"Just to give you some updates on the early development of our charity foundation, Esperanza Street.  The official name is longer but we need not worry about that at the moment!  The web site is registered (www.esperanzastreet.com) and Matt Fillipini is going to be helping us to build it.  We’ve received some great logo ideas and we will announce the one we choose as soon as we can.

A little trivia…  We used the name Esperanza Street for the foundation and that’s partly because the name Esperanza was not available and partly because I was born at number 28 Speranza Street in London…

All of the official paperwork and bank accounts etc. will be completed by the beginning of January and we will begin our first serious fund-raising after that.  We have already laid plans for the shop that will be staffed by handicapped people and now Esperanza Street wants to raise around €250,000.00 to buy a piece of land near us so we can build some decent shelter homes and other facilities, like a gym for special rehabilitation needs, classrooms, a coffee shop which will help the facility to support itself and an animal shelter.  There will be a lot more eventually because the aim is to build a little village that will provide support for distressed people in and from all walks of life.  As the concept develops these objectives will be defined clearly on the web site.  Once it’s complete, everyone will be welcome to visit and to bring us their ideas and energy.

Esperanza Street will align and associate itself with like-minded people and organisations all over the world in an effort to be as effective as possible in achieving its mission and will seek not only financial input but specialised expertise and initiatives so it can continue to grow and develop.

A million thanks for the input we have received so far and please know that we are immensely grateful for what has been done and what is to come.

Please stay tuned…

God bless,
Ken & Monica
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