About The Children's Foundation International

Our Story

Why We Were Founded

The Children’s Foundation International was born out of tragedy and a vision for change. Established in 1995 by Nancy Nystrom following the heartbreaking loss of her 28-year-old son, Fred Eckdahl, the foundation emerged as a beacon of hope for abused, homeless, and orphaned children in Mexico. In the wake of Fred’s death, Nancy was driven by the vision “Feed my children,” which was widely publicized in both Mexico and the US in 1995. This vision catalyzed a movement in Manzanillo, leading to the opening of a soup kitchen in Salagua, Manzanillo, where 75-125 street and extremely poor children received a hot meal daily.

By February 1996, the Mexican Civil Association “Casa Hogar Los Angelitos A.C.” was officially established, solidifying the foundation’s commitment to providing care and support to vulnerable children. Despite facing tremendous adversities, including attempts to shut down the foundation, arrests, financial struggles, and community gossip, Nancy and her team persevered with unwavering faith, determination, and persistence. Today, the foundation stands as a testament to their resilience and dedication to making a profound difference in the lives of children in desperate situations.

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Make a Lasting Impact

Your support is crucial in helping us provide comprehensive care and opportunities for the children at Casa Hogar Los Angelitos. There are multiple ways to get involved and make a difference.

Our Mission & Values

Transforming Lives with Compassion and Dedication

The mission of The Children’s Foundation International is to rescue and transform the lives of children in needy and desperate circumstances. We are committed to providing shelter, food, clothing, education, medical care, and other life-changing necessities to children with compassion, integrity, dedication, hope, and love. Our values are centered around rescuing children from hopeless and dangerous situations and truly changing their lives. We believe in acting with compassion and integrity, dedicating ourselves to giving these children the care and opportunities they need to thrive.

Our vision is to focus our efforts primarily in Mexico, where we support the Children’s Home and programs of Casa Hogar Los Angelitos (CHLA) in Manzanillo, Colima. As a major support system for CHLA, we aim to expand our reach, providing care, tools, and opportunities to thousands of needy children in the future. Our goal is to bring peace and security to these young lives, helping them become successful and contributing members of their communities.

Mexico & Canada Foundations

Dedicated Support for Vulnerable Children

The Children’s Foundation International (TCF) operates as a non-profit 501c3 corporation headquartered in Loveland, Colorado, USA. Since its inception in 1995, TCF has been dedicated to helping children and youth in desperate and dangerous circumstances. Our foundation is funded through the generosity of individuals, organizations, and corporate contributors, and we proudly operate without affiliation to any government, religious, or international agency.

Our efforts are concentrated in Mexico, where we are the primary support for Casa Hogar Los Angelitos (CHLA) in Manzanillo, Colima. CHLA is a registered non-profit (Asociacion Civil) in Mexico, and our long-term goal is to expand our reach, providing the care, tools, and opportunities needed to change lives, bring peace, and secure the futures of young people. Additionally, we are exploring opportunities to establish a foundation in Canada to facilitate donations and support from Canadian contributors, ensuring that our mission can reach even more children in need.

Meet The Team

Board of Directors

Nancy Nystrom

Founded in 1995

TCF Founder and CEO
Fulshear, TX

David Riffel

Joined 2017

Treasurer, Financial Advisor, Bank of Colorado Investment Services /  Raymond James
Longmont, CO

Don Miller

Joined 2014

Regional Director Rainsoft
Loveland, CO

Kevin Skeens

Joined 2011

Founder of Ballistic Volleyball Club
Broomfield, CO

Administrative Staff

Nancy Nystrom

Nancy is the Founder and Executive Director of The Children’s Foundation International and Casa Hogar Los Angelitos. Her vision and determination drive the direction of TCF to continue to help more children.

Dr. Guiber Nunez M.

Dr. Guiber is a medical doctor and psychologist as well as the Director at Casa Hogar Los Angelitos. He has been with TCF since 2001 and is the Pastor-figure with the children.

Marisol Gonzalez G. L.I.C.

Marisol is the Director of the Ballet Folklorico Los Angelitos and leads the International Tour for the Expressive Arts program at CHLA. She has a degree in Dance Science as well as Business Management. Marisol has been with TCF since 2012.

Support Staff & Volunteers

Clayton Rhodes

Kevin Skeens

Orencio Maldonado

Lupita Nystrom L.I.C

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