Blessings for Brazil: Trip to Rio Was Inspiration for Non-Profit
After volunteering in a flood-ravaged area of Brazil, Lauri Francis decided she could do more for kids there, and a charity was born.
After taking a flight to Rio de Janeiro to volunteer in a flood-ravaged area, Lauri Francis found herself in a run-down school library, helping the librarian tape up old books that were falling apart. "Harry Potter was nowhere to be found," Francis said. "Books are a rarity [in Brazil]. For the price of one book here, you can buy two to three books back home." It was a humble beginning for the charity Francis founded, Blessings for Brazil. Inspired by her experiences as a volunteer at the Solar School in Rio, Francis started small -- she began collecting donations from friends, family and acquaintances to buy new books for the children at Solar. Less than two years later, Blessings for Brazil is an international effort, with volunteers in …
