008 for a private evening at KURVE, 6:00-10:00pm. The evening includes cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, silent auction and a special performance of Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. KURVE: 87 Second Avenue @ Fifth Street, New York City.

Mixologist Sasha Petraske is tending the bar (Milk and Honey, Little Branch, White Star, the East Side Company Bar).

(DELETED)

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions. We look forward to welcoming you to our final Orphans International Benefit of 2008.

Learn more about the organization's philosophy of embracing family care for orphans.

Here is a NY Times restaurant review for Kurve from last week.

CORRECTION - 6:20 PM - I have removed a portion of this post regarding the event. It will be revised shortly. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Help Orphans International Help Others

Image from Orphans International

Jim Luce of Orphans International forwards the following invitation and challenge to Roosevelt Island residents.

Fellow Roosevelt Islanders!
Come Over Wed., Oct. 8, at 7 pm

Oct. 4, 2008

Everyday hundreds of people pass by our window at 559 Main Street and smile and wave. Some bring in clothes or electronics or a check to donate. I took many of these gifts on my recent trip to Haiti.

It has been 14 months since we asked the whole of Roosevelt Island to step forward with funds to pay for our work. We must plan an event to engage our community again, and soon.

We cannot wait for the stock market to rebound, or for our corporate donors to write a check. The recent devastation in Haiti has left us with enormous budget shortfalls.

We want to reach out for ALL donations, large and small. We want an event here on Roosevelt Island. Interns and volunteers are inspired by our work... you can feel the same.

Helping Orphans International is the perfect antidote to the sense of helplessness recently cast over us all. We can help children... and we are. Come join us.

We have MANY OPPORTUNITIES to get involved this fall – and WE NEED HELP!

Our dynamic director Linda Stanley has unveiled to me her plans for “Roosevelt Island Cares” and she cannot do it alone. Here is her concept:

­ “200 x 200 Club” created to support our humanitarian work
200 committed Roosevelt Islanders committing $200 each year to our orphans care.

­ Mentors & Supervisors
We had 22 interns over the summer, 16 interns now.
We have no staff other than Linda Stanley & Jim Luce.
We need volunteer middle management – one day a week!

­ Child Sponsors
Increased Child Sponsorship on Roosevelt Island at $600 per year.

­ OI Winter Carnival & ART SALE
To be held tentatively Sat., Dec. 27 – maybe at Manhattan Park Theater?
We will need food, entertainment, help with kids, local business support!

There is an urban myth that Roosevelt Islanders single-handedly fund this island-based organization. Community support is less than 20% of our budget. We would love to involve more of you. We need you to help get us there!

We will meet next Wednesday, October 8 in my home (540 #418, Buzzer 157) from 7-9 pm to move forward. SHOW UP & HELP OUT!

Warm regards,

Jim Luce, Founder & C.E.O.

Orphans International Anime & Manga Fundraiser On Saturday September 20

Image from Orphans International

Received the following message from Jim Luce, founder of Roosevelt Island based organization Orphans International inviting all to a Fundraising event for their operations in Hait following the devastation from Hurrican Gustav.

I have just returned from Haiti where I was carrying relief supplies and checking on our children. Our own nation could not respond adequately to Katrina, and Haiti’s government cannot respond to three hurricanes there back-to-back.

It is we ‘Citizens of the World’ who must step up to the plate.

We have an event this Saturday night in the East Village (NYC) and I sincerely hope you can join us in raising funds for Haiti Hurricane Relief. I want to meet you and tell you about our project - and our beautiful, happy children who are such survivors!

The Saturday event (see below) should be fun for all ages, and we are pleased that Echostream and Lisa Hammer are performing for us. Please drop by and support our benefit - to benefit Haitian children! IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT, PLEASE CONTRIBUTE DIRECTLY VIA OUR WEBSITE www.oiww.org.

Our children in Haiti count on you for your support! - Jim

P.S. - I have brought back wonderful pictures of our children. Write to me at jim@oiww.org and I will be happy to send you a copy of the set. - JL

Here is some more information on the Orphans International Anime & Manga Fundraiser.

ORPHANS INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE PRESENTS “THE
FIRST ANNUAL ANIME AND MANGA FUNDRAISER", WITH
SPECIAL CELEBRITY GUEST LISA HAMMER OF VENTURE
BROTHERS.

Enjoy Live Music, Cosplay and Giveaways. Ten lucky winners will receive free tickets to the NYC Anime Festival, worth $55 each.

New York, NY (September 2008) -- Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) presents "The First Annual Anime and Manga Fundraiser”, with special celebrity guest Lisa Hammer; you may know her as the voice of Triana Orpheus on Venture Brothers. Funimation, ITO EN, AnimEigo, Planet Hollywood, Tokyo Pop, and Gaia Online have donated valuable gifts for our raffle prizes and goodie bags. Partygoers will enjoy Japanese snacks and beverages, and live musical performance by Echostream.

