Your Catholic Voice Foundation (YCVF) Reports - what your generosity did for Syrian and Iraqi Christians in 2014!

Your Catholic Voice Foundation 2014 Report - Last year, caring, devoted Catholics such as you made thousands of donations to care for Christians in Syria and Iraq. At this time, Your Catholic Voice Foundation would like to report how your donations made a difference.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Working with other Catholic agencies in Syria and Iraq, Your Catholic Voice Foundation (YCVF) has successfully saved the lives of thousands, possibly tens of thousands of people, especially children. However, even as this good news surfaces, danger remains.

Children in particular remain vulnerable to hunger, illness and the distress that comes with life in a refugee camp. There are no toys. Clothing is second-hand and turns to rags within weeks. Blankets are thin and the canvas of a shelter tent does nothing to keep out the cold. Meager meals and a lack of education stunt the growth of developing children. Without clergy or a church for mass or catechism, the faith of many children, and not to mention their wounded parents, is sorely tested.

You're one click away from becoming a hero! Take the step now.

The Islamic State knew they did not have to kill all of the Christians to eradicate Christianity. Simply taking all they had was enough. Without the stability of a home, a job, or a parish church, a person's faith can sorely tested.

Enter you, the everyday saints and heroes of the Church!

The Catholic Church with 1.2 billion faithful and a massive global distribution network of aid agencies, hospitals and parishes has stepped into the fray to deliver aid to all in need. Evan as combat raged within walking distance, Catholic aid workers provided emergency relief to refugees.

And they were empowered to provide that relief through you.

Every dollar has made an impact. Every gift of food has been delivered and has warmed the belly of a child. Every gift of an Assyrian Bible has helped to rebuild the faith and to restore hope for those who feared they were forsaken.

Amid the freezing snows and biting cold of the last season, your help has made a difference. With your donations and working in conjunction with other Catholic aid agencies, YCVF has helped to accomplish the following in 2014.

--School facilities for 15,000 primary and secondary school students.

A total of eight schools, comprised of 22 pre-fabricated modules each.
Installation of generators to ensure heating and lighting each one covering two schools.

Total cost: $2,600,000
 

--Food provisions for the very poor among the refugees who are utterly dependent on outside
support to help them through the winter months.

Total cost: $820,000

 
--Rented living quarters in the Erbil suburbs of Ankawa and Dohuk.

Total cost $520,000

 
--150 cabins to serve as temporary housing, an alternative to living in tents.

Total cost $630,000

 
--Christmas packages for 15,000 children containing warm clothes (coats and socks), pencils, coloring books, devotional items and ACN Child Bibles.

Total cost $385,000

 
--Mass stipends for than 100 Iraqi Chaldean and Syriac Catholic priests, who have been displaced from their parishes and means of livelihood.

Total cost: $120,000

 
--Financial support for 28 seminarians at St. Peter's Seminary in Ankawa, allowing them to continue their studies.

Total cost $52,000

 
Additional projects are in development and will follow the principles of keeping the people alive in body and soul.

These accomplishments are great, but the Islamic State remains a threat in the region. More importantly, disease, hunger, cold and destitution remain.

You remain the best hope these people have.

Having shown that you make a difference with every donation, YCVF would like to ask each person to do what they can, especially this Lenten season, to help those in need. Instead of giving up chocolate, how about giving food to those in need?

As a Catholic, give according to your means. Every precious gift helps and offers hope in ways you cannot imagine.

ACT NOW

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'