It is with great excitement we are writing to you as we are in the final preparations for the beginning of this year’s backpack project. As you probably know the backpack project provides one week of academic reinforcement to children living in poverty and then provides a backpack and all necessary school supplies to these dedicated students. Thanks to the generosity of you and others this year the program is expanding to over 500 students! Stay tuned to your email as we provide an update on how the project went in March.

This past year, 2012, has been a very productive year for us here at Umbrella Initiatives. We have successfully executed the second year of the Backpack Project in Piura Lima, and Huancayo, Peru. Through the Backpack Project over 350 students received academic reinforcement for one week followed by the receipt of backpacks and school supplies to prepare the students for the year. The focus for 2013 will be on not only providing academic reinforcement and materials for the week prior to school but to begin to monitor what effects does this intervention have and how working together with both the schools and the community we can help empower the students in their studies. Additionally, this year we are looking to further build the relationship with both the churches and volunteers as well as with students and schools we work with.

Umbrella continued the annual tradition of celebrating Christmas through providing gifts, food, and donations to children whose parent’s live with HIV and AIDS and other children in impoverished communities of Peru. The annual event held last December at three different locations (Lima, Piura, and Huancavelica) provided a bit of sunshine and light during the Christmas Season. Through your support and of supporters in Peru we were able to reach out to over 300 children. Additionally we donated over 50 books to an elementary school in Huancavelica.

Lastly, this past August we received our official notice that Umbrella Initiatives is officially a 501©3 charitable organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. By that all charitable donations are completely tax deductible. To donate online visit www.umbrellainitiatives.org. For mor e information please contact Yenny atyenny.delgado@umbrellainitiatives.org.