Hi, my name is Ryan Neeley and I'm a Filipino based here in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. I wanted to start this in the GoFundMe site, but they currently do not support charities in the Philippines.

As a bit of background, the Philippines is the third largest Roman Catholic country in the world (after Brazil and Mexico), with about 83% of the population being Roman Catholics. As a catholic country, the Philippines informally starts its Christmas celebration by September 1 and ends it by first week of January (feast of the Three Kings).

Looking back, 2017 has been a very fruitful year for me and I've have been trying to think of the best way to end this year on a high note. I will be coming home to the Philippines this December and decided that I would share my blessings and give back to the orphans at Saint Rita Orphanage. 

The orphanage was founded in November 1962. It is currently home to around 25 babies and toddlers — some had been given up for adoption, abandoned at hospitals, or rescued by social workers. At the moment they need donations like milk, diapers and other things, but what they need the most now are donations for the children's medication and vaccination. They only rely on prayers for more financial help because they do not receive funding from the government and any international institutions.

The nuns at Saint Rita are working hard to find loving families for them. Some have already found their foster families - in the Philippines, US, Australia and Europe. But while waiting for a foster family, these orphans stay with the nuns at the orphanage.

What I wanted to personally contribute would not be enough, so I've also started a fundraising campaign online to get additional funding and give more.

The target is $1,000, and to hit this by December 19 and purchase the gifts before Christmas. We are currently looking at possibly working together with a local pharma company to help us procure the medicine at a cheaper cost. A portion of the proceeds would be spent in providing the children a food party.

In the event the proceeds exceed the $1,000 target, the excess would go to another charity project: the scholars sponsored by Ligtong Elementary School Alumni Association, my alma mater. The Association provides allowances to poor but deserving high school students, at P3,000/month or roughly $60/month. Might sound small, but that goes a long way in a third world country. I was once a beneficiary of this program, so this is really personal to me. 

I really hope you can help me out with this so we can make children happy and bring back the real meaning of Christmas in our own little way. Any amount will do, what matters is that it comes from the heart. A dollar will definitely go a long way. Let us spread the message of Christmas to these children.

While it would be nice to receive in kind donations, since I will be bringing them from the US to the Philippines, I would implore that cash donations be done as it would be more easy to just buy the stuff when I get back there. I will be doing an accounting of all costs relating to this activity and will report where the proceeds will go, including pictures.

There's just one catch for US-based donors - since your donation would be to a foreign entity, there might not be available tax deductions for you. With this, it would be entirely a Samaritan act with nothing in return for you, except a heartfelt thank you from me and from the orphans at Saint Rita and the scholars at the Association. God bless and have a good day everyone.