Hi, I’m Lisa Poll, a member of Santa Cruz Cares. I have been offered the exciting opportunity to go work for AFnetAid's Orphan programs in South Africa and Zambia. I am so passionate about what AFnetAid is doing that I have left my rewarding job as an attorney, my wonderful family and friends, my comfortable life here in beautiful Santa Cruz, and have moved to Africa! And they are not even paying me to do it! I hope that my willingness to do this inspires people to believe that you CAN do the hard thing even in these tough financial times. It takes both of us – the people willing to go and the people willing to support them. One is no good without the other! In other words, I can’t do it without you!	Sending Lisa
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Will you consider joining my support team?

As you can imagine, the costs of caring for over 560 orphans demands all of AFnetAid’s budget, so I must cover my own financial needs for the year that I have committed to go. You can support me with a one time donation or pledge to support me monthly for one year. All donations are tax deductible as AFnet is a 501c3 organization. Click here to get a form to join my team with a one time donation or monthly support. Automatic withdrawal from your checking or savings account is also available. Click here to get a form for that.

What am I doing?

I am working for AFnetAid, the humanitarian relief branch of AFnet, Inc. which focuses on the needs of AIDS orphans. These are children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS. The AIDS pandemic is killing an entire generation of fathers and mothers and leaving millions of children without the physical, emotional, and financial support of parents.

AFnetAid addresses this devastating problem by partnering with local schools and churches to identify the orphans in the community and then provide support for them through various methods: feeding programs in the schools, distributing care packages of food and clothing in the community, and orphan day care centers. Orphan day care centers allow orphans to enroll in school and have hope for a future because the centers provide day care for younger siblings, tuition and a uniform for school, meals before and after school, access to medical care, educational and legal assistance, care packages for ill family members, job skill training, and trauma counseling.

AfnetAid currently runs three orphan day care centers, an orphanage, and four feeding programs in schools. Through these programs, AFnetAid cares for over 560 orphans. Without someone to coordinate these programs, they cannot run effectively and enable expansion to care for even more AIDS orphans. Additionally, there is a danger of losing funding for existing programs without the development of greater communication between the AIDS orphan programs and its American sponsors. There is no one currently assigned to maintain these relationships and crucial support is decreasing. We have got to keep these programs running! How do you put a child back on the street after you have taken them in and given them hope?

What’s my story?

I first fell in love with the children of Africa five years ago when I traveled through South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia participating in the work of AFnet.

My Progress So Far

So far I've raised $46,000!

Fast Facts

Program Focus: AFnetAid is the humanitarian relief branch of AFnet, Inc. focusing on the needs of AIDS orphans. The AIDS Orphan Programs currently include three orphan day care centers, one orphanage, and four feeding programs in schools, providing support to over 560 orphans. When the director of these programs resigned, it left a great need for somebody to help with the coordination of these programs as well as the development of greater communication between the AIDS orphan programs and its American sponsors.

Education: Juris Doctorate with Public Interest Law Certificate 1998, Santa Clara School of Law; B.S. in Human Performance & Health Science 1988, Teaching Credential 1989, San Jose State University.

Professional Experience: Deputy District Attorney, Counties of Lake & Monterey, 1999-present; Elder Abuse Prosecution, 2004-present; Legal Advocates for Children & Youth, San Jose, 1996; Middle School teacher, Santa Cruz, 1989-1995.

My AFnet Experience: Short term mission to South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia participating in the work of AFnet: visited orphan center, U.N. refugee camp, pastoral trainings, June-July 2004. Founding member and first year Director of Santa Cruz Cares, a local nonprofit founded for the purpose of fundraising for AFnet Aid, 2004-present. As Director, headed fundraising event that raised $30,000 to build Tsakelani, an AIDS orphan day care center in South Africa. As member, involved in recruitment of 99 orphan sponsors.

Home Church: Twin Lakes Church, Aptos, 2000-present. Small group leader, volunteer at Higher Grounds (funding missions through coffee fellowship).

Contact Me: Lisa@AFnet.org

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