News from the Field

Playground for Orphanage Complete!

2010-01-30T14:15:00.000-08:00

After several months of planning and construction, the young children of Tbilisi Infant House Orphanage finally have a playground they can call their own. The outdoor area has gone from a useless dirt field to a landscaped park complete with benches for visitors and a playground for the kids.

Exercise has traditionally been a problem at the infant house. With no place to play, kids would spent most their time indoors. Now, they can get the exercise and socializing they need to grow up healthy.

Thanks to USAID, Save the Children, and the generous support of all our donors in Palm Springs.

Playground Update!

2009-11-23T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of the progress that is being made for the new garden area and playground project at the Tbilisi Infant House. Almost there!

Before: Damaged and dangerous wall

After: Secure and refurbished wall

Before: Empty garden area with dirt and weeds

After: Paths, gazebo and a playground on the way!

Buy a Necklace to Help a Child in Need

2009-11-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Founder and Georgia Program Director, Kimberly Cofer, is now selling handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry to raise money to benefit children who live in orphanages in Georgia. Each piece of jewelry is unique and is based on a child that Kimberly has worked with in Georgia. Beads and colors represent each child's personality and their name is included in the necklace design. Each piece comes with a detailed story about the child who inspired it.

To purchase, please visit Foundation for Progress's Store at:
www.FoundationForProgressStore.org

Nino's Necklace

Playground Construction Now Underway

2009-09-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

After much anticipation, ground has been broken and construction has begun on the Outdoor Playground and Garden Project at the Tbilisi Infant House orphanage in Georgia! Part of the large-scale project involves tearing down and replacing the dangerous and cracked cement wall.

Once the playground and garden installation is complete, the children at the Infant House Orphanage will finally have somewhere to play and get much-needed exercise. Currently, children are confined to one playroom with limited chance to develop their physical and social skills. With the new playground, they will finally be able to be active, play with each other and have fun being kids!

The wall construction has begun and the destructive trees and their roots are being removed around the perimeter of the garden area.

Indoor Playground for the Little Ones

2009-07-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Foundation for Progress has installed an indoor playground for the young toddlers who reside at the Tbilisi Infant House Orphanage. The new play area will greatly contribute to their social and physical development. Before, children were confined to one small playroom with limited space to get the physical exercise they need. By building a play area in an unused room, the young kids can now play and develop the physical and social skills they need!

Before, the room was rarely used.

Now, the room features an elaborate play structure!

The little ones love it!

Evening in the Orient Fundraiser a Success!

2009-06-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Second Annual Foundation for Progress fundraiser, Evening in the Orient, was a huge success. The funding raised from the evening went beyond expectations. The event was beautifully catered by Chef Brent Pollock at Mountain View Country Club and included music and a presentation by Foundation for Progress Georgia Program Director and Founder, Kimberly Cofer.

With the newly raised funds, Foundation for Progress plans to continue it's work in Georgia helping the social development of the country's child care system. We plan on implementing another solar panel hot water heating system at a run-down orphanage outside of the capital city, Tbilisi. We also will use the money to bring wheelchairs to disabled children in rural Georgia who are currently confined to their beds due to a lack of mobility. We also will continue our work implementing an outdoor playground and garden area for the Tbilisi Infant House Orphanage, in partnership with Save the Children.

"An Evening in the Orient" Fundraiser May 16th

2009-04-12T02:23:00.000-07:00

Foundation for Progress is hosting its 2nd Annual Fundraising Dinner "An Evening in the Orient" in La Quinta, CA at the Mountain View Country Club on May 16th. The evening will include a special Asian feast, live music, dancing, and a silent and live auction. A presentation of this past year's projects will also be given. It promises to yet again be a night to remember!

New Playground on its Way!

2009-04-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

Foundation for Progress has received a large grant from Save the Children and USAID to build a playground and garden at the Tbilisi Infant House orphanage. The orphanage houses 130 abandoned infants and toddlers. Everyday the children spend their time alone in one room with only a few toys and very little adult contact. There is no outside playground for the children to visit and the current outside garden features only dirt mounds, weeds, and a few damaged plastic playthings.

