On November 8, 2013, the most powerful hurricane to ever make landfall, Typhoon Yolanda, slammed into the Philippines with peak winds reaching 240 mph. At least 8,000 people were killed, perhaps many more, and thousands were left orphans.

Searching for ways to help, Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Aspen, Colorado sent mission teams to the epicenter of the destruction in Tacloban in 2015 and 2016. These teams fed thousands of the poor, helped children at an orphanage, visited prisoners, and did many other charitable works.

It was during these missions that team members Kathy Collins and John O’Donoghue noticed that many of the poorest children were not attending school. John learned that without the basics; a uniform, notebooks, pencils, etc. Children couldn’t attend school.

Over the next three years, John raised funds and traveled to Tacloban to purchase and distribute school supplies to the children.

So far, with the great help of Tony Bell and partners in Tacloban they have helped 3,542 children to attend school that would not have otherwise.

The Big Heart Children's Fund was born out of this desire to provide all children an opportunity for a better life, starting with an education.