As the holidays near and we get ready to take a few days off to celebrate them and spend time with families, we're reminded of the less fortunate, some of which don't have a family to go home to. According to The Hope Effect, there are currently 153 million orphans in the world today, a staggering amount of them young children in disenfranchised parts of the globe, like India, Mexico, and even the United States.

Founded Mother's Day in the year 2000, Miracle Foundation was created to help put an end to this problem that plagues so many. In 169 locations worldwide, the group has been able to impact the lives of over 7,500 orphans, helping to place them into the loving arms of relatives and new adoptive families, and giving them a much greater chance at thriving in their lives.

Turning What Ifs Into Why Nots

It's a hard pill to swallow knowing that so many children around the world grow up without families. After a trip to India in January 2000, former TV exec-turned-philanthropist Caroline Boudreaux came to experience the realities of what it was like for an orphan child. Her time profoundly changed her, and she came home with renewed purpose and a mission to help orphans all over the world find families to support them the way growing children need.

A huge feat by any measure, the Miracle Foundation is dedicated to helping every child find their ideal family. Depending on a child's unique set of circumstances, the group is able to help achieve this goal in several ways. By putting processes in place to monitor and ensure that children are where they should be, they're more likely to grow up in family units that are conducive to their individual development, much more so than they would be growing up in poverty or an orphanage. And happy children can then grow up to be happy and healthy adults, something we always want to help foster and support.

Finding, Matching, & Creating Healthy Families for Orphans

Here's an astounding statistic: 85% of children living in orphanages have at least one living relative. For orphans in this group, the Miracle Foundation works to find and reunite these children with their respective families. Working with local communities, the nonprofit also educates and assists single mothers and families living in poverty, helping to strengthen the family unit and ensure they have the resources they need.

But what about the other 15% of children? For this group, which would normally "fall through the cracks" of the system, MF discovers creative, new solutions by advocating for every child to become a part of an adoptive family, one which will provide love and stability. In addition, they offer assistance to existing orphanages to help them transform into groups that are more able to serve children, communities, and families, creating a firm foundation for ensuring all children are cared for and loved the way they should be.

Lastly, through their work with local governments, the group is able to join forces with other nonprofits and groups dedicated to assisting families in strengthening their bonds, and make sure that children always have a voice, regardless of economic or familial status.

It's this blend of assistance, education, and support that comes together to give orphans a true fighting chance in the world where they may have felt left behind. And that's something we can definitely get behind!

Healthier Work for the Team at the Miracle Foundation

In order to make sure the good folks behind the Miracle Foundation are working at their best, we gifted them a family of desks to help them stay happy and healthy. This includes three white laminate Height Adjustable Standing Desks, four Whiteboard Sit-Stand Desks, and three 120 Degree Sit Stand Workstations to keep them energized and feeling great throughout the day.

Get to Know Past Charities and Learn About the Desk Donation Program

We love submissions for nonprofits for our Desk Donation monthly spotlight! If you want to share your favorite Austin nonprofit with us, submit it on the Desk Donation Program page. From here, you can read more about the past charities we've donated to and help us pick the next group that gets free ergonomic gear, on us!