Vancouver Island generosity changes the lives of 2,356 children and families

VICTORIA, Sept. 30, 2013 /CNW/ - Today marks the end of the three-month long Just One Child sponsorship campaign, and World Vision thanks the residents of Vancouver Island for their overwhelming response to change the lives of 2,356 children around the world through child sponsorship. The campaign launched throughout Vancouver Island this past July with the aim to help 1,500 children find sponsors.

Just One Child's success has been championed by Vancouver Island residents like KOOL FM host, Brittany King, who travelled with World Vision to the Philippines earlier this spring to see first-hand child sponsorship in action. There she saw how funds provided by individual sponsorships support community development projects providing children and families access to necessities including:

• Education and school supplies
• Nutritious, sustainable food
• Clean, sanitary water
• Safe, skilled medical care

For just $39 a month, more than 15,000 residents of Vancouver Island are now collectively sponsoring more than 20,000 children globally.

To learn more about sponsoring a child, visit www.worldvision.ca.

Quotes:

"I'm thrilled that as a community, Vancouver Island exceeded our sponsorship goal with sponsors for over 2,300 kids around the world. After returning from the Philippines with World Vision, I sponsored Rejane, a little girl whose father left her and her mother, with limited resources to support themselves. I'm honoured to offer support to Rejane and her family because I'm in a position to do so and I know sponsorship works. When I have struggles in life, there are people who support me—what a privilege to be able to do that for someone else."
- Brittany King, On-air host at KOOL FM and Just One Child spokesperson

"We are blown away by just how generous the people of Vancouver Island have been, sponsoring more than 2,300 children in just three months. This is changing the lives of children and families plus impacting countless communities around the world. Thanks to this incredible kindness, these children will not only have better access to life's basic necessities, but a chance for a brighter future."
- Katie Hackett, campaign coordinator, World Vision Canada

Quick Facts:

• There are more than 15,000 sponsors from the Vancouver Island area
• Collectively, Vancouver Island sponsors more than 20,000 children around the globe
• The target of helping 1,500 children was exceeded by an additional 856 sponsorships - for a total of 2,356 children sponsored in a three-month period

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

Image with caption: "Brittany King of KOOL FM visits with five-year-old Kristalyna in Camarines Sur, Philippines. (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130930_C5696_PHOTO_EN_31497.jpg

SOURCE: World Vision Canada

For interviews contact:
Genevieve Barber - 416-671-0086 or [email protected]