Iona and I have decided to take on the challenge of cycling this July 2014 from London to Rome. As part of this challenge I would like to raise funds for a charity close to my heart. Having lived and worked at ACER for 5 months I had first hand experience of the hard work and dedication that ACER’s volunteers and staff put into improving the lives of these children.

 

ACER (Associação de Apoio à Criança em Risco) is a charity based in Eldorado, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Its core and largest program is the Family Guardian program which places children who have been removed from their families by the courts into the care of an extended family member. ACER provides the child with an individual caseworker. The caseworker helps the child through the trauma of separation from their parents as well as working alongside the family guardian in this process. The caseworkers also hold monthly group sessions for the guardians to share their experiences and create a supportive network amongst each other.

 

Originating as a pilot program this has been a great success. It is far better and cheaper than the alternative of sending the child to a shelter and the child is able to grow up in a more normal family setting.

 

ACER is now replicating the Family Guardian program in Santo André. The model will initially be implemented for 60 children.

 

The money you donate to our challenge through Just Giving will go directly to ACER and help them to establish this program in Santo André. A large proportion of the children supported are currently in shelters, your money will put them in an extended family and provide a caseworker to support them until adulthood.

 

100% of your money goes to ACER, it is powered by dedicated staff and volunteers who give their all to make a difference for these children.

 

Please support our cause and keep yourself updated on ACER’s progress at: http://www.carfweb.net/

Or their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/CarfUk?fref=ts

Follow Iona and I on our preparation and journey to Rome:

http://londontoromeblog.wordpress.com

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.