Giving and glamour came together on Thursday, September 4, at the Eola View Country Club in Downtown Orlando. Backpacks for Venezuela, founded by Venezuelan-born Mrs. Maya Valdivia, hosted a charity bazaar blending chic style with generosity. Backpacks for Venezuela is a nonprofit organization changing young Venezuelan lives one backpack at a time. By raising money and collecting anything from backpacks, school supplies, stuffed animals, children’s clothing, to books sent over to schools, elementary through high school, in Venezuela.
The bazaar brought together a wide variety of local small businesses, all owned by Hispanic owners, offering anything from handmade jewelry, clothing, and beachwear, to perfumes, cute accessories, and ice cream. Guests donated money for fashion, following the black and white cocktail attire as they browsed, socialized, and enjoyed complimentary drinks and food, while learning more about the organization and how to help more in the future. The event ended with a fun night of bingo, where each five-dollar bingo card served as both a donation and entertainment.
“This organization wouldn’t be here without the support of all my friends, young volunteers, and our community. Every backpack donated, every dollar donated, all add up to a brighter future for these kids,” said Maya, who founded Backpacks for Venezuela after her disappointment from witnessing the worsening conditions of her home country firsthand. “Backpacks for Venezuela started as an idea out of frustration. I saw so many children in my country, Venezuela, struggling to work for their futures because they didn’t even have the most basic school supplies. I needed to do something.”
Backpacks for Venezuela is a year-round operation and mission that raises money not just through bazaar events, but through donation drives. They collect new or used school supplies, including backpacks, books, pencils, notebooks, folders, and anything helpful in the classroom. They also accept clothing, shoes, socks, diapers, and even stuffed animals to ship straight into Venezuelan classrooms. Around Christmas, the charity holds a special holiday drive with toy donations to brighten spirits for children in Venezuela. Mrs. Valdivia explained, “Sometimes something as small as a backpack, which I feel we all take for granted, can inspire children to work hard and keep dreaming.”
There are many active members from all different backgrounds who play a key role in the success of lighting up Venezuelan education systems and children. They all bring passion, time, and love to the mission, making it all possible. With many more events and donation drives planned for the upcoming months, Backpacks for Venezuela is looking for new volunteers, donations, and compassion to help. Whether it’s a single backpack or a helping hand at a donation drive, every small contribution counts. For more information on getting involved with their mission, please follow lotusfoundationvzla on Instagram and feel free to ask any questions!
