After the fall of Communism in December 1989, many things hidden until that point were brought out to light. One of those things was the horrific conditions in the State run orphanages. The entire world was shocked. As a result, many international organizations and foundations rushed to Romania, bringing humanitarian aid and comfort to the children we didn’t know they existed. One of these organizations was Buckner Foundation from the United States. With 120 years of experience in social care offered to orphans and at risk groups in over 50 countries all over the globe, the representatives of Buckner Foundation wanted to bring a ray of hope to those who haven’t had any for so long. The activity of Buckner Foundation in Romania started in 1996 with summer camps for institutionalized children.
In time, things evolved, and in 1999, Fundaţia Buckner was founded as a branch of Buckner Foundation US, but with legal Romanian status. In the 17 years of being present in the line of Romanian NGO-s, Fundaţia Buckner extended its activity from summer camps to weekly visits to orphanages and group homes, shoes for orphans and needy children, child placement, a community development center, a transitional living program for youth leaving the child protective system, a group home, educational campaigns regarding current social issues. Thus, over the years, the Foundation had the privilege to be involved in various projects to help not only needy or orphaned children, but also children who have potential but no means to fulfill their dreams.
Driven by the desire to bring a positive change around them, the members of Fundaţia Buckner’s team, together with the foundation’s partners, can account for thousands of beneficiaries and lives that have been touched or influenced by their activity, not only in Mureș County, but all over Romania. Through long term or short term programs, Fundația Buckner is committed to offering professional and high standard social services as well as opportunities to grow and to develop to vulnerable children and youth, as a means to improve their living conditions and their confidence level in their own abilities. For every beneficiary of our programs we want a better future, a future they get to choose and they get to build themselves with their own knowledge and confidence. And thus, we want to contribute to the growth and strengthening of the community as a whole.