Grade 10 student Monica Cao is proving that you’re never too young to make an impact. This year, she’s spearheading a Children’s Day Online Charity Auction to support the Beijing Cherish Autistic Rehabilitation Center. The auction is live and will run until Jun 1 at 6.30 pm. This digital fundraiser invites everyone to scan the QR code and bid on great prizes, turning compassion into concrete help for those in need.
珍爱孤独症儿童康复中心 (Beijing Cherish Autistic Rehabilitation Center) is a center in Beijing for kids and adults with autism and other disabilities, like cerebral palsy. It started in 2007 in Tongzhou, and has helped over 200 people with therapy, special classes, and adult care. There are 50+ teachers doing one-on-one lessons, group activities, and therapy. The organization also has a place in Tangshan for older kids to learn skills and art. The group’s mission is to help people and make families happy.
We spoke to Monica to find out more about the charity auction.
What inspired you to organize this event, and why focus on children with autism?
I was inspired to organize this online charity auction due to my school’s six-year commitment to supporting the Beijing Cherish Autistic Rehabilitation Center, as well as my family’s personal contributions in the past. This cause means a lot to us. The center’s dedication to providing essential therapy, education, and support for children with autism motivated me to contribute further. With the help of my father, “The Foodie Emperor,” we were able to get quite a lot of awesome auction items