Un Techo Para Chile (A Roof for Chile)
Santiago, Chile

In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Chile, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy is providing an initial gift of $10,000 to Un Techo para Chile (A Roof for Chile), which is working to build 40,000 emergency houses for those displaced by the disaster.

This nonprofit organization was founded in 1997 by the Jesuit priest Felipe Berríos to provide housing for the poor, and relies on donations from corporations, families and students to cover operational costs. Volunteers work alongside the beneficiary family while the foundation takes care of the purchasing and transportation of the materials and its staff members provide advice on site.

Un Techo para Chile aims to find sustainable solutions for those living in poverty. This is achieved through the construction of temporary homes, by bringing in education, social services and microcredit programs and by helping families find land on which to live permanently. The final stage of the process assists families in finding a house in a suitable area and helps to coordinate construction. By working closely with resettled families, the foundation contributes to the growth of healthy neighborhoods and helps to break the cycle of hardship and despair that contributes to endemic poverty.

The success of this grassroots organization, which began in Chile, has been replicated in 16 other Latin American countries as Fundación Un Techo para mi Pais (A Roof for My Country).

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