A Decade of Adopt A Day Care Project

By Maria Solita Zaldivar-Guzman

KALIBO, Aklann- For the past ten years, the Movement of Gratitude’s Adopt A Day Care Project has been helping ensure that young children in Kalibo begin their school journey with the things they need to learn and grow.

What started as a small effort to help day care learners has grown into a community-driven project that now reaches all 35 Child Development Centers (CDCs) in the municipality. Through the kindness of donors, volunteers, and supporters, thousands of children have received school supplies, learning materials, and other necessities over the years.

On June 5, 2026, the project officially started another year of giving with the turnover of the first batch of classroom materials and school supplies for the estimated 1,300 learners enrolled for School Year 2026-2027.

This year, all CDCs received learning board materials such as chalk, erasers, and whiteboard markers. These may seem like simple things, but they are used every day by teachers to help children learn and participate in classroom activities.

Each center also received dental kits that included toothbrushes, toothpaste, and hand soap for common use. Good health and good learning go hand in hand, and these materials help children develop healthy habits while in school.

The project also provided cleaning materials and electric fans to selected day care centers, particularly those with larger numbers of learners and classrooms that experience extreme heat and limited ventilation.

While much has already been distributed, there is still more work to be done. The goal is not only to provide common classroom materials but also to complete the school supplies sets needed by every learner enrolled this year.

As the project marks a decade of service, it serves as a reminder of what people can accomplish when they come together to help others. Every pencil donated, every box of crayons given, every book placed in their mini libraries, every toy added to their play corners, and every contribution made has helped make a child’s first experience of school a little brighter.

The Adopt A Day Care Project continues to call on individuals, families, organizations, and businesses to join this effort. No donation is too small because every act of kindness helps bring us closer to our goal of making sure that no child starts school without the tools they need to learn.

Ten years later, the mission remains the same: to give children a good start, support our Child Development Centers and the teachers who nurture and guide our young learners, and remind families that they are not alone. Through the Movement of Gratitude and the generosity of many kind-hearted people, we continue to show that a community that cares can make a lasting difference in the lives of its children.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who shared their blessings:
 CBR Family
 Anabeth Magallanes Gelito Calizo
 Gerry Rice – Estancia Branch
 Jay and Gerrely Reposar
 Glad Tidings New Life Kalibo, Aklan
 Sarah Kim
 Congressman Jesus R. Marquez
 Ms. Dino
 Alma Quirante
 Heide Ann Nellas
 Rowena Lopez
 Darling Machanon
 Mehola Teodoro
 Haplos Massage and Spa
 Provincial Health Office – Aklan through Dr. Marvin Oscar Sevilla
 Rachel Grace Besana Jamero
 Vallacar Transit, Inc.
 Happy Lyn Pelayo