Ambassadors for Children (0 testimonials)

In business since 2008

Ambassadors for Children (AFC) is a not-for-profit, charitable organization that provides meaningful travel opportunities to help children in need around the world. AFC partners with orphanages, schools, at-risk youth programs, and international humanitarian organizations to provide basic necessities, medical and dental care, educational support and constructive cognitive and social development for disadvantaged, abused and abandoned children. VISION Ambassadors for Children will make a significant impact on world peace and understanding through face-to-face cultural exchanges. MISSION Ambassadors for Children betters the lives of children who live, study and play in impoverished communities, while offering volunteers a life-changing experience. Ambassadors for Children trips provide hands-on interaction with disadvantaged children, balanced by opportunities for sightseeing and immersion in the native culture of the community served. AFC provides the opportunity for individuals, families, school/university groups and other organizations to personally help children in the United States and internationally. In addition to the cultural benefits of the program, AFC donates and delivers specifically requested goods and services to the children by collaborating with local organizations. HISTORY Former Ambassadair Travel Club President Sally Brown followed her vision to combine travel with serving others and founded AFC in 1998. An Honorary Board of Governors was formed with a diverse membership including doctors, educators, travel experts, media specialists and representatives from the business and non-profit sector. Ambassadors for Children is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting peace and understanding through face to face cultural exchange opportunities. Since its inception, AFC has assisted over 50,000 children worldwide through over a hundred socially engaged travel missions distributing over 2 million dollars in aid. SERVICES The services provided by Ambassadors for Children have five main objectives: 1. To provide the opportunity to participate in a mission or service-learning trip that is a life altering experience for the volunteer traveler. 2. To make a difference in the lives of children in need. The mission trip work conducted by AFC volunteers fundamentally changes or enhances the lives of the children who are served at the various trip destinations. 3. To enhance young people's understanding and awareness of the interdependence and interconnection of the global community by providing high school and university students travel and mission participation through scholarship programs and/or assistance with fund-raising. 4. To enable our regional community to participate and make a difference in places where they would otherwise have no contacts. The groups AFC collaborates with are provided a real and substantive way to give of their time and resources. 5. To develop lasting and sustainable partnerships with international organizations and local agencies from other countries. Program activities in AFC trips provide humanitarian relief in the areas of education, social service and medical assistance. Specific examples include supporting orphanages and schools; building projects; peaceful conflict resolution training; cultural arts, music, and sports activities; and health education outreach. In addition,AFC partners with medical professionals to provide services such as dental treatment, medical care and vision screening. AFC has facilitated over 100 volunteer trips to aid children in Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Serbia, Ukraine, Guatemala, El Salvador, Kenya, Vietnam, Haiti, Ecuador, Peru, Alaska, Brazil, Belize, Native American Reservations, and other communities in need. Trips vary in length from four days to two weeks and offer an array of volunteer opportunities. An important aspect of the AFC humanitarian trip is the delivery of specifically requested items to the children in each destination. In addition to the donation of medicines, schools supplies, hygiene items, food, clothing, medical equipment and toys, AFC volunteers have provided children with medical care, eye exams and glasses and dental care. In 2005, over 10,000 children received services through AFC mission trips and close to $400,000 of in-kind support were distributed. Ambassadors for Children enjoys working relationships with humanitarian organizations such as Kiwanis International, Habitat for Humanity, Boy & Girl Scouts of America, Christel House, Volunteer Optometrists Serving Humanity, and Rotary International. Through these partnerships, AFC assists organizations with fulfilling child-related initiatives, thus increasing the impact of all involved. In addition, through AFC's efforts we have created a model of significant collaboration with government officials in other countries. By cultivating productive associations with Her Royal Highness Princess Katherine of Serbia and the First Lady of El Salvador, Ana Ligia de Saca, we are able to assess and address the needs identified by leaders within the local communities served. LOCAL IMPACT Ambassadors for Children has a very meaningful social impact on the greater community: · Thousands of volunteers have participated in a mission with AFC since 1998. Volunteers pay their own expenses for these trips. · AFC provides mission and service learning experiences for schools and universities. · AFC presents scholarships to high school students to participate in a mission or service-learning trip. Typically 6-8 scholarships are presented per school. · AFC enables local schools and civic groups to participate even if they do not take a mission trip, through donation and collection drives for in-kind supplies. · AFC maintains a speaker's bureau for schools, civic groups, and national/international organizations to present the unique experiences and benefits from mission programs. · AFC maintains a visible presence at community and international events to gain name recognition for the organization and generate future development. BOARD OF DIRECTORS governs the Ambassadors For Children, Inc. A list of current Board members is included. Directors are elected each year at the annual meeting from candidates proposed by the Nominating Committee. All Directors are elected for three (3)-year terms. The Board of Directors meets quarterly to review the progress of the organization and monitor the annual budget. Standing committees meet monthly to address development/fundraising, finance, mission trips, and policies/governance. SUMMARY Ambassadors for Children offers a unique program/experience---the combination of travel with volunteer service in order to fulfill a specific need in the community. AFC volunteers are making a commitment of their time as well as their financial support. They want to follow their dollar to become part of the process. Through partnerships with schools, orphanages, government officials and medical facilities, AFC's motto "Travel with a Purpose" is brought to life on every trip. Such experiences enrich lives and expand the understanding of cultural diversity to create informed and engaged citizens - the hallmark of citizenry for the future. The future lies in the hands of children worldwide and at AFC we consider it our responsibility to make certain they are equipped with the tools for success. We also acknowledge the need for better prepared and educated citizens within our own communities. Through our efforts these individuals can become our partners and serve as committed and engaged "Ambassadors for Children" making a substantive difference in all of our futures. Bud Philbrook, President and CEO of Global Volunteers and on the AFC Honorary Board of Governors believes that there is an even bigger outcome to volunteer mission and service learning trips other than just helping where there is need. "Volunteer service engenders hope and friendship, both of which are critical to waging peace. As our volunteers work alongside local people, they discover that although we are different in many ways, different language, culture, race, ethnicity, the color of our skin, how we worship the creator, the way we dance, we are all far more alike that we are different. The more people who volunteer all over the world and make friends with local people, the more peaceful the world will be." He continues to say, "Volunteer service also engenders hope. When classrooms are built and children, who otherwise could not go to school, learn, hope springs forth. When health care is provided and vulnerable children are housed and fed, hope springs forth. When young adults acquire marketable skills, hope springs forth. With that said, we have concluded that the role of the volunteer is not so much to accomplish something; that really is the local people's responsibility. Rather, the role of the volunteer is simply to serve - to share who they are and the talents they have been given." "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

