INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 19, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Christel House International received a $15,000 grant from the Coulombe Family Foundation. This one-year grant will help provide nourishing food for the students at Christel House India – Bangalore.
This is the first grant the Coulombe Family Foundation has awarded Christel House International.
"We are thrilled to welcome the Coulombe Family Foundation as one of our partners in the mission to permanently lift children out of poverty," said Cheryl Wendling, Senior Vice President of Christel House International. "This grant will provide them with a nutritious breakfast, lunch and a snack each school day. Many thanks to the Foundation for recognizing the value and dignity of our students and helping us nurture their minds, bodies and spirits."
Christel House India – Bangalore was established in 2001, and currently serves nearly 900 students in grades K–12 who live in the deeply impoverished Bangalore neighborhoods. All Christel House learning centers provide access to high quality education, nutrition, health care, life skills training, character development and career counseling with the goal of addressing the root causes of poverty.
"We are extremely grateful to the Coulombe Family Foundation for recognizing and meeting the needs of our children," said Raju Shahani, Managing Director of Christel House India. "This grant will have a great impact on the lives of our students who come from extreme poverty."
In 2014, India was home to more than one-third of "the world's stunted children," according to The Guardian, and the World Food Programme reports that an estimated 32.7 percent of the Indian population lives on less than $1.25 per day. The country is home to a quarter of all undernourished people worldwide.
"The Coulombe Family Foundation was pleased to make this grant to Christel House," said Michelle Hagerty, President of the Coulombe Family Foundation. "The Bangalore breakfast, lunch and snack program will clearly leverage this grant into a sustained benefit for the hundreds of K–12 students in these impoverished neighborhoods."
About Christel House International
The mission of Christel House is to transform the lives of impoverished children around the world—breaking the cycle of poverty and building self-sufficient, contributing members of society. A focus on academic excellence through a robust K–12 curriculum is combined with a strong character development program and holistic human development to give students the skills and competencies necessary to compete successfully in complex 21st Century society. Much more than a school, Christel House was established in 1998 by Founder and CEO Christel DeHaan, and currently serves more than 4,100 impoverished children through seven learning centers—located in India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S.A., as well as a career development program in Venezuela. Christel House maintains a 96% high school graduation rate, and the majority of its graduates go on to pursue higher education. They become productive citizens, and many secure employment with top multinational corporations. Christel House graduates are confident, hardworking, responsible and ethical, with a passion for giving back to their communities and caring for their families. For more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org.