Healthy Meals for Special Needs Romanian Orphans

Dear Friends,

Serving impoverished special needs children nutritous meals and healthy snacks has been a cornerstone of our program at Delia's Center for Special Needs Kids. From the moment we opened our doors!  In our first location, putting in a new kitchen was a priority and it has been the same ever since including in the location we moved to in June when we needed to create a kitchen area. We know that the lunchtime meal we serve may be the only nutritious food a child receives that day. While our "after school" kids should already have had lunch by the time they arrive to us at 1 pm, very often they have not and our Wellness Director/ Cook Coca prepares them a mini-meal that includes things like chicken, eggs, fish, vegetables,and fruit. Dairy too and healthy snacks. Our older kids and even younger ones have also been gaining life skills by learning to help out with food preparation, setting the table and cleaning up afterward.

Operating a non-profit has its challenges, especially in a developing country where there are continually changes. A new law was passed regarding a specific accreditation process for organizations working with children. It's very positive as it regulates everyone for the first time and ensures the safety of children!  The downside is that organizations are given just six months to go through the process and the process is costly!  It is not supposed to have a cost attached but it will. This unexpected expense is very high for us, especially as it was not forseen. Our organization runs very lean- Salaries, rent, utilities, educational materials, supplies (such as art supplies, games, books and even toilet paper etc), maintenance and facility costs, hygiene products and of course food. Food has gotten very expensive in Romania since the start of the Ukranian war.   None of the co-founders of the organization take a salary or receive any reimbursement for travel expenses etc. It is truly a labor of love! 

Now we are in a position of scrimping and saving and looking at where cuts can be made temporarily for the end of 2024 through 2025 and the only area that stands out is in the area of food purchases. We will never let the children go hungry! What we do have to consider is changing the menu -- keeping it healthy of course but we are forseeing no longer being able to offer exactly the same. This is very concering as we know items like chicken and fish are very important for brain development and building strong bodies.  We are working through all of us and seeking out grants and other sources of funding so that there is no impact on the nutrition.  This is why we are telling you about the situation. We are so very thankful to you for the support you have given in ensuring the children have proper nutrition. We ask again that if you are able to make an additional donation, it would mean so much right now.

Thank you for reading this and all of the support you have given. 

Best,

Lauren

U.S. Board President, Co-Founder Delia's Center for Special Needs Kids