Support three schools and one Volunteering center at Guiyang City, Gui Zhou province, December 2018

We provided financial supports to some needy students and family, purchased computers for teachers and schools, printer/scanner/copiers, and projector for three schools, including Chun Feng School, Yu Lei School, Lao Zuo Ke Ji School at Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. We aim to help school, teacher and students all together. We also purchased a set of printer/scanner/copier for Gui Yang Tong Zai Volunteering Center. 

Support two schools in Zao Zhuang City, Shan Dong Province, China, October 2018

Our volunteers visited two schools in Shan Dong Province earlier this year, No. 24 Middle School and Yu Shu Yao Elmentary School. The schools have various needs. After reviewing schools's circumstances and our funding availability, we purchased a playground set for Yu Shu Yao Elementary School, which is urgently needed. We also purchased some bulk beds and dining tables for No. 24 Middle School. 

Students fund raising event - lemonade sale, Fairfax, Virginia, June 2018

At Hope Chinese School Tysons Corner end of school year party, CHAFF organized students (from pre-schoolers to high school students) to raise fund for the needy children. CHAFF staff did a presentation on the cirsumstances of the needy children, what CHAFF has done in the past and how to participate in future activities. A lot of students were shocked on what they see and are committed to raise fund for these children. Under the very high temparature, more than 30 students participated in the lemonade sale and raised the funds for the needy children. All the parents were very supportive and participated as well

Dr. Peijun Li joined us as board member, December 2017

Dr. Li is a principal investigator at the Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang Province, China. Prior to that, Dr. Li was a research scientist at Veteran Affairs Medical Center at Washington. Prior to that, Dr. Li worked at Children’s National Medical Center at DC as a Postdoctoral Fellow.  Dr. Li also worked at Georgetown University as a Research Assistant for six years, in Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology. Dr. Li's passion and experience on charitable work will bring new energy to CHAFF, expecially he will be focusing on overseeing China side of the work. We are very excited to have Dr. Li as part of team.  

Guiyang Project Initiated, Guiyang, Gui Zhou Province, China, summer-winter 2017

In summer of 2017, CHAFF organized a team of four students (two from the USA and two from Beijing) to visit four schools (elementary and pre-school centers). The parents of the children at these schools are called “Ming Gong”, or “Migrant Workers”, meaning that the parents left their hometown to work in bigger cities to pursue a better life. More and more negative issues are created due to parents not staying with children, so in the last few years, more and more migrant workers take their children with them. Some retired teachers have set up private schools just for these children. Steven Chu, one of the participants, shared their impression: sympathetic, shocking and heart broken. The schools do not have enough supplies. One school is next to a cremation facility. The schools’ bathrooms are not usable to their standards. Staff cannot get paid due to the low tuition they charge, and some families cannot afford the already very low tuition.

The CHAFF volunteers visited a few families, some families living far from school so that the children have very long walks to school. One family visited lived in very tiny quarters, having only one bed for the whole family. One family’s home looked like a trash dump – the parents living by collecting trash from trash bins and resell it. The home was surrounded by the “good” trash that could be sold. Despite the very difficult circumstances, the CHAFF volunteers found the children at these schools to be very kind and well-mannered, and offered food to the visitors. Half of the children do not know where their parents are working. We would like to call more people to join us to support these children.

In 2017, we were able to purchase 45 sets of student desks and chairs for 45 families of Zhengyu School. We were told that this is the only elegant furniture some families have. In addition, we are able to help 11 students pay one semester’s tuition ($2300.00 in total, $200 for each student) for Chun Feng School. This way, we can help both schools and families. These schools will be our supporting focus in the next couple of years. If you would like to join us in our support, please feel free to contact us. 

Yuxian Day Care Project – significant progress, He Bei Province, China,  Summer 2017

The Yuxian Project has been our burden and concern for several years, as have desired to build a pre-school day care center for a village in Yuxian, Northern Hebei province, China. Many obstacles have been faced, including complicated zoning issues related to farm land and potential ownership disputes. The village managed to build three classrooms, but does not have funding to work on the internal and external finishes.

With the gracious support from all our our supporters, we were able to help Yuxian Day Care with the internal and external finishes, including painting the classrooms, installing a better heating system (instead of using traditional stoves), building an in-door restroom (imagine temperatures of minus 30 degree Celsius), painting external walls, cleaning the playground, purchasing second-hand desks and chairs, purchasing bookshelves and books, paying coal costs, and subsidizing compensation of the only teacher, Ms. Tian (she collects less than $20 from each child each month as tuition). 