View our Trips

This operator has not posted any deals at this time.

View our Trips

3 most popular Trips (out of 5 total)

Malawi	Malawi Kamuzu International Airport for 14 Days • from $500* per person Provider: Ambassadors for Children Traveling to Malawi – “the warm heart of Africa” – with Global Ambassadors for Children is humanitarian work at its best. We will dedicate our time to supporting children of all ages, including orphans and students, while also exploring the beautiful countryside and supporting the local economy. We will provide needed resources, including education materials and hygiene supplies to local schools and communities, as well as to our sustainable project at Mtendere Village. All of these projects are explained in… more	Offered May Exertion level: 3 Comfort accommodations Max group size: 24 people Must form your own group? No
Malawi & Zambia	Malawi & Zambia Kamuzu International Airport for 14 Days • from $500* per person Provider: Ambassadors for Children Traveling to Malawi – “the warm heart of Africa” – with Global Ambassadors for Children is humanitarian work at its best. This year our itinerary is better than ever! We will dedicate our time to supporting children of all ages, including orphans and students, while also exploring the beautiful countryside and supporting the local economy. We will provide needed resources, including education materials and hygiene supplies to local schools and communities, as well as to our sustainable project at Mtendere… more	Offered June Exertion level: 3 Comfort accommodations Max group size: 24 people Must form your own group? No
Peru	Peru Cuzco, Peru for 9 Days • from $1,449* per person Provider: Ambassadors for Children Peru, home to the Incas in the 14th and 15th centuries, is a beautiful land situated on the Pacific side of South America. With the Andes Mountains as its backbone, Peru has quite the climatic diversity. Along with this climatic diversity comes great biodiversity. Home to over 21,000 species of plants and animals, over 5,000 of those being endemic, Peru is exceptionally diverse ecologically. Shortage of food and proper access to vitamins, nutritional supplements, and clean water is one of… more	Offered July Exertion level: 3 Comfort accommodations Max group size: 24 people Must form your own group? No

View all 5 Trips by Ambassadors for Children