The Story Behind Project Pasko

In September of 2008, after nearly a dozen years since our last visit to the motherland, our family visited our mother's hometown: Borongan, Eastern Samar, Philippines. From the beginning of our stay to the day we left, we were fortunate to experience much of the culture of our roots, through meeting our close and distant relatives, eating traditional Filipino food and partaking in the Borongan fiesta, an annual event that colors the town with excitement and celebration.

On one of the days of our stay, our Tito Pepio and Tita Amelia took us to the local orphanage, run by priests and sisters of Borongan. There, we met over a dozen of children, from infants to teenagers, who had no homes or families. They greeted us with genuine happiness, eager to play and make new friends. Dressed in bright fiesta clothes, they enthusiastically performed a song and dance routine they had practiced for the annual celebration.

When we left the Philippines, the thought of the children from the orphanage remained in our hearts. Their happy faces, despite having only a few worldly possessions, were unforgettable, and a reminder of our blessings and how lucky we were to have grown up where we did.

For this reason, we decided to start Project Pasko (which literally means, Project Christmas), an initiative that aims to collect toys and other much needed items for the orphaned children in Borongan, just in time for the holidays. Each gift-giver will receive the name and age of a child for whom they can help create a memorable Christmas, by giving them a toy of their very own and a Christmas card to open during the holidays. In addition, we will also be accepting donations of art supplies, toiletries and more. We hope that you will support us by becoming a gift-giver for a child who is a very much in need.

Sincerely,
Katrina, Karynn & Esp (Jay-R) Elio