HuBei project initiated, Support of four schools/preschools, and two “Liu Shou Children” Centers in Xian Ning, Hu Bei Province, China, Winter 2016

Under the support and leadership from our board member Haiyan Shi, we were able to initiate two projects in Xian Ning City, Hu Bei Province. We were able to purchase books, and other very needed supplies for four schools that are in southwest part of Xian Ning City. These schools do not have access to additional funds to purchase necessary furniture and supplies. We purchased large beds, computers, TVs, air conditionaing unit, playground sets for these schools. The teachers and children are very grateful for the support.

We also worked together with local authorities to sponsor initiatives for two “Liu Shou Children” centers. “Liu Shou Children” are those children whose parents (or one parent) work far away in big cities and the children usually stay with one parent or grandparents. These children may only see their parents a few times a year or less. We sponsored a “holiday wish list” program with one center – to purchase one gift for each child to fulfill his or her wish list during the holiday season. We are honored and humbled to be part of these children’s lives. 

Books donated to needy children at Safe Shores, Washington D.C., December 2016

In April, Hongfei Zhong was invited by a previous coworker to attend the Safe Shores’ annual fundraising breakfast. Touched and encouraged by how the Safe Shores team works hard to help and support children under physical and sexual abuse, CHAFF decided to join this local mission locally. Each time a child finishes therapy at the facility, he or she will be given a book to take with them. CHAFF partially fulfilled Safe Shores’ Amazon book wish list by buying over 200 books to distribute to children in the facility. We will continue to work with Safe Shores to support these children. 

India “Seva Sadan” project started, Summer 2016

We are excited to join Dr. Banerjee, a retiree of the International Monetary Fund, to support three crèche facilities that Seva Sadan operates. The crèche programs aim to motivate and strengthen children for education, preparing the children in the crèche to eventually go to mainstream schools. The 3 programs provide opportunities for the children to improve and develop intellectual capacity through games and appropriate aids. We were honored to be part of this mission and were able to support two thirds of the operational cost of running the three crèches (including salaries of three teachers, teaching aids, play materials, and mid-day meals for children) in 2016. 

Hongfei Zhong visited New Day North in Huhhot, Innermongolia, China, October 2015

New Day North is a branch of the New Day Foster Home, caring for the needs of special needs orphans. In May 2014, New Day North Started the Home of Hope in the government orphanage in the city of Wulanchabu. We are honored to be able to support New Day North in their orphan care efforts for the last couple of years. Hongfei Zhong visited the program director Mr. Brian Samuels in Hohhot in October and was touched by their commitment and love of the orphaned children. 

Summer Volunteering at New Day Day Foster Home, Daxing District, Beijing, China, August 2015

Four students were able to participate in the orphanage project -- two college students, one high school student, and one middle school student who had also joined us in 2013 for one week in August. They helped feed the children, played games with children, cleaned the classrooms and playground, and helped teachers with office work. All the students enjoyed their time at the orphanage, not only because of the way they were able to assist, but more importantly because they gained a better understanding of the special needs of orphaned children who need a lot of care and love. They all expressed that they would like to join similar activities in the future. 

Support "I Love Reading" communicty library in Chongqing, China, spring 2015

While working at George Mason University as a visiting scholar, Ms. Hongxia Zhao attended our Annual Dinner Meeting in 2013 and was touched by our mission –to provide educational support to children in need to address poverty and quality of life issues. After returning to Southwestern University in Chongqing City, Ms. Hongxia Zhao and her co-workers started an “I love reading” library to help the children in the community learn to read. In addition, they organized hiking trips and other recreational activities for the children so they could reach out to other children in need of help. Ms. Luo approached us for support and we purchased 800 books for the library.

Successful New Year “Bubble Tea” fundraising, in Washtington D.C,USA, January 2015

On 1/3/2015 we joined Fudan University at the Council of Chinese Alumni Associations at Greater Washington DC New Year activities. Once again, we sold bubble tea and other food. As always, Haiyan, Mary, Jianping and other volunteers worked at the event, helping us share our program with people and also raise funds.ported CHAFF on March 20, 2014

Successful New Years fundraising, January 2014

Following up on a fundraising activity we began last year, on 1/4/2013 we joined Renmin University at the Council of Chinese Alumni Associations at Greater Washington DC New Year activities. Once again, we sold bubble tea and other food. More than twenty volunteers worked for us at the event, helping us raise $745.00.

5,450 books donated, December 2013

In December of 2013, we had the privilege of donating 500 books per orphanage to 8 orphanages in Inner-Mongolia and 1 orphanage in Jiangxi province, in addition, we donated 500 books to an Autism school in Zhejiang province, and 450 books to an elementary school in Jiangxi province, , benefiting 1,432 children. Many of these books are for special needs children that meet critical demands.