To help improve the children's much-needed social and physical development, Foundation for Progress will turn the useless garden area into a playground and garden for the children to enjoy. Having an outdoor play area will aid the children's motor skills, social development, and emotional growth that they would not otherwise have living confined in one room. The proposed project includes safe and durable play equipment, including slides, jungle gyms, and teeter-totters.

The current play area and garden is filled with weeds and dirt mounds.

The current plastic playthings in the garden are broken and useless.

Ideally, this is what the playground structure will look like.

A New Place to Learn

2009-02-24T00:30:00.000-08:00

Foundation for Progress has co-financed the creation of a "Child Development Center" along with the local NGO, Children of Georgia. The center was built to benefit to development of young orphaned children in Tbilisi. Four days a week, children are picked up at the orphanage and taken to the center where they spend 4 hours in small groups working with trained childcare professionals, learning skills such as playing with toys, making friends, and feeding themselves. The center offers a stark contrast to the orphanage setting, where the children do not learn these basic developmental skills. By learning these essential skills, the young children are more likely to be placed in foster or adoptive care.

The center includes a kitchen, numerous development toys, climbing toys, furniture, private bathroom and heating. Foundation for Progress funding went towards equipment and refurbishment of the room.

A childcare worker reads with young children from the Infant House orphanage.

Little Lasha enjoys the climbing ladder.

Book Signing with Local Desert Author Raises Money for Kids

2009-01-10T00:09:00.000-08:00

During the past two months, local Palm Springs author of "104 Great Hikes in and Near Palm Springs," Philip Ferranti, has partnered with Foundation for Progress to conduct book signings of his all new, full-color hiking book. The proceeds of all books sold go to Foundation for Progress's projects to help children in the republic of Georgia. Several more booksignings are planned for the month of January in Old Town La Quinta (Jan. 17 and 31). Thank you to Philip for his continued support of Foundation for Progress's efforts to help children in developing countries around the world.

Working to Provide Disabled Children with Wheelchairs

2008-10-24T02:04:00.001-07:00

Foundation for Progress staff recently visited several disabled children in the impoverished region of Imereti. Many disabled kids in this region cannot attend school, or even leave their homes, because they do not own a wheelchair. To make things even more difficult, there is currently nowhere to buy wheelchairs in Georgia. Foundation for Progress is now working with Rotary International to provide durable wheelchairs for the children of Imereti.

Miriam, age 9, is interested in learning, but cannot attend school without a wheelchair.

Refugee Families Continue to be Adopted through "Adopt-a-Family Program"

2008-10-14T00:07:00.000-07:00

Refugee families that lost everything in the recent conflict with Russia continue to be adopted by American and English donors through our new Adopt-a-Family Program. The families have received food, toiletries, kitchen supplies, furniture, and warm winter clothes. These adoptions have already made a huge difference in the helping these families get back on their feet.

Donors Holly Atkins (far right) and James Skinner (far left) were lucky enough to visit Georgia and meet their adopted family, the Tamaz Kareli family.

The Kareli Family looks over a picture and letter they received from their US donor family, the Parkers.

New Sensory Room Adds Joy to Abandoned Toddlers

2008-09-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

The Tbilisi Infant House orphanage is home to 130 abandoned toddlers and infants, aged 0 to 6 years. One group of about 15 two-year olds spend most of their time in one stark playroom with very few toys.

To aid the children's social and sensory development, Foundation for Progress has created a "Sensory Room" within the current playroom. We have provided soft mats, musical and interactive toys, balls, tents, puzzles, and baby chairs. The once bare playroom is now colorful and full of items to interest the children's senses.

The playroom before was stark and bare.

The playroom now is colorful and full of interactive toys.

Child Friendly Space helps Refugee Kids Cope

2008-09-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

Since Russian withdrawal from Georgia, a large refugee tent city has been erected in the center of Gori and is now home to more than 1,500 displaced people who can not yet return to their homes.

