Charity of Choice GNEX 2011, Charity of Choice GNEX 2012
Company Overview
When businesswoman and philanthropist Christel DeHaan sold Resort Condominiums International (RCI) in 1996, she decided to devote the next phase of her life to helping impoverished children. Her motto, “to care, to share, to make a difference”, embodies the philosophical underpinnings of the organization.
After an impactful visit to two children’s shelters in Mexico in January 1998, DeHaan realized that simply providing food or clothing would make life easier only temporarily. To make a lasting difference would require giving children of poverty the opportunity for transformational change. Creating systemic change needed a holistic approach, quality staff, rigorous curriculum, measurement of results, and accountability on all fronts. This thinking led to the development of Christel House, and the first learning center opened its doors in late 1998.
Between 1998 and 2002, Christel House opened five learning centers—in Mexico, India, South Africa, Venezuela and the United States. Today, after thirteen years of operation, it serves over 3300 students, their families and communities. Christel House employs more than 300 dedicated professionals who help the children optimize their potential to achieve productive, self-sufficient lives.
Christel House International is a 501(c) (3) public charity, and each learning center is a registered not-for-profit entity in its country of operation. For more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org. To learn how your resort or company can support Christel House, please contact Becky Arnett at Barnett@christelhouse.org or 317.464.2009 in the United States or Vivienne Noyes-Thomas at vnoyes-thomas@christelhouse.org or +33 (0) 5 62 09 26 72 in Europe.
