* Children's charity announces upcoming programme of philanthropic initiatives.
HONG KONG, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The Changing Young Lives Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children in Hong Kong and the Mainland, today announced details of its upcoming programme of charitable initiatives aimed at bringing together people from within the community to help underprivileged children.
Designed to raise awareness and provide programmes that improve the lives of vulnerable children, the confirmed activities for the remainder of 2009 include: a 'Walk for Change' around Victoria Peak on November 7; the hosting of the charity's annual 'Festival of Trees' exhibition and dinner in late November; and the opening of a new Changing Young Lives Community Centre in Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon on December 3.
According to Ms. Marcia Aw, Executive Director of the Changing Young Lives Foundation, the charity's latest initiatives come at a time when the number of underprivileged young people in the region is growing at an alarming rate. She comments, "In Hong Kong alone, the number of impoverished children in the community has risen from 260,000 in 2006 to 380,000 in 2009 - and the number is increasing every day.
"Most of them are young children between the ages of 6 and 18, who without proper care and support, could potentially turn to a life of crime, drugs or prostitution in order to survive. Children growing up in economically depressed situations also run a greater risk of unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, illiteracy and lack of education, all of which unquestionably negatively affects their quality of life."
Ms. Aw urges that greater emphasis be placed on preventing disadvantaged children from growing into socially-excluded adults. "For many years, our Foundation has focused on efforts to identify vulnerable youngsters in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and to inspire them towards a better life through the provision of education, development, participation and protection programmes."
For this reason, she comments that the Changing Young Lives Foundation's latest initiatives are designed to raise awareness of the plight of underprivileged youngsters and to encourage the community to become involved. Further details on each of the planned activities are thus as follows:
Walk for Change
The Changing Young Lives Foundation is inviting members of the public to participate in a 3.5 kilometre charity walk around Victoria Peak from 2.00-4.00p.m. on November 7, 2009. Entries for the charity walk - which is both dog and child friendly - are HK$ 300 per person or HK$ 1,000 for a team of five. Applications can be made by contacting Ms. Corina Siu at the Foundation on (852) 2319 3028 or at c.siu@changingyounglives.org.hk.
Festival of Trees 2009
Members of the public are invited to visit a free Changing Young Lives Foundation Festival of Trees exhibition that will be on display in the covered piazza of Times Square from November 21-25, 2009. The display will feature bespoke designer trees, accompanied by an array of gifts, that sponsors have donated to the Foundation to raise money for its work. The trees will be auctioned to guests at a Festival of Trees fund-raising dinner planned for November 28, 2009 at the Armani Bar in Chater House, Central.
Centre Opening
The Foundation is launching its first centre for underprivileged children in Pak Tin Estate, Shek Kip Mei on December 3, 2009. With the goal of providing enrichment and protection programmes for youngsters in the area, the centre, named in honour of Madam Wong Tung Yuen (Alee Vee) will be officially opened by Mrs. Selina Tsang, wife of the Honourable Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The launch of the new centre has been made possible with the support of: renovation sponsor Cathay Pacific Airways Limited; naming sponsor Dr. Eleanor Wong; room sponsors Mrs. Magdalena Lee (Music room) and Mr. and Mrs Warren and Mildred Lee (English room); equipment sponsors Shun Hing Group, Zonta Club of Hong Kong East and KPMG; plus contractors inProjects Limited (project management), Mr. Raymond Mok (engineering consultant) and Mr Arthur Leung (architect). For further information regarding sponsorship opportunities at the centre, please contact Marcia Aw at 2319-3033 or m.aw@changingyounglives.org.hk
CHANGING YOUNG LIVES FOUNDATION
Changing Young Lives Foundation is a Hong Kong registered charity that operates its own programmes in Hong Kong and the Mainland for disadvantaged young people from the age of 6 to 18. We raise our own funds and are fully accountable to our stakeholders.
Our mission is to identify disadvantaged young people and to change their lives for the better. This is achieved through protection, education, development and participation programmes. Our current programmes reach some 3,000 young people in Hong Kong and in the Mainland we support 19 schools and a school for children with special needs.
Changing Young Lives Foundation has been caring for children in Hong Kong and the Mainland since 1950. The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, The Honorable Donald Tsang is our Patron. For more details, please visit: http://www.changingyounglives.org.hk .
MEDIA CONTACTS
For more information, please contact:
Changing Young Lives Foundation
Marcia Aw
Tel: +852-2511-0505
Email: m.aw@changingyounglives.org.hk
JEM Worldwide Limited
Janet Middlemiss
Tel: +852-2857-3832
Email: janet@jemworldwide.com
