Children’s Champions: The Shining Lights behind Child Haven International

“Let me light my lamp, says the star, and never debate if it will dispel the dark.” Those wise words of hope by renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore have inspired a lifetime of giving and lighting the way for children around the world for Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino. Humanitarians who have dedicated 30 years to running Child Haven International, a charity that houses, feeds and educates over 1,000 children a year in four developing countries, the Cappuccinos recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by establishing a Diamond Jubilee endowment fund with the Community Foundation of Ottawa.

It is partially due to the strength and eternal nature of their bond that ultimately led the Cappuccinos to the door of the Community Foundation of Ottawa. “Ever since it got started, people have been asking what would happen after we’re gone, so we decided to establish the endowment in order to ease their mind and assure the long-term sustainability of the organization,” says Fred. “We were actually so pleased to find this solution right here at our doorstep,” he says, “while we raise $1.5 million from our loyal supporters each year, it just barely covers the basic monthly needs for food, sustenance and education for the 1,300 children in our care. With this new endowment fund, we hope to ensure Child Haven’s continued operations long into the future.”

The Cappuccinos’ work supporting children from around the world actually started in the very early years of their marriage, and has always been inspired by the philosophy and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. “When we got married in 1953, we made a conscious decision to have only two children born to us, and to adopt two more,” says Fred, “because we recognized the world was already over-populated and didn’t want to add any excess burden to the planet.” But their love of children proved too strong to ignore, so the couple began adopting orphaned children from such countries as Korea, Bangladesh, India, Hong Kong, Barbados and the United States. By 1985, they were caring for 21 children on their 100-acre farm in Maxville, Ontario, and they were only getting started.

Known internationally as “children’s champions,” Bonnie and Fred’s crusade to care for children outside their home began with a trip to India in 1985, where they opened their first Child Haven Home in Dhanera, Gujarat. Since then, the couple has established a total of nine sanctuaries for destitute, disabled and orphaned children in India, Nepal, Tibet and Bangladesh. Referred by social welfare agencies, children between the ages of birth to six years old are taken in and provided food, shelter, health care and education through their high school years, followed by vocational training to allow them to go on to lead successful, independent lives. Complementing this work are such programs as a Soya Milk Project, a Women’s Training Centre and a Family Planning Awareness Centre.

Fittingly, Child Haven International is very much a family affair, with many of their children pitching in to support the organization over the years. The initial connection was made by one of the Cappuccinos’ sons, Robin, who lives in Vermont and was referred to the Community Foundation of Ottawa by its counterpart there, underscoring the trans-border strength of the community foundation movement. He was drawn to the flexibility, reliability and endowment management expertise of the Foundation. “This fund is a great tribute to the legacy my parents have created through Child Haven International,” says Robin, “but most importantly, it will help provide the stability and resources required to carry on their work, while giving the team they have so carefully assembled peace of mind knowing they will be able to continue to offer the services so desperately needed by the children and women in their care.”

While they will continue to fundraise for year-round operations, the goal is to raise $6 million for the endowment in order to ensure a solid base for the organization’s future, of which they were able to raise $1.5 million within the first year. “Having proven itself over many years as a vital and frugal organization, it’s time for Child Haven to rest on a more permanent financial footing,” says Fred. “We’re not experts at endowment management, but the Community Foundation has the know-how and integrity we trust to help assure a brighter future for the many people involved with Child Haven International.”

With the legacy of their global family assured, Fred and Bonnie are ready for the many adventures still awaiting them, including the publication of Fred’s first book, from which we are pleased to share an excerpt below. For more information about Child Haven International, visit www.childhaven.ca.

Excerpt from: Bonnie and her 21 Children, Written by her Long-Suffering Husband, Fred Cappuccino J.B.S. (Just Barely Surviving), available at www.bonnieandher21children.com.

I do try to be considerate. Some years ago when we had a 12-seater van and about ten school-age children plus several pre-schoolers, I thought with all those kids underfoot, Bonnie really ought to have a vacation, lest she get burned out. I said to her, “Bonnie, you’re getting burned out.  You really need some relaxation. You need a little rest. Why don’t I watch things here at the house, and you throw a few things into the van that you might need and – TAKE the kids and go!”  She never did take me up on that generous-hearted offer.

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