Tech Donations Connect a World of Support for Orphaned Children in China
Love Without Boundaries Foundation (LWB) is a worldwide group of volunteers dedicated to improving the lives of orphaned and impoverished children in China.
As a virtual foundation, LWB has no main physical office and faces the challenge of connecting over 150 volunteers from 38 states in the U.S. and eight countries worldwide. LWB relies completely on being able to communicate with each other, donors, and staff in China through technology. By using Microsoft Office, which was obtained through TechSoup, LWB has been able to keep its foundation running smoothly.
LWB opened a cleft healing home in Anhui Province, the very first outreach home in China devoted exclusively to vulnerable babies born with cleft lip and palate. Babies in need of intensive care are brought to the home, where they receive love and nurturing as well as rich formula from cleft bottles that make it easier for them to eat. After a cleft surgery, these babies then have the best chance possible of finding adoptive families. In its first year of operation, their cleft healing home helped save the lives of 36 children.
Building a home for orphaned children, training staff, raising donations, and following each child closely to make sure he or she receives the best care possible is no easy task. Microsoft Office helps LWB do all this from overseas. Excel is used to keep track of budgets, patients, supply lists, and staffing. Outlook helps teams of volunteers coordinate projects internationally, improves communication, and saves on postage costs. Word helps create reports on the status of these children for donors, and to store the story of each child's life. Access is used to track each child's progress, especially those who are waiting for surgery or have special medical conditions. PowerPoint empowers volunteers to create compelling presentations of the organization's mission and has aided in the raising of thousands of dollars. Essential communications and literature are created in Publisher. All of these tools have allowed LWB to help more children in need.
