Charity

David Popovici launches a new donation campaign for children in the care of Hope and Homes for Children Romania: “No child should ever feel alone”

• The athlete shared a meal with 12 children from a family home built by the foundation in Sector 4 of Bucharest and was moved by their stories.
• The champion aims to raise €50,000 in individual donations over the next ten days.
• David Popovici urges his supporters to donate monthly for the children in the care of Hope and Homes for Children, offering them a gift more valuable than anything else: stability and the assurance that someone is always there for them.

Bucharest, April 6, 2026 – David Popovici, ambassador of Hope and Homes for Children, is once again mobilizing his supporters for the cause of vulnerable children: the Olympic champion aims to raise €50,000 in individual donations by April 15. The funds are intended for the care of the 12 children living in the family home built by Hope and Homes for Children in Sector 4 of the capital. The athlete encourages his supporters to donate monthly for the children under the foundation’s care, giving them a gift more important than anything else: stability and the certainty that someone is there for them consistently.

David’s appeal comes after his visit last Saturday to the 12 children at the home built for them by Hope and Homes for Children, where they cooked and ate together. The family home hosts 12 teenagers aged 13 to 18, ambitious and eager to shape their own future. Six of them practice competitive judo, achieving results at national and regional championships. All children receive support from the foundation to meet school requirements and are guided toward sports or other activities that help their personal development.

“Every time I visit a family home, I am happy that these children finally have a place to call their own, but I am aware that a home is not just a roof and a hot meal. It means people who care for one another, safety, and confidence in the future. The children I spent a few hours with this weekend practice judo, some of them national champions. Others are discovering different passions. Some need therapy or tutoring. I wish that these aspects, which help them grow, will not be missing in the future. For that, they need our constant support, like in a family. Because no child should ever feel alone,” said David Popovici.

Those who wish to join David Popovici can do so by making a donation between April 6–15 on the campaign page: www.hopeandhomes.ro/david

David Popovici has been an Ambassador for Hope and Homes for Children since April 2023. The Olympic champion participates annually in fundraising campaigns that help the foundation build new family homes and provide children in the care system with support tailored to their needs and a chance at a safer future.

About Hope and Homes for Children Romania

In total, over 28 years of interventions, Hope and Homes for Children Romania has supported 45,064 children to stay safely with their parents or extended family and avoid institutionalization through the Child Family Separation Prevention Program. Since 1998, the foundation has contributed to the closure of 81 residential care centers, and through the efforts of Hope and Homes for Children and its partners, 133 family homes have been developed, with 7,774 children moved out of orphanages and 2,105 reintegrated into their biological or extended families. https://hopeandhomes.ro/

#ForGoodConnections Day brought together kids, parents, and coaches for a day of movement, learning, and purpose — all with one goal: a more balanced relationship with technology.

Olympic champion David Popovici joined at the event, organized by Orange Romania with support of Orange Foundation, to share powerful messages about confidence, balance, and the courage to disconnect. His presence inspired kids to dream big, stay active, and choose kindness — both online and offline.

As part of the Social Food initiative supported by Macromex, David joined volunteers at the OMINIS Social Canteen in Bucharest, where over 600 warm meals were served to those in need. Surrounded by children and families, David shared not only his time but also his genuine joy and emotion: “Being here, among the kids, reminded me that giving is one of the most powerful forms of connection. I’m grateful to be part of something that brings real hope, one plate at a time.”

The thrill of being on the podium at the 2024 Olympic Games, proudly wearing Romania‘s flag, will forever remain in my heart. I am so grateful to have had you close to me, enjoying our victory. And today, I wish from my heart to have you close again because, beyond the victories that are measured in medals, there are other battles – more important but quieter – that are rarely seen, but have a huge impact. From my heart, for the home of 11 children, today I happily donate the equipment I wore on the podium, so that they can grow up in a warm environment adapted to their needs. Anyone who wants to join me is invited to make a donation of at least 50 lei on the campaign page, https://hopeandhomes.ro/campania-mea/davidpopovici/, between September 30 and October 9, 2024. The winner of the prize equipment will be chosen by draw at the end of the campaign.
 
We need 11,500 good people to donate at least 50 lei so that we, together, can raise a quarter of the money needed by Hope and Homes for Children to build the house. But in reality, I think there are many more of us. And for that, thank you!

AMBASSADOR FOR HOME – WHEN WE BUILD A HOUSE, WE BUILD A PERSON is a campaign launched by Hope and Homes for Children, which David joined alongside Amalia Enache, Mihai Morar, Marius Manole, and Alexandru Tomescu. The campaign’s goal is to raise €450,000 by the end of this year, the amount needed to build a family home for 12 children with special needs from the last remaining placement center in Bucharest’s Sector 5.

“With joy and a deep sense of responsibility, we gather our efforts and hearts in the most beautiful story of Together: the story of a strong community of people who understand that when we build a bedroom, we are actually building sweet dreams and bedtime stories, we built safety, trust, identity, and familiarity; that when WE BUILD A HOUSE, WE BUILD A PERSON. Every brick, every donation, and every one of your acts of support will be a promise towards a better future for 12 children. We, the Ambassadors of Hope and Homes for Children, invite you to be a pillar for them and for all the children in Romania who have not been given the right—as we have—to grow up in the most beautiful place: Home.”