The work of the Luis Orione Foundationas a state-level civil association, is to coordinate the Orionist Centers both in Spain and in other countries where they have a presence, to achieve the purposes defined in their statutes, which are social assistance to the most disadvantaged people, assistance and care to people at risk of exclusion for physical, mental or social reasons, carrying out projects and promoting cooperation. Social work that is reinforced with the signing of Collaboration Agreements with different associations and companies.
An activity that ranges from the local to the global, with the following centers in Spain:
-Don Orione Center in Posada de Llanes, dedicated to the support, assistance and integration of people with intellectual disabilities.
-Don Orione Home in Pozuelo de Alarcón, dedicated to providing residential service to adults with intellectual disabilities and a high level of dependency.
-Madre de Dios Residence in Almonte, dedicated to comprehensive, individual and specialized assistance for older people.
-El Patiu Association in Posada de Llanes, encourages the creation of support programs for young people who experience educational alternatives.
-Centro La Ribera in Cascante, an individualized teaching model is offered to young people who are excluded from school.
-Casa Virgen del Pilar-Don Orione in Cercedilla, a specialized hostel for housing people with disabilities, but where schools and associations of all kinds are also housed.
And outside of Spain, the foundation has a very direct relationship with the following centers:
-Don Orione Home for Disabled Children (HONIM) in Barquisimeto (Venezuela). Center for assistance, protection and promotion of the comprehensive development of children and young people with disabilities.
-Little Cottolengo Don Orione in Barquisimeto (Venezuela). Care for people with severe disabilities.
-Mama Carolina School in Caraballeda (Venezuela). Provides stimulation, feeding and training activities for boys and girls from 2 to 6 years old.
-Cottolengo Filipino St. Luigi Orione in Rizal (Philippines). Orphanage for 40 children and young people with disabilities.
-Payatas Project on the outskirts of Manila (Philippines). It covers the education, health and food needs of the population living around the Payatas landfill.
-Orionist Centers in Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo, where help is provided for specific needs.
As Ángel Prado, general coordinator of the foundation, highlights, “Saint Luis Orione said that “in our homes no one will be asked if they have a name, race, religion… Only if they have a pain” and this is very valid for us, continues “There are many needs everywhere.” A challenge for the institution (“there is a long way to go, on the one hand, we have to improve in our day-to-day management and administration, in improving processes and systems that make us more efficient. And we have to make an effort important to make ourselves known much more and to make everything we are doing known.” A challenge in which public institutions must help more and better, not only with large references, but with small organizations. They all count.
And on the other hand, public institutions make our work easier, especially to
smaller foundations, since when we try to get aid or subsidies it is not always easy, something that larger foundations have an advantage due to having greater human and financial resources.
Present and future
Currently, the foundation continues to help those affected by DANA in Valencia (€26,784 has been raised to date, with donations from the Orionist Centers of Spain, the Orionist Religious Communities, individuals and the Foundation itself). The proceeds are sent to Caritas Parish, where from their Orionist Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, in Manises, they contact the parishes affected by Dana, to see their needs.
Prado highlights new milestones of solidarity: «By 2025 we will continue in contact with Manos Unidas to present projects for our centers in Venezuela and the Philippines. In 2023 we obtained a grant for the ‘Responding to the needs of poverty’ Project of schooling 250 children for one year in Payatas (Philippines). Initiatives that join the previous meetings to launch in 2025 the I Luis Orione Foundation Solidarity Race, in the Colonia de los Ángeles de Pozuelo de Alarcón (where the foundation’s headquarters are located), as well as an event to present their activities carried out and future projects, planned in Almonte.
«We have signed up this month (continues Prado) in Teaming, an online tool to raise funds for social causes through micro-donations of €1 per month. Its philosophy is based on the idea that with €1, we alone cannot do much but if we join together, we can achieve great things. “We want to launch this activity at the beginning of the year.” Part of an incessant activity in which the organization of the Summer Camps at the Casa Virgen del Pilar-Don Orione in Cercedilla also stands out (so that the young people of the Hogar Don Orione and the Centro Don Orione can enjoy their vacations), with great collaboration of volunteers (work that will also be essential in the Philippines, during 2024, five groups in summer -26 young people-, who have helped both in Cottolengo Filipino and in Payatas).
Testimonials: first person
The foundation’s website offers testimonials such as those of Andrea and Marinatwo volunteers from the Luis Orione Foundation who have decided to open a window to the world to share their daily lives in the Payatas Project, one of the foundation’s most impactful initiatives that seeks to transform the lives of those who live in the Manila landfill. Through the Instagram account @proyectopayatas, these young women are recounting in real time their experiences, challenges and achievements while working in one of the most difficult environments in the world.
In the case of Martintells how his first week in Cercedilla allowed him to discover the gratification of helping others, humanizing and dignifying those he met. In his testimony, Martín reveals how these days have allowed him to humanize the people he has assisted, recognizing the dignity they deserve: “Satisfactory” is a very understatement,” he comments, underlining the depth of the gratification he has felt. This experience has left an indelible mark on him, leading him to fervently recommend this type of volunteering to other people.
How to collaborate
«We will continue to pay attention (says the general coordinator of the foundation) to everything that happens and where help is needed, carrying out fundraising campaigns, as we did several years ago due to a typhoon that affected the area where we have a presence in the Philippines or with the war in Ukraine by sending money to the Orionist Centers in Poland and Italy that have welcomed Ukrainian migrants or currently with the Dana in Valencia. Help channels that are channeled through the web www.fundacionluisorione.orgwhere you can make donations to the center of your choice or to the foundation directly and it distributes according to the needs.
Another means is donations through Bizum, transfer or direct debit of an amount (at the end of the year each donor is sent their certificate so that they can benefit from tax deductions – a natural person who donates €100 can deduct 80% of taxes. of this amount-).
As Prado adds: “Volunteering is also a form of collaboration, and on our website we indicate how to do it,” without forgetting the possibility of staying up to date with the foundation’s projects and activities by subscribing to the monthly news bulletin, through of the website; or by email at [email protected].
Work with results
The performance of the Luis Orione Foundation has received recognition such as the 2024 Social Action Award from the Spanish Catering Business Association, as a tribute to the work carried out in the Orionist Food Centers. «I had the opportunity (comments Prado), during the award ceremony before more than 60 companies, to be able to make a presentation and tell everything we do related to their sector, since our centers also feed many needy and homeless people. resources, even if sometimes it’s just a bowl of rice. Food, along with health and education, form the list of basic needs addressed by the foundation.
«To finish (concludes Prado), comment that we have a sculpture that was donated to the Don Orione Home on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, which represents two hands, one of the one who helps and the other of the one who receives it, it is titled ‘I can’t alone ‘. “I think it identifies us a lot.”
More information: Luis Orione Foundation
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