Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Brandi.
Hi Joe, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
God calls Christians to love others as we’d like to be loved. A huge part of that love includes having compassion and empathy towards others. Prior to my first trip to Africa, I’d never met an orphan or a child experiencing poverty. That trip to Africa and then subsequent trips to Nicaragua and Mexico gave me the opportunity to experience a life radically different than my own. I experienced – saw, felt, and heard – stories of vulnerable and often overlooked children. It felt very visceral and weighty. I began to consider, what if I was born in these conditions and had no hope for education or proper nutrition? What if I experienced abuse and abandonment and had no group or individual to extend their hand and help me out?
Each time I visit one of our program countries, time slows down, and I become fully present in their world; I realize how blessed and privileged I am. Over the past fifteen years, I’ve come to understand that it’s my calling to help children living in poverty experience abundant life. We always want the best for our children, but there are millions of children worldwide who are forgotten about. Unity 4 Orphans has the opportunity to guide kids to new trajectories, hopefully beginning a ripple effect for full transformation into the story God intends for them to have. And He uses us, so an integral part of our organization’s mission is to invite individuals, schools, businesses, and churches to enter a vulnerable child’s reality and work together to create a brighter future.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Unity 4 Orphans didn’t start with a board of business people; we began with just a vision and a big heart, so I had to wait for God to bring the right people. Over time, we built a board, a team of volunteers, a donor base, and people to come along on day trips to the orphanages we serve in Tijuana, Mexico. We have grown past the limited budget and resources we began with, and it’s been gritty at times.
Despite the challenges and learning that it takes more than a vision to help vulnerable children, our mission remains the same. U4O longs to transform lives through education, nutrition, counseling, shelter, and play. Our day trips to the orphanages offer kids who have been through trauma the joy of play while hopefully impacting the volunteers, too.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Unity 4 Orphans?
Something that sets us apart is our service trips across the border. We’ve been committed to monthly service trips since 2010 and are the only nonprofit organization in San Diego with this consistent track record. We enable people to experience a day in the life of a child in Tijuana and have an opportunity to help transform their future.
Through our fundraising efforts and child sponsorships, we not only help children in Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Panama but also create part-time jobs for local women and men. In doing so, we invest in the futures of both children and in-country residents who feel called to help children living in poverty.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
For San Diegans, whether apprehensive or just never had an opportunity to visit an orphanage, we have over a decade of experience hosting groups safely across the border. We take groups of friends and coworkers, offering a unique team-building experience as well as families with children ages 5 and up. Everyone who joins us on a trip experiences a shift in perspective that stays with them long after we return home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://unity4orphans.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unity4orphans/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Unity4Orphans/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unity-4-orphans/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/unity4orphans
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfI8JFIq7L3aX0JPyJQBa0g
