Romanian Children’s Relief is a 501c3 charity supporting Romanian children and families to prevent child abandonment.  RCR supports the work of 22 Romanian staff, a part time US-based administrator and more than 400 volunteers working with 1,600 children in Romania each year.

 After the fall of communism in 1990, Romanian Child Welfare improved year after year.  Child abandonment and institutionalization declined steadily, with the trend continuing until just recently. Now, with the economic crisis and government social program budget cuts, child abandonment is increasing again.

 The changes can be seen in the RCR/Inocenti programs. In 1995 in Bistrita, 160 children lived in the city orphanage.  By 2006, the number dwindled to less than a dozen. Today there are more than 40 handicapped children living in the Bistrita orphanage, plus 10 newly abandoned infants in the hospital – a 400% increase in 4 short years.  In Bucharest, we have 30 abandoned babies in the hospital, and even more need in the community.

 Our goal this event is to continue supporting our staff and volunteers as they help even more children – all while working to make Fundatia Inocenti (RCR) 100% locally sustainable.  With your help, Fundatia Inocenti will be an agency helping Romania’s children and families in need, and preventing child abandonment, for many years to come. We look forward to you joining Mike, Don, and all of us at RCR in fulfilling that dream.