Find Your Mark
Pam Cope first saw Mark Kwadwo on the front page of the New York Times. His image was heartbreaking: a frail stooped body and terrified eyes.
Sold by his parents for about $20, six-year-old Mark labored under a master who bought dozens of children to work his fishing nets on Lake Volta. Like the thousands of children sold into slavery on Lake Volta, Mark worked fourteen hour days and was beaten and malnourished.
Mark’s story touched Pam, who founded Touch A Life with her husband, Randy. Touch A Life was supporting at-risk children in Cambodia and Vietnam. Pam was plagued by a desire to help Mark - but how?
Nine weeks later, Pam was on a plane to Ghana, where she forged a life-changing friendship with Ghanaian abolitionists. Together, Pam and the Ghanian team rescued Mark and six other children. That was in 2007. To date, Touch A Life provides long-term care for over 90 children rescued from Lake Volta.
How Can You Join Us?
Find Your Mark chapters exist to raise awareness and funding for the Touch A Life Foundation. Specifically, each chapter seeks to raise a minimum of $1,800 over the course of one year. $1,800 (or $150 per month) covers the cost of living for one child for an entire year, and it provides him or her with housing, clothing, food, medical care, education, rehabilitative care, and vocational training. Chapter members will receive a biography and photo of the child their group is sponsoring, and they will also receive quarterly updates and handwritten letters from their sponsored child. Read more about the program by downloading our Find Your Mark materials.
You don’t have to buy a plane ticket and head to Ghana to get started! It’s much easier to Find Your Mark. All you have to do is ask yourself: What are my passions? What are my strengths? How do I enjoy spending my time? Organize fundraising events that are related to your interests. Rally the support of your school, your church, your book club, and your community. Download this document that lists timelines and event ideas to help you get started.
Take a look at our list of cities that have successful Find Your Mark Chapters, places where people get together to talk about justice issues, find creative ways to support the children in our long-term care, and make a commitment to making a difference in their own lives by helping others.
Cities in Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Texas already have Find Your Mark chapters up and running!
Contact us today to find out how to launch a chapter in your hometown.
If you don't see your city listed above, that's because we need you to start a chapter in your hometown! Contact us today to get started.
Connect with other Find Your Mark chapters and see what they're up to by liking our Find Your Mark page on Facebook.