As of 2013, CHAFF has in total donated 17,750 books to 32 elementary schools, middle schools, orphanages and special schools in Inner Mongolia, Hebei province, Jiangxi province and Zhejiang province, benefiting 7,932 children in need.

Annual Dinner, November 2013

2013 Annual Dinner was successfully held in Arlington VA, on Saturday, November 2. More than seventy people attended the Event and $5,110 was raised!  

At the dinner we reviewed CHAFF's activities during the last few years and our plans for the future. Three students who volunteered in an orphanage in suburban Beijing this past summer did wonderful presentations. Darren Wang, who is a Junior at Tomas Jefferson High School, and Steven Chu, an 8th grader at Kilmer Middle school, told us what they did at the orphanage, including playing with the children, helping clean the toys and the facility, and helping with translation work. They also did some research on issues related to disadvantaged children. Tom Liu, who is a senior at Whitman High School at Bethesda, MD presented a very touching essay he wrote. He said that just a few days of volunteering gave him more understanding about children in need.

 
Mei Hua Shang Bao introduced CHAFF on October 18, 2013

Children's Hope and Future Foundation Annual Dinner to be held

Talent Building, October 2013

We welcome Dr. Taisen Zhuang who has joined us as Communications Coordinator, bringing tremendous experience in various communications efforts. We also want to welcome Ms. Tianyue Wu as our PR Coordinator, bringing lots of experience in PR efforts. In addition, we welcome two of our long time volunteers, who have helped with a lot of activities, Ms. Yating Yang as our Financial Analyst and Ms. Xinxin Zhang as our Event Coordinator. Our faithful volunteer Ms. Suiwen Zou moved to Texas to pursue her study at Taxas A&M University. While we feel sad that we will not see her day to day, we fell her presence every week by reading her Facebook posting for CHAFF. Suiwen still manages CHAFF's social media. Please make sure to Like and Share her twice a week Facebook posting.

Orphanage volunteers at New Day Foster Home, Daxing District, Beijing, August 2013

In July and August 2013, we organized twelve children (from age 6 to 16) to volunteer in an orphanage in suburban Beijing. For many of these children this was their FIRST such activities. The children helped feed the children, played games with the children, organized the bookshelves, cleaned the classrooms and playground, helped teachers translate materials from English into Chinese, helped teachers input information into computers and analyze related data, among other activities. Even though it was very short, all the children loved it. One child told us she started to appreciate her parents more for their hard work to raise her up; another told us that he felt that these children in the orphanage need lots of love, however he could not really give much and he felt very sad about the children. We also saw that some volunteers felt so much love for the orphans that they even wanted their parents to adopt the children. We planted the seeds of caring and loving and we are certain that one day big trees of love will grow from these children’ hearts and they will serve others well. We hope to be able to provide similar opportunities to more volunteers in the future.

Volunteers visited the preschool at Yuxian, Hebei Province, China, July, 2013

One school in Zhangbei Region of Hebei province is in very difficult circumstances and in need of significant help. This July (2013) while visiting China, Hongfei Zhong went to visit this school and found the classroom conditions to be very worrisome and dangerous. The classroom was originally a temple that was abandoned, is badly worn, and possibly could fall at any time. The teacher has expressed her appreciation to us for the books we donated, however she expressed her hope that we would assist in building a facility so that the children can study in a safe environment. A nearby village just built a preschool facility sponsored by a company in Beijing which cost about $30,000 (RMB 180,000).In the next year, we would like to raise funds to help this village build a facility that will benefit the preschool children of not only this village, but also surrounding villages. We certainly appreciate your attention and support to this project.

Teacher training program launched, May2013

We started our teacher training program this April/May (2013). At the request of an orphanage, we were very happy to sponsor the first two teachers to attend Montessori training for 10 days in Beijing, China. One of the teachers told us how much the training was needed and how much they learned. They would like other teachers in the orphanage to also be able to attend the training. 

Facebook Page created, April 2013

On 4/23/2013, we launched our Facebook page. Please follow our posting and like us.

Chinese New Year Fundraising, February 2013

CHAFF joined 2013 "Miao Hui" held by Coordination Councial of Chinese American Associations (CCCAA) to celebrate Chinese New Year - CHAFF again presented what we have done during the last few years and held successful fundraising as well. Our Project Manager - China, Hongyu Tao was able to join us with this exciting event while he was visiting DC. This is held at Quince Orchard High School (15800 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878) on February 23rd 2013 (3pm- 7pm) .