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- Castro (Alternatino, Narcos, Bushwick) is from Guatemala and advocates for Child Aid’s efforts to keep children learning even as the nation struggles during the COVID-19 crisis
Portland, Oregon, July 22, 2021 – Portland-Based literacy nonprofit Child Aid announces its Laughs for Learning Virtual Event starring comedian Arturo Castro on August 14th (5 pm (PT)/ 8 pm (ET). to benefit its Get Guatemala Back to School campaign.
Child Aid’s Laughs for Learning Virtual Event will feature Castro with several members of his comedy writing team from his Comedy Central hit Alternatino. Together, the comedians play games, discuss how they mine their lives for material and answer questions from the virtual audience. Arturo will highlight how, while U.S. children return to school, Guatemalan children still face major barriers to in-person learning. Oh, and Arturo will be giving away bags of Ethical Bean coffee to lucky attendees!
Through its Get Guatemala Back to School campaign, Child Aid is raising funds for the following:
- Deliver 579,000 meals to hungry families in the communities where Child Aid works.
- Purchase thousands of new books to stock school libraries and classrooms.
- Provide teachers with training in remedial education to help catch kids up.
- Broadcast multilingual educational radio programs so kids can learn from home.
- Coach teachers how to be effective leaders in virtual classrooms.
- Provide bags of hand sanitizer and masks for each Child Aid classroom.
THE PROBLEM:
The pandemic rages on and elementary schools open, only to close weeks later as the virus sweeps through entire communities. The nation struggles to get vaccines to its people. Many families are struggling with food insecurity as Guatemala suffers from a COVID-related economic downturn. Child Aid continues its work, pivoting to virtual teacher training and emergency food relief. Our organization also reaches out via radio, television, and social media with education for children stuck at home.
ABOUT ARTURO CASTRO:
Castro is a Guatemalan actor best known for his portrayal of Jaimé Castro on the Comedy Central series Broad City. He is also David Rodríguez on the Netflix series Narcos. He stars in Comedy Central’s Alternatino with Arturo Castro, a sketch comedy show centering on life as a modern Latino man. In August, Castro will star in the AppleTV+ show Mr. Corman, a comedy-drama series written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
For more information about Child Aid’s work, access to Child Aid photos or videos, or to arrange interviews with Arturo Castro or Child Aid CEO Nancy Press, please contact Child Aid Director of Public Relations Helyn Trickey Bradley @ 404-384-4143.
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ABOUT CHILD AID: We are a Portland-based literacy nonprofit working to bring books and comprehensive teacher training to elementary-age children in some of the poorest communities in Guatemala. To date, our organization works in more than 200 schools, reaching nearly 81,000 children with transformative education and literacy skills.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Helyn Trickey Bradley // Director of Public Relations // C – 404-384-4143 // helyn.bradley@child-aid.org