Our story
How we got started.
In 2013, the Director of Butterfly Children's Charities, Vanessa McCaffrey, went on a girls' trip to Belize. She and her friends decided to spend a day volunteering at Liberty Children's Home, and the hours she spent at Liberty forever changed her. She saw firsthand the needs these children faced and the lack of resources available to them. Every year Vanessa went back to volunteer and bring much-needed clothing, vitamins, and donated books and toys -- but felt she could do more. A few years later at a get-together with friends, the topic of charitable works and charitable giving arose in conversation. With the encouragement of Vanessa's family and friends, that evening Butterfly Children's Charities was born.
Our mission.
While all children deserve the essentials — housing, education, medicine, food, clean water – we also believe that childhood shouldn't just be about the essentials. We want all kids to also have access to the same kinds of experiences and memories that we want for our own children: sports, summer camp, parties, and enrichment activities. We work to create the kind of childhood magic for at-risk children that all kids deserve, as well as to ensure that they are safely housed, cared for, and educated.
Who we are.
We're a 100% volunteer-run group, started in 2018 by a group of women from the Parkland, Coconut Creek, and Boca Raton area.
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When we started, we were just a few South Florida moms trying to help kids in need. Today, we have grown into a group of friends, partners, neighbors, and local community members all working together to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children, both locally and internationally.
What we've been working on.
Our two primary annual fundraisers are the Butterfly Ball and the Butterfly Birdie Classic golf tournament. The money we raise helps fund everything from children’s basic health care and housing, to education, sports, and enrichment activities. In addition to fundraising, we work to give the kids the opportunity to be just that — kids. We organize and host family-friendly community events such as arts-and-crafts playdates, weeknight dinners, sports clinics, and more; and each holiday season, we collect gifts for kids who may otherwise receive none. Our partners and beneficiaries include Liberty Children’s Home, an orphanage in Ladyville, Belize; as well local South Florida organizations including SOS Children’s Villages Florida, Parkland Soccer Club, Broward County Public Schools, and Joyful Roots Foundation.
How you can help.
Please consider making a donation, sponsoring a future event, or volunteering with us. If you would like to learn more or get involved, drop us a line and let us know.
