Dear friends and supporters of IT Tender,

The doors of the new Tender Educational Center are open! Come step inside as we take you on a video tour of the new building, post-renovations. Click here to enjoy the video tour. (Can you count how many times John says "beautiful" in this video?)

Thank you for helping bring this dream to fruition through your generous support of the Big Leap Project. You uplifted our community, and our charity took a leap forward in terms of our capability to educate and empower multitudes of marginalized children through quality programs and facilities.

Due to the focus on funding the new building and its renovations, we had to scale back our Christmas events and initiatives over the last few years. Not this year though. This is the comeback for Christmas spirit, brighter than ever. We're excited to bring back some holiday cheer for the families we serve in the slums of Manila.

‍For just $100, you can help make Christmas special for an urban poor family. Your donation will provide:

‍•a ticket to a musical theatre performance (featuring some of our scholars who auditioned and earned roles!)
•transportation to the show and dinner out
•Christmas gifts and groceries for the family

‍Think about how much we spend on our own families' holiday gifts and groceries. Let's challenge ourselves to match that amount through a donation to bring joy to families in need. Tender aims to bless 200 families this Christmas! Every donation counts. Together we can make this Christmas one to remember for struggling families.

All one-time donations to Tender until December will support our Christmas initiative. You'll also receive a tax-deductible receipt for your contribution. Thank you for spreading hope and cheer this holiday season!

CANADIAN DONATION (select "IT Tender -- Philippines): https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/834443327RR0001-extreme-response-canada/

AMERICAN DONATION (new donations go to the Christmas initiative): https://extremeresponse.org/bigleap/

UK DONATION: https://hopefilledhorizons.org/it-tender

Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist who helped found the field of humanistic psychology, is best known for his "hierarchy of needs" theory. This motivational theory categorizes human needs into five levels, arranged in a pyramid shape from most basic to highest. Maslow initially believed "self-actualization" to be the highest motivation. Later in life and with more insight, he eventually corrected his work by adding "self-transcendence" as the highest level, going beyond mere self-actualization.

As the final or most complete stage of human development, transcendence represents the drive to connect with something beyond the self. The new “Transcendence” program of IT Tender provides our students with opportunities for volunteerism, art, music and dance. Our students tap into something bigger than themselves, serving others with the God-given talents we've nurtured in them.

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As a special treat, a professional ballet company in Manila (known as ACTS Manila) provided complementary tickets for our ballet students and team to enjoy their extraordinary ballet concert. Thank you ACTS Manila for the kindness and inspiration you've provided for the youth of Tender.

We also want to thank our friend Jessica Rickert, founder of Viva La Via Foundation, for traveling from the US to Manila to lead a cooking tutorial for our Dream Center students.

‍Jessica's culinary workshop was a resounding success, filling our students with joy and leaving a lasting impression on their taste buds! We're grateful for Jessica's expertise and patience in sharing simple yet delicious recipes like homemade pasta, which will undoubtedly become a staple at Tender. Not only did our students gain valuable cooking skills, but also a newfound enthusiasm for creativity in the kitchen.

We appreciate Jessica's generosity in providing top-notch ingredients and equipment for our kitchen. Thank you, Jessica, for spreading love and nourishment through food.

Aside from Jessica's visit, we also enjoyed an encouraging visit with the Kroeker family from Ontario. They came to Manila for two weeks to serve our community, and they left a great impact during a short stay.

Daryll, Alaina, and their five children each brought something unique to the programs of Tender. We're grateful for the fellowship and bonds strengthened during their trip. It was wonderful to see everyone from Tender and the Kroeker family coming together, different generations united in purpose and spirit, serving the children and making memories. Thank you Kroeker family for taking the time to visit the Philippines, and our prayers go with you as you continue your journey across the globe, serving various communities and NGOs.

We are grateful for visiting missionaries and families who are willing to fully immerse themselves in the culture and community we serve. Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you would also like to join the Tender team on a short-term mission in Manila, any time of year.

Lastly, we want to congratulate our intern Lezaly for passing her social work licensing exam with flying colors! From street child to Tender scholar to our very own ballet instructor and now licensed social worker - we are immensely proud of your accomplishments in your journey to serve God and His children. Congratulations Lezaly!

We also congratulate the other social work students of Taguig City University who passed their licensing exam after accomplishing their apprenticeship at Tender. We salute you as you embark on a journey that will challenge you but also fill your heart with purpose.

Thank you for your dedication to serving the most vulnerable sectors. Trust in your abilities, be patient with yourself, and don't be afraid to ask for help. You're not alone in this journey, and Tender is always here to support and encourage you.Thank you for following along with us and for supporting our programs and students! Please check out the current prayers and praises of our team here below.

- The Tender Team

• We are hoping to bless 200 families this Christmas by giving groceries, gifts, meals, and tickets for children to attend a musical theatre production. For every donation of just $100, you can make the holidays incredibly special for an underprivileged child in Manila and their family. See details on how to give via the buttons above.
• Pray for the most vulnerable, at-risk communities this typhoon season.

• After a routine assessment with the local government, we have successfully renewed our license as a registered charity in the Philippines. We are now targeting an accreditation with the government that will give us more opportunities to partner with local businesses and other foundations.
• We couldn't be more grateful for the new center which has had an immediate impact, thanks to larger spaces and state-of-the-art facilities. Thank you to everyone who contributed prayers, dreams, time, energy, and finances to bring this to fruition.