To help relieve the discomfort for the children within the tent city, a local organization has created a “Child Friendly Space.” The Child Friendly Space is an area that children can play and socialize with the other children. Currently, about 280 children per day use the area.

To help make the space successful, Foundation for Progress donated items such as basketballs, badminton equipment, Barbie dolls, face paints, magazines, and coloring books. When foundation staff dropped off the donated items, children crowded around and couldn’t wait to play with the new toys. These donations have helped the Child Friendly Space become a more effective space for children to play and escape the hardships of living as a refugee.

Children crowded excitedly at the arrival of the new toys.

Adopt a Family Program

2008-09-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

In August, Russian invasion into Georgia left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. To help the families affected by this conflict, Foundation for Progress has created an “Adopt-a-Family Program” where US families can help Georgian families get back on their feet.

Foundation for Progress has identified 10 families that lost their homes to Russian bombs and fire. The families were inhabitants of a small village named Tkviavi, situated near the border of the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Living now as refugees, they must depend on government aid while they wait for their houses to be rebuilt.

US families can adopt a Georgian family to help them during this time of need. Some things that the families need are: food, supplies, warm clothing, bedding and furniture. For more information or to adopt a family, email Kimberly Cofer at kcofer@foundationforprogress.org.

It could take up to a year for the government to rebuild the families' homes.

Georgians Stand Together for Day of Peace

2008-09-08T00:49:00.000-07:00

A national "Day of Peace" was declared in Georgia on Monday, September 1st. The entire nation took to the streets in every major city of the country. In the capital of Tbilisi, all businesses shut down and thousands of people took to the street in a citywide “human chain” to peacefully protest Russian occupation and to make a symbolic gesture of Georgian unity. Foundation for Progress staff participated in the demonstration to support the unity and freedom of the Georgian nation.

Helping in the Face of Conflict

2008-08-21T01:14:00.000-07:00

Foundation for Progress has met with numerous aid organizations to collaborate with the relief effort for the conflict in Georgia. We have met with local NGO's and have attended coordination meetings hosted by UNHCR, with representatives from all major organizations in attendance.

Foundation for Progress is currently working with larger aid organizations to gather short-term aid supplies to help refugees in need, both in Tbilisi and in the city of Gori (the sight of numerous Russian bombings). The items needed include: food, blankets, dishes, cutlery, pillows, mattresses, and toiletries. To donate items to Georgian refugees please contact Kimberly Cofer at kcofer@foundationforprogress.org.

Nino is a new mother and cannot yet return to her home in Gori, the sight of many bombings.

Georgian Conflict: Relocation to Armenia

2008-08-20T00:32:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 10 August, Foundation for Progress staff was relocated to Armenia with a US Embassy evacuation convoy in light of the escalating conflict in Georgia. After staying in Armenia for one week, foundation staff returned to Tbilisi on Monday 18 August to resume business. The conflict in Georgia is currently de-escalating and the violence has decreased significantly in the past week. The capital of Tbilisi is safe, however there are many refugees in the capital that still cannot return to their homes due to continuing Russian occupation. Foundation for Progress is currently working on ways to help these displaced people. Foundation for Progress will continue business as usual with previous projects, but will supplement this work with relief efforts in light of the recent conflict.

The convoy consisted of about 19 vehicles.

Many people fled Georgia to Armenia to escape the conflict.

Hot Water Arrives!

2008-08-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

The solar panel hot water project at Aspindza orphanage in rural Georgia has now been implemented thanks to the funding raised at the Carnivale Gala in May 2008. The new solar panel system works wonderfully and at least 25 children a day have been taking hot showers. The outdoor water tank has been refurnished and new shower heads and pipes have been installed in the bathrooms. The director of the orphanage is very happy with the results and the children are healthier and happier than they have ever been.

The new solar panel and the newly refurnished water tank.

The director of the orphanage shows the solar panel temperature control panel.

New shower heads were installed in the bathrooms.

