Maestro Cares: Giving Voice to Disadvantaged Children in Latin America

Launched in January of 2012 by singer-songwriter Marc Anthony and entrepreneur Henry Cardenas, the Maestro Cares Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Latin American children through charitable organizations in the US and developing Latin American countries. Maestro Cares seeks to become the voice for millions of children facing hunger, homelessness, and violence every day. By providing basic needs such as food, housing, education, and clinics to orphaned and abandoned children throughout Latin America, Anthony and Cardenas hope to empower them with the confidence, discipline, and enthusiasm they need to become tomorrow's leaders.

“Our mission is to help Latin American children by creating healthy and safe environments for them, but a major priority is also supporting their academic needs,” said Cardenas. “Education is key because it will bring the children closer to their dreams.”

For its initial projects, Maestro Cares assisted in the development of orphanages in Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic by providing food, school supplies, classrooms, dorm rooms, and clinics that are necessary for a healthy learning environment. The foundation aims to instill a culture of hope, discipline, confidence, and a strong work ethic among children, and the first orphanage to benefit from Maestro Cares was Orfanato Niños de Cristo in La Romana, the Dominican Republic.

Maestro Cares' most recent project is a partnership with charity auction site Charitybuzz, where fans can bid on a once-in-a-lifetime experience to score front row seats to Anthony's concert and meet and greet with the star backstage. “It's going to be a fun night for a noble cause,” said Anthony. The auction will be open until July 11th and includes other items such as autographed guitars by Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, and Mana. Proceeds from the online auction will go towards the construction of a new residence and learning center for 100 neglected children in the Dominican Republic.