Island Pacific at the 1st North America ANCOP Walk for the Poor

Hundreds of people walked to support the cause of the Child Sponsorship Program

On Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of August, dressed in their bright blue ANCOPWALK Shirts, Couples for Christ (CFC) members both in the USA and Canada together with their supporters like Island Pacific Supermarket and other groups from different sectors of society volunteered in various parks all across USA and Canada to walk for a very important cause, and that is for the Child Sponsorship Program.

The participants while hearing mass at the Bridgepoint Park, Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita Couples for Christ cluster

 In the city of Valencia in Southern California where one of the events was held, Eric Villanueva, the National Director for CFCUSA said “My heart is overflowing with gratefulness for this very 1st North America ANCOP Walk for it marks an important milestone in the life and mission of CFC through its work for the poor program in ANCOP. This walk will have a lifetime effect on the lives of many young people by providing them with a future full of hope through education.”

The walk undertaken by hundreds of people all across the USA and Canada was extremely important to the future of under privileged kids who cannot afford to have proper education. He also mentioned that they were not alone on this effort and that 13 other states are conducting the same walk that same day and in some states like California, Maryland, and Florida, it was held on multiple sites. 

Santa Clarita Couples for Christ Elders

Over 500 people converged at the Murphy Park in Milpitas to join the walk. The staging point in Milpitas was coordinated by Ding De Guzman while more than a couple of hundreds of people, trooped to Blue Rock Springs Park, Columbus Parkway in Vallejo and participated in the walk. The Vallejo staging point was coordinated by Rod Yumul.

Murphy Park, Milpitas

Vallejo staging point-- Blue Rock Springs Park, Columbus Parkway

Bert Araneta, who is one of the Chapter Leaders of Couples for Christ in the San Fernando Valley area, commented “It was most enjoyable! My top three things were being in the outdoors, doing something of value for someone else and seeing the results of a hard day’s labor.” 

Filipino/Polish Olympian J.R. Celski with Malou Samson, CSP Regional Coordinator for Southern California, and Malou's daughter

 Malou Samson, the CSP Regional Coordinator for Southern California spearheaded the volunteers and members of Couple for Christ So Cal together with Toffee Jeturian, Cris Kagahastian and Ricky Coronel, CFC-ANCOP leaders, as they marched through the green fields of Cross Roads Park (NORTH) in Chino Hills, simultaneous to the group in Valencia. Malou shared "it was so much fun walking side by side with J.R. Celski, the Filipino/Polish Olympic winner, knowing that for every step we make, a big change will happen in the lives of many poor children in the Philippines. We may be a world champion or we may be a nobody, it doesn't matter because we can be a sure winner when we support the cause of the Child Sponsorship Program. Inspiring words from Fr. James Moore, we are not giving a gift in a brown bag but we give the gift of love".

Eric Villanueva, Couples for Christ National Director

In Eric Villanueva’s opening remark he mentioned that in 2011, this will not be a North America event anymore, since other areas where inspired, together with ANCOP Manila, they will be planning for a Global event, an ANCOP Worlwide Walk for their Child Sponsorship Program.

Island Pacific Supermarket will endeavor to support the various communities it serves and continue to offer slashed down prices for our fellow Kababayans to enjoy.Go and visit an Island Pacific Supermarket near you! With locations at Canoga Park, Cerritos, North Vermont Los Angeles, South Vermont Los Angeles, Panorama City, West Covina in Southern California; Union city and Vallejo in Northern California. Check us out at www.islandpacificmarket.com

Island Pacific Supermarket Supports the 1st North America ANCOP Walk for the Poor

The ANCOP Walk is faith in action!

Island Pacific Supermarket proudly supports the 1st North America ANCOP Walk for the Poor to be staged simultaneously in various parts of the US on Saturday, August 28 from 7am- 12nn. The 3-mile walk is being held to raise funds for ANCOP’s Child Sponsorship Program (CSP) --a project that sends poor Filipino children to elementary, high school or college level for free.

The ANCOP Walk brings together hundreds of participants across the U.S. and North America, walking together to help the poor in the Philippines and third world countries. The ANCOP Walk will happen simultaneously in Florida, North Carolina, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Massachusetts, Georgia and California. The four staging points in California are as follows: CHINO HILLS : Crossroads Park located at 14877 Eucalyptus Avenue, Chino Hills (Corner of Chino Hills Parkway); SANTA CLARITA : Bridgeport Park located at 23520 Bridgeport Ln., Santa Clarita CA 91355 ( corner of Mcbean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Rd.); MILPITAS: Murphy Park located at 1570 Olympic, Milpitas, CA, 95035; VALLEJO : Blue Rock Spring Park at 650 Columbus Parkway, Vallejo, CA 94591.

Formerly called ANCOP CAN Walk & GK Walk, the ANCOP Walk is an annual fundraising event that helps the poor in the Philippines and other third world countries by providing shelter, housing and child education programs for the poor living in slums and abject poverty.

The ANCOP approach is comprehensive, integrated and sustainable encompassing the many aspects that are essential to combat poverty. ANCOP programs are rooted in Christian values but without discrimination towards the race or religion of those in need. Since 2001 their shelter and child education programs have been helping the needy. Together with their donors and benefactors, ANCOP has been transforming many lives, and as of 2009 over 2,500 homes have been built and over 1,100 children have received education sponsorships from Canadian donors.

ANCOP Foundation USA Inc. is a Christian based organization founded by the Couples for Christ. It is a registered U.S. non-profit charity that provides Child Education Sponsorships and Shelter/Housing Programs for the poor. Their current projects focus on child education sponsorship programs and values formation.

The people’s participation and generosity in the ANCOP Walk will help provide quality education to children in poor communities. ANCOP serves the poor from all walks of life regardless of faith and denomination.

For more details about the ANCOP Walk and ANCOP USA please visit http://www.ancopwalk.us/ & www.ancopusa.org.