Dire Circumstances for Abandoned Infants

2008-07-22T05:08:00.000-07:00

The Tbilisi Infant House is one of the saddest orphanages in Georgia. It is here that abandoned infants and toddlers live in a regimented institution with little or no contact with the outside world. Everyday the children spend their time alone in one room with only a few toys and very little adult contact. The inadequate number of caretakers simply do not have the time or resources to play or interact with the children. Life beyond the room is unknown to them and the lack of attention severely inhibits their mental and emotional development.

To help address the children's need of attention, Foundation staff has been spending time with one group of about 15 two-year olds. This group of toddlers is in dire need of attention. For example, one girl from the group clung to one foundation staff member on her first visit and every time she attempted to let the girl go she would burst into tears. To help socialize the children, Foundation staff plays games, cuddles, and interacts with the kids. The adult contact has helped the children to overcome their lack of development and has helped teach them valuable social skills. Though it is a small effort, the children benefit from just a little love and attention.

Sopo clings to visitors and bursts into tears every time she is let go.

Raul, who is rarely visited by his parents, sometimes violently rocks back and forth due to lack of attention.

Toothbrushes for Children

2008-06-29T04:50:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, June 29, Foundation for Progress staff and volunteers visited Aspindza orphanage to deliver the toothbrushes, floss, and toothbrush holders that were donated by La Quinta dentist, Dr. Michael Long. On our visit, Foundation for Progress brought along two dentists from the capital city of Tbilisi to check the children's teeth and conduct a brief lecture on the importance of dental hygiene. We brought fresh fruit for the children and as they ate the dentists spoke with them about proper dental habits, how to floss, and answered questions. Around 40 children were present and each child was handed a new toothbrush, a pack of floss, a shark-head toothbrush holder, and a tube of toothpaste. The project was a great success in teaching the children about dental hygiene. Thanks again to Dr. Michael Long of La Quinta for his generous donation of toothbrushes, floss, and toothbrush holders!

One of the Tbilisi dentists examines a child.

Foundation volunteers pass toothbrushes out to the children.

Orphanage Fridge Repaired

2008-06-19T04:14:00.000-07:00

For a very small cost, Foundation for Progress has serviced and repaired a broken refrigerator at an orphanage that houses 81 children overnight. The orphanage staff previously had to go to the marketplace everyday for perishables due to the lack of a refrigerating system. Now, with a working refrigerator, the children will be healthier and the orphanage will save time and money. Leftover food can now be saved and there will be less health hazards for the children because they will not be consuming food that may go-off easily without a fridge. The cost of this project was only $118.00 for the new parts, service, and installation.

The orphanage building.

The refrigerator we repaired.

A child who lives at the orphanage.

Local Dentist Donates Toothbrushes to Orphans

2008-06-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

Local La Quinta dentist, Dr. Michael Long, has donated floss, toothbrush holders and 100 toothbrushes to Foundation for Progress. These items will be given to orphans in Georgia. Foundation for Progress will also provide a hygiene lecture on dental care at the orphanage and teach the children the importance of brushing and flossing for their health. After the lecture, which will be conducted by a dental hygienist from the capital city of Tbilisi, the children will be given their new toothbrushes. Thanks to Dr. Long for such a generous donation!

Dr. Long with the donated box of toothbrushes.

Carnivale Fundraising Gala a Huge Success!

2008-06-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

Foundation for Progress’s first annual fundraising gala, Carnivale, was held on 10 May 2008. There was a delicious three-course meal cooked by MVCC’s award-winning chef Brent Pollock, a live band, dancing, and very exciting live and silent auctions.

Many attended this amazing event and the auctions were a great success. The funds grossed by this event totaled more than $35,000! We more than achieved our goal of providing a solar panel hot water heating system in a rural Georgian orphanage.

Special thanks to Mountain View Country Club for hosting the event at their clubhouse and thanks to Brent Pollock for catering the event. For all who attended and participated in the silent and live auctions, your generosity has gone a long way towards helping children in need in Georgia.

Lulu Cofer put together the beautiful baskets for the silent auction.

Event attendees Lauretta Blake, Renee Thompson, Joan Jenson, and Ginny Hughie.

Founder and Georgia Program Director, Kimberly Cofer, presents the foundation's projects.