Originally known as "the Jennifer Lopez Foundation", the Maribel Foundation is a charitable organization that promotes greater access to healthcare for both women and children.
Vision: "To improve the health and well-being of woman and children"
Focus Areas:
- Telemedicine Clinics
Building and maintaining clinics domestically and internationally that bring cutting edge medical services to children in underprivileged and hard-to-reach areas through modern communication and new media resources (i.e., videoconferencing and remote surgery supervision). - Health Eating, Active Living (H.E.A.L)
Restoring the "energy balance" to today's youth by promoting healthy eating and active living. Which includes increased nutrition education, increased physical fitness and all activities preventing the U.S. childhood obesity epidemic. - Schools as Centers of the Community (S.C.C.)
Empowering local schools to serve as "centers of the community" by being a conduit to the services that today's children and families need (i.e., referrals for physical/mental/dental care, afterschool care for children whose parents work extended hours, adult school for parents seeking further education, dance/sports/arts and crafts afterschool programs, managing your money/economic empowerment courses for family members of students, etc.)
HISTORY
The foundation was first mentioned in January of 2007. Jennifer told a spanish newspaper that she and her sister, Lynda, were thinking about starting a
foundation to benefit women and children.
In June of 2008, Jennifer and Lynda met with Barack Obama's staffers. Reportedly, they discussed healthcare and education issues. (Pics) They met, presumably, to discuss the
foundation's involvement in the Democratic National Convention later that year.
In early June, People Magazine stated that plans for the foundation would be unveiled later that year:
On August 27, 2008,Viacom and Capitol File magazine co-hosted an event at the Democratic National Convention to benefit the Children's Defense Fund
honoring Marian Wright Edelman for her work as an activist for children's rights. Jennifer presented the award to her and the Jennifer Lopez Foundation
threw an after-party in her honor.
The name of the foundation was officially announced at the 2009 Noche de Ninos event for Childrens Hospital LA, which Jennifer has supported for years.
VIDEOS
Links:
http://www.beyond-beautiful.org/reply/290676#reply-290676
http://www.beyond-beautiful.org/topic/8099
http://www.beyond-beautiful.org/reply/303670#reply-303670
Rookie of the year 2009
Applause to jen Diva latina!
