BY CYN ARGANA – Toyota Chatswood and CFC ANCOP Australia renew their partnership to raise funds to help poor families in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Island. Â For the second time running, Toyota Chatswood is providing the grand prize of a new Corolla Ascent Sport for the biennial car raffle fund raising activity of ANCOP.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT – Left-right: Goody Maquinad, ANCOP; Cynthia Argana,ANCOP, Ian Mayer, Toyota Chatswood, Nick Vargas ANCOP and David Massa, Toyota.
Chatswood and Ryde Toyota Managing Director, Ian Mayer, commended ANCOP for the terrific work that they do. Mr Mayer himself lived in the Philippines for two years as a child when his father, an executive for Qantas was assigned to work in Manila in 1969. That’s why, when ANCOP approached Toyota to be a partner for the fundraising event, Mr Mayer said it was a natural fit.
“Every company or every executive who has the opportunity to help should always help. You’re a highly valued organisation and our business tries to be highly valued as well. We have four core values and we try to live those everyday”, explained Mr Mayer.
This month of September, their staff raised about $50,000 for children and adults living with cerebral palsy. Mr Mayer added that there are many worthwhile causes and it’s important to go out there and support the community.
For its part, ANCOP helps the community through its Child Education Sponsorship, Community Development and Calamity Relief programs. ANCOP partners with poorest of the poor families in way of sharing the burden of providing good education for their child. As at this year, ANCOP has 360 scholars in the Philippines and 261 in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Island.
For its Community Development, ANCOP sponsors short-term training courses that will provide immediate income-generating life skills. In May this year, ANCOP sponsored 20 women in Lae, PNG to acquire vocational certificates for dress-making. Less than 3 months after, they were already contracted by a school to sew uniforms. This was made possible by sewing machines donated by Couples for Christ and they even operate their sewing shop in a garage of a Couples for Christ member.Â
ANCOP is also committed to build settlement community in Basey Samar, Philippines for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and typhoon Ruby in 2014. In January 2017, volunteers from Australia who joined the yearly ANCOP immersion program worked on site to help build 2 houses. So far, 10 houses were already built. ANCOP is committed to fund and build a total of 21 houses.
The above charitable work and more are made possible through the regular pledge and fund raising activities of ANCOP like this year’s car raffle. A $5-ticket gives you a chance to win a new Toyota corolla but more than that, you are becoming an instrument of hope for many people in need. Please call Nick Vargas on 0412553584 to buy your tickets and join his worthy cause.
ANCOP is acronym for ANSWERING THE CRY OF THE POOR. The company was registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission in January 2002 as a non-profit organisation. It is the social ministry of Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation Inc. (CFC). Different ANCOP entities also exist in other parts of the globe where CFC is established such as New Zealand, USA, Canada, Middle East, Europe, and Asia.