Photo used in the Ventura County Start article. Christmas morning in Bodhgaya, India, December 2006. Photo by Diane Kirwin of KIRF India.

"I am really grateful to the Star for printing such a thorough and well-written piece about our 'KIRF work', " Angela Kirwin said. They printed the photo of the Kirwins that was taken in Bodhgaya, India on December 25, 2006.

The article mentioned disaster relief projects that KIRF has undertaken all over the world since its inception in January 2005.

The article also mentioned KIRF's latest project: educational toys, art supplies and furnishings to the Homeless Children's Playtime Project>. The non-profit serves homeless and chronically ill children by giving them a safe and enriching place to play after school. The "wish list" supplies were purchased with funds donated by KIRF's generous supporters. The airfare and hotel expenses are paid for by Angela and Mark out of their personal funds.

Ventura Country Star: "Ventura family fulfilling needs worldwide", February 18, 2009 >

Ventura County Star newspaper article about KIRF published February 18, 2009 (PDF, 10.3 MB) >

On the Saturday before the Inauguration, the Kirwins met up with volunteers for the a local Target and Best Buy to purchase wish list items for the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project non-profit that serves homeless children at several Washington, DC transitional living shelters. The Kirwins’ two children helped the volunteers chose the best toys and art supplies—stuff that they know kids like. Carpooling with the volunteers they delivered about six shopping carts of needed educational toys, art supplies and furnishings to a local shelter later that day. The Kirwins and their children returned to the shelter on Wednesday and helped build some play structures and played with the kids. Ironically, the shelter’s Playtime was closed on the National Day of Service for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

“Their lives are hard and several of them have suffered a lot. It was so gratifying to see them excited about their new toys and have fun in a loving and safe environment,“ Angela Kirwin said. “Every kid needs to feel special sometimes.”

The Homeless Children's Playtime Project (www.playtimeproject.net) non-profit serves children in local emergency and transitional homeless shelters by giving them a safe and enriching place to play in the evenings. “This is the one place they can go be with their peers and get a lot of love and attention,” Nicole French, a Site Coordinator at the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project, said. “Now with KIRF’s help we’re able to make the space more hospitable and kid-friendly for Playtime,” Ms. French said.

KIRF founders Mark and Angela Kirwin and their children are headed to DC Friday to work with homeless children.

"I can't think of a better way to celebrate President-Elect Obama's inauguration than do a hands-on service project while we are in Washington, DC," Angela Kirwin said after she booked their hotel reservation the day after the elections. "It will demonstrate our values for helping others to our children. And, we can do this together as a family."

On December 17, Obama's office announced a National Day of Service to be held January 19th, the day before the inaguration and also Martin Luther King Day. "Hey, Obama copied us!" Angela said jokingly.

While in DC, the Kirwins will be delivering educational toys, art supplies and furnishings to the Homeless Children's Playtime Project. The non-profit serves homeless and chronically ill children by giving them a safe and enriching place to play after school.

Items are purchased with funds donated by KIRF's generous supporters. The airfare and hotel expenses are paid for by Angela and Mark out of their personal funds. Please check back at this web site for more news about this upcoming KIRF project.

News Release "KIRF in DC for Family Service Project" (1/13/09) >

Ventura, CA (June 10, 2008)
KIRF is getting disaster relief supplies into Burma (Myanmar) to aid homeless survivors of Cyclone Nargis

KIRF was able to get disaster relief supplies into Burma through an informal aid network. The delivery of relief supplies was coordinated after several confidential meetings with Buddhist monks and refugees in Northern Thailand near the Burmese border. The supplies will be distributed to the disaster victims through a network of monks inside of Burma.

The supplies KIRF donations purchased include mosquito nets, tarps, blankets, antibiotics and other emergency medical aid. The many people who are making this effort happen are very brave because they are at serious risk of harm if the military junta finds out what they are doing. KIRF, through it contacts with these local humanitarians are using this unofficial aid network to get disaster relief into the country. Others have joined our effort and a new load of supplies is going across the same route n the next few days.


Bangkok, Thailand (March 20, 2008)
First Tsunami Orphan Awarded a KIRF University Scholarship

"I cannot express the amount of joy I have reading your report. We are so very glad that KIRF was able to help," Mark Kirwin said upon hearing that the first tsunami orphan will get a scholarship to college. A few days ago the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), a renown sustainable development and public health organization based in Bangkok, Thailand, announced that the first tsunami orphan received a scholarship to the Rajabhat Phuket University, courtesy of KIRF. The selected scholar is a 19 year old girl from the Phang Nga province. She lost her father and the sole family wage earner at the time to the tsunami. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree.

It has been about three years since Mark's brother Dr. Paul Kirwin of Yale University began raising funds for an educational scholarship to benefit tsunami orphans. After many negotiations and trips back and forth to Thailand, a young women will get a better chance at life and go to college this Fall. More information about the KIRF Fund for Tsunami Orphans >
Senator Viravaidya and Mark Kirwin in Bangkok at PDA's headquarters setting up the KIRF Educational Fund for Tsunami Orphans. Photo: KIRF Collection


Lima, Peru (March 16, 2008)
KIRF delivered school supplies to an acutely underfunded school in the Andes and financed micro-loans to benefit women in Lima

KIRF founder Mark Kirwin with volunteer and experienced aid worker Patrick Rea really made a positive difference for the students of a K-12 school high up in the Andes. They did this by delivering culturally appropriate textbooks, reference books and art supplies requested by the teachers of this acutely underfunded school. In addition to this effort, KIRF assisted a battered women's shelter non-profit in Lima. KIRF financed a new micro-loan program for the women and puchased reams of cloth to help them start a clothing manufacturing shop. Because the Lima non-profit was short on living supplies, KIRF also delivered food staples and vitamins for the women and their children. With KIRF's help the ladies of a battered women's shelter will be able to support themselves and their children. Check out some photos of this productive KIRF relief project in Peru >

	Keep in touch with KIRF! If you would like to get the lastest news on our international relief work, upcoming special events, family travel tips, unusual recipes, cultural insights, inspirations from the field and a periodic Field Report from KIRF in your inbox, please click on the red text link below: Subscribe to our KIRF Field Report Emails> Example Field Report from Tanzania >