what we do
Thrive is a (501(c)(3) charitable organization that connects global donors and local volunteers to children living in the poorest areas of the world by providing nutritious food and promoting healthy habits to give them a chance at a better life.
We feed undernourished children healthy food.
We teach the importance of washing hands.
where we work
the slums of asia
Our first project began in Dhaka, Bangladesh–one of the most populous and poverty-stricken mega-cities in the world. Approximately 3 million people dwell in slums in this city. We primarily focus our efforts in Korail slums, which is home to roughly 40,000 people, making it the largest slum in Dhaka. In Korail, the broad smiles of the children belie the reality of the hunger and disease that they face each day.
In the summer of 2016, we expanded our reach to children in the Tondo slums of Manila, Philippines, where 80,000 people occupy each square kilometer of land. Here we focus our efforts on a hilltop community the locals call Trash Mountain. While the joy that radiates from the 200 children here is palpable, the families are severely poor, malnourished, and lack basic necessities, like clean water, electricity, and proper sanitation.
who we are
We are the children, we are the volunteers, we are the donors. We are Thrive.
the children
The children we work with are beautiful and bright, each with a distinct personality. Often, these children have only one meal a day and it is most often rice. Our goal is to teach them good hygiene and provide healthy meals to help grow strong minds and bodies.
our volunteers
Our volunteers are from all walks of life, their common goal is to help. To spend time with the children and to provide food for them. Whenever possible volunteers try to hand deliver the food, taking the time to play with the children, teaching them songs and games.
our donors
Donors are young, old, and all ages in-between. They are from all over the map. They run races, teach classes, hold lemonade stands, give stock money, donate in lieu of birthday gifts, honor a friend, and so much more all to feed the hungry children of Thrive.
our story
Thrive is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) charitable organization that was started in 2012 by three American expat moms upon seeing the scores of undernourished children begging for food in Bangladesh. The women set out to feed as many impoverished children as possible, focusing on the places where they could find the most kids in need—makeshift schools in the slums.
The three started simply—promising to make a one-time delivery of bananas to a school in the Korail slums. They began spreading the word about their experiences in the slums on Facebook and it inspired others to donate money for food and those in Dhaka to volunteer preparing and delivering that food. Thrive began to take shape.
Today, Thrive volunteers deliver more than 4,000 healthy meals a week to eight slum schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Manila, Philippines while teaching proper hygiene habits to prevent illness. The meals—which cost roughly 50 cents per child—include eggs, bananas, peanuts seasonal fruits and/or vegetables, and a glass of milk.
news & events
Field Notes – Thrive: Manila
This post is a written reflection by Ashley Spurlock, Manila, Philippines. This is Thrive: This morning, two friends and I went to an area of Manila called Smokey Mountain. I’ve visited Smokey Mountain before, and each time I go it opens my heart a little more....
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PAC x Thrive for Play and Catch-up Program in Smokey Mountain
Last May, Thrive partnered with the Progressive Assistance of Canada (PAC), a nonprofit that assists the poorest of the poor children in the Philippines to have a better life. Thrive is supporting the health and nutrition component of PAC’s Play and Catch-up program,...
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Q & A with Sam Bretzfield of Direct Fresh – The Official Grocer of Thrive: Dhaka
Frustrating scavenger hunts down crowded aisles and across dusty shelves of expired goods in Dhaka’s markets frequently left Sam Bretzfield not only empty-handed but also convinced there had to be a better way to buy groceries in Bangladesh’s teeming capital. The...
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The Shingaras of Nadiya: The Great British Bake Off Champ Teams Up With Thrive to Deliver Special School Lunch Snacks
It’s not every day you get commissioned by Buckingham Palace to bake a birthday cake for the Queen. Yet for Nadiya Hussain, season six champion of The Great British Bake Off, the royal charge came her way just last spring. Sweet success, much like the orange drizzle...
read more“As a mother and a cook, this is a cause that is close to my heart.” Nadiya Hussain
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We have had more than 130 volunteers from over a dozen countries. Be one of them!
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66 million primary school-age children attend classes hungry across the developing world.
-World Food Programme, 2012
about our organization.
Thrive 501(c)(3) connects global donors and local volunteers to schoolchildren living in the poorest areas of the world by providing nutritious food and promoting healthy habits to give them a chance at a better life.
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