Tres Islas Orphanage Fund, founded by Donelle Manton, a photojournalist originally from Wyoming,  is now in its 23^rd year and currently serves 123 children in

five orphanages in Mazatlan, Mexico. With 100% of all donations, over $332,500 to date, going towards the betterment of the children.

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The Tres Islas Orphanage Fund was founded on the premise that 100 percent of all money donated to the Fund would help children in orphanages in Old Mexico - first to buy nourishing food for the children each week, second, educational needs, including, school supplies, shoes, uniforms, clothes and making upgrades to their homes, the orphanages and medical needs.

The Tres Islas Orphanage Fund began in the mid-1980s as a one-person effort to help children in Mazatlan, Mexico’s orphanages when one of the founders of the Fund, who is a newspaper reporter by trade, was sent to Mazatlan with a bag-full of film and an assignment to "photograph the children of Mexico."

Little did the reporter know at the time how that one assignment would forever change her life.  She photographed children everywhere: on the beach, in the plazas, in the church, on the streets. Then one day she sought out an orphanage after learning that there are numerous orphanages located throughout Mexico. Of course, the children in the orphanage had to be represented in her photographs as well. And on that day, the Tres Islas Orphanage Fund began.
 

The name of the orphanage she went to is Orfanatorio Mazatlan. Located in downtown Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico at 227 Zaragoza, Orfanatorio Mazatlan is the oldest orphanage in Mazatlan. It was founded in 1902 when an epidemic of the bubonic plague left many children without parents. Primarily, it is a girls' orphanage although little boys also stay there when they have sisters who are living there - thus maintaining a sense of family.
 

The Tres Islas Orphanage Fund was founded on the premise that 100 percent of all money donated to the Fund would help children in orphanages in Old Mexico - first to buy nourishing food for the children each week, second, educational needs, including, school supplies, shoes, uniforms, clothes and making upgrades to their homes, the orphanages and medical needs.

In return for each and every donation, each fall (after school purchases) every donor would receive a copy of each store receipt - signed by the director of the orphanage or the principal care giver who is at the orphanage at the time of delivery - to verify their donations were spent exactly as they wanted to help the needy children in orphanages.

In addition, the name, address and telephone number of the orphanage would be provided to each donor as well as a list of the children in each orphanage and donors would always be welcome to visit the orphanage and participate in the children's lives.   
 

Donelle is employed at the University of Oregon (UO) as a Program Assistant in the Annual Giving Program, which raises funds for academics. She manages the many administrative aspects of their very busy office, ensuring that donor records are up to date and that their requests are always acknowledged in a timely fashion.  She also puts her extensive journalism background to use writing feature stories for various campus publications. Sharing student success stories is one of her favorite ways to illustrate the power of annual gifts to the university.
 

Donelle’s true passion is caring for the children in Mexico’s orphanages. She feels it's a blessing and an opportunity from God to serve these children. She feeds this passion for the children by dedicating her after-work hours, weekends and vacations managing the Tres Islas Orphanage Fund (www.orphanagefunds.org) and its endeavors, hand-in-hand with her loving husband.
 

Her foundation is now in its 23^rd year and currently serves 123 children in five orphanages in Mazatlan, Mexico. With 100% of all donations, over $332,500 to date, going towards the betterment of the children, her efforts have made a significant and positive difference in the lives of hundreds of children.  Donelle’s love for the people of Mexico reaches beyond the children in the orphanages. She also supports UO programs that specialize in Mexico.

Donelle resides on a small farm along the banks of the Umpqua River in Oregon with her husband Tom, the organization’s vice president and behind the scenes ‘hands-on’ talent.

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