We welcome NY area businesses to join us as sponsors.

First Annual Anime and Manga Fundraiser:
China 1
50 Avenue B (btwn 3rd & 4th)
New York. Zip 10009
Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 6 to 8pm

The ticket price is $25 and includes gift bags and raffle tickets for the first 100 who register.

**Buy Tickets on our website via PAYPAL: www.oiww.org**

About us: OIWW is a non-governmental organization associated with the U.N. Department of Public Information and a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit Orphans International's current project in Haiti, where we are struggling to provide money for food, clean water, new clothes, shoes, vitamins and protein supplements following recent flooding and wind damage from hurricanes Gustav, Hannah and Ike. Inflation is skyrocketing, and basic food is in very short supply.
For more information, press, or sponsorship inquiries:
Roxanne Arthur
(212)755-7550
Roxanne.Arthur@oiww.org

Opportunity To Host a High School Exchange Student From Thailand/ President John Kennedy Explains Benefits to US and the World

You Tube Video of President John F. Kennedy addressing foreign exchange students from AFS on July 18, 1963

I received the following message from Jim Luce of Orphans International that he wished to share with the Roosevelt Island community.

Also, take a look at the great JFK speech above describing how hosting a foreign student is not just a great experience for the student and host family but contributes "to some hope for peace". At the end of the speech, Kennedy invites the students to come back and visit him when he is old and gray. A shame that never happened.

Below is message from Jim Luce.

Global Commitment to Small Town Values in the Shadow of the 59^th Street Bridge
Thai Exchange Student Available to Island Family

By Jim Luce, Founder, Orphans International Worldwide (jim@oiww.org)

I have worked hard here on Roosevelt Island over the years, first with the Cub Scouts, the local PTA, Toastmasters, and of course Orphans International.

But I have ever experienced more joy than in learning Roosevelt Island has a new and unique opportunity: one of our families may immediately host an AFS student from Thailand for six weeks – possibly even longer!

AFS, known once as the American Field Service, is the preeminent high school exchange program in the world, ahead of youth for Understanding and the Rotary Exchange. It is also the world’s oldest and largest high school exchange program. See: http://www.usa.afs.org/usa_en/home.

The student’s name is Poom and, at 17, he enjoys drawing cartoons and loves nature. As for sports he enjoys swimming, basketball, and hiking with family. In his free time he reads books on economics. He is a friendly, caring, open-minded teen and is a good student. He wants to be an economist to help develop his province, the newest in Thailand. Would our island be a good fit for him or what?

We all know how special Roosevelt Island is. AFS is also very special to me for many reason. To begin with, my grandfather’s eyesight was so bad he could not serve in WWI. So instead, he volunteered with the American Field Service Ambulance Corps on the battlefields of France.

After the war, the drivers vowed to make peace through understanding, and an exchange program between French and German teens was launched. Today, AFS is in 40 countries. See the excellent YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q8-1Z6mOyg.

AFS also speaks to me because my family hosted a girl from Japan and I ended up a Japanese Studies major in college (Wooster & Waseda).

Before that, I had been an AFS student myself, finishing the 12^th grade in the States, then completing my 13^th grade in a “gymnasium” there before going to college.

The motto of AFS, taken from Sanskrit, is “Walk together, talk together, All ye people of the earth, Then and only then Shall ye have Peace.” The lesson of AFS is tolerance.

I would not be who I am today, and Orphans International would not exist, if it weren’t for my life-impacting experiences with AFS. Let AFS impact your life.

Thailand, by the way, is perhaps the most tolerant country in all of Asia and the Thais I have known are incredibly wonderful people. Poom seems to represent them well. To sponsor Poom, e-mail my friend Patti Davis at AFS (pdavis@afs.org).

Your family will be a better family for having hosted Poom. And Roosevelt Island will further strengthen its global commitment to small town values in the shadow of the 59^th Street Bridge.

As an aside, I don't necessarily agree that "small town values" are any better than big city values.

What do Pink Elephants, Laptops for Lankans & Diplomatic Dinners have to do with Roosevelt Island? - Orphan's International Open House on Sunday

Image from article below of Councilman Mathieu Eugene, M.D., U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Jim Luce, and Donald Hoskins, M.D.

