Por Lindenberg Junior
Starting in June 2003, a group of Brazilians in South Florida came together to discuss and exchange ideas about their desire to address and resolve social conflicts in their native Brazil. With the goal of providing financial and logistical support to assist nonprofit agencies in Brazil in helping the poorest populations, their initial idea evolved and became a reality. They needed to start somewhere, so they chose Northeastern Brazil (one of the country’s poorest regions), specifically the state of Ceará. With continued success, they plan to expand their reach to support other philanthropic institutions in different Brazilian regions.
The Brazilian Mission quickly became part of the daily lives of Karen, Salles, Vitale, Cléber, and other successful Brazilian entrepreneurs in Florida. By achieving their goal, they began improving the lives of children and adults through basic education and healthcare in the most underserved parts of the country.
Today, Brazilian celebrities in the U.S., such as race car drivers Tony Kanaan, Hélio Castroneves, Bruno Junqueira, and Christian Fittipaldi, as well as singers like Falcão and Fagner, and boxer Acelino “Popó” Freitas, have embraced the project. Everyone who contributes to making the “Brazilian Mission” possible provides hope to many poor individuals, giving them the opportunity to develop their own potential. At the very least, they create better conditions for a better life.
The Brazilian Mission is a nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Florida. To make this project viable and operational, a lot of work is required. They seek resources through fundraising events, donation drives, and seasonal campaigns. For example, on June 4, 2005, they hosted a fundraising event in Miami at the Davie Rodeo (a Festa Junina / Folkloric Northeast Party) that drew nearly 4,000 attendees, with Brazilians traveling from Orlando to South Florida.
On May 26, 2005, in partnership with Broward County, they organized another fundraising event in Deerfield Beach. This event featured contributions from the Brazilian artistic community and support from the Broward County Cultural Grant for Art and Culture.
The enlightened hearts and souls of Brazilians involved in this project share a vision that one day, the social inequality plaguing parts of Brazil will exist only as a memory, and a new, fairer reality will take its place. They believe that through diligent and coordinated effort, hard work, and goodwill, they can materially contribute to the vitality and empowerment of less fortunate Brazilians, driving positive change in the impoverished regions of the country. To get involved, donate, or learn more about the Brazilian Mission, visit their website www.brazilianmission.org
If you don’t know, we have an events page or our CALENDAR that we update it twice a week, and can be as a great resource for you to find interesting general FREE events (including Christmas events during december) as well as Brazilian events in Southern California.