Here's a message and invitation from Roosevelt Island resident and Orphan's International Founder Jim Luce:

Dear Roosevelt Island Neighbors & Misc. Friends!
Join us this Sunday afternoon from 1-5 for our monthly Open House.
Come hear exciting volunteer activities at:
Linda Stanley’s Pink Elephant fundraiser on March 26
Our 24 Interns coming to R.I. this summer
Kim Andino’s (Manhattan Park) successful campaign to collect computers for Sri Lanka – she takes them there in three weeks!
Toni Cela’s report from Jacmel, Haiti – the new house and fresh start for our kids there
Amin’s work on the beautiful and exciting diplomatic dinner in June
Hope to see you on Sunday! Could you bring a bottle or bag of goodies – we try our hardest to keep expenses down! If you can’t make it, I’m sure I’ll see you on the tram or at Trellis. Cheers, Jim

Warm regards,

Jim Luce, Founder

Orphans International Worldwide
Associated with the U.N. Dept. of Public Information
540 Main Street #418 ♦ New York, N.Y. 10044 U.S.A.
O: 212/755-7285 ♦ F: 212/755-7302

And here's more about the work that Orphan's International does around the world:

Augmenting Small Homes
OI Rolls Out ‘Family Care’

By Linda Stanley

Just before New Year’s Day, Jim Luce presented “Vision 2008: OI Family Care” at an Orphans International fundraising dinner on Sutton Place, in honor of Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, who was presented OI’s Certificate of Distinguished Honor.

Luce, a Roosevelt Island resident, founded Orphans International Worldwide, incorporated in New York as OI America in 2001. Congresswoman Maloney represents our community in Washington.

In his remarks, Luce described OI’s expanded vision for 2008. “Over the years we have been able to house 36 children around the world, offering them love and nutrition, surrogate parents, proper medical care and education, clothing and housing,” Luce told the audience. “We are raising global citizens.”

“Ten years ago I envisioned assisting orphans in the developing world by building small homes and hiring houseparents. Instinctively, I felt that the key to proper care for orphaned children anywhere was a strong substitute family. My vision was a good starting place. We have now figured out how to be four times more effective with your contributions.

“In the last year we have partnered with an existing program in Sri Lanka that does not have custody of its children—Tsunami orphans—but rather assists the extended family members of those children to care for them. I have seen how this program works. It is impressive.

“At the same time,” Luce admitted, “I have been frustrated by the sheer number of orphans. There are 12 million AIDS orphans alone, nearly all unaffected, but whose parents have died from the virus.” “What can I do—what can OI as an organization do—to meet the needs of 12 million children?,” Luce turned to the diners.

“As much as we would like, we cannot build millions of small homes.” Yet, he pointed out, there are millions of homes in the developing world.

“The key to reaching out to more and more children in need—to expanding our vision— is to use existing housing,” Luce told those gathered. “The original model we have developed, with four children to each small home, is one of the best in the world, but it is expensive. It is too expensive for grassroots groups in developing nations to be able to readily duplicate.

“But through OI Family Care, we can reach out to hundreds more children and make it possible for others to join our efforts, helping potentially thousands of children in need.

“The new paradigm will be a community center serving as the nexus for each village where our new OI Family Care children will meet once a week for English, computer and arts education, and medical attention.” All current OI Child Sponsors will continue to sponsor their existing children. OI now has 102 child sponsors. Each child has four sponsors apiece.

The evening set the tone for 2008. Both Fentonie “Toni” Cela, M.A., OI Worldwide’s new Executive Officer, and myself, OI America new Executive Director. Island resident Donald W. Hoskins, M.D. from Riverwalk has been OI America’s Board president in 2007.

Rivercross resident and OI America Ambassador-at-Large Ethel Grodzins Romm received OI’s Special Recognition Award for her tireless efforts on behalf of OI children around the world, especially in Indonesia. The new OI Chinese-American Chapter was also recognized.

The event was hosted by renowned child advocate Regina Skyer, Esq., and OI America Advisory Board member Alisa Chazani, Psychoanalyst.

New York State Representative Micah Kellner and Haitian-American New York City Councilman Mathieu Eugene, M.D. also attended the year-end event and pledged their support to OI’s ongoing international efforts. Rep. Maloney, fortuitously, is an expert on family care.

Beginning this month, OI will start to assist fifty children orphaned by the Tsunami in the village of Kathaluwa, Sri Lanka as part of the new OI Family Care. This is more than all of the children OI has been able to assist in its short history.

In 2007, OI raised approximately $250,000 to help children around the world. About 16% of these contributions were given on Roosevelt Island, with 28% donated from Manhattan. The average contribution was slightly over $600.

OI has opened four projects to date, and is on the ground working towards opening in the many other countries. Due to stringent local rules and regulations, it takes OI about three years on average to open a project in a developing nation.

Orphans International Worldwide, founded on Roosevelt Island, is associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information and is one of only two networks of interfaith orphanages associated with the U.N. The other is SOS Kinderdorf, also moving towards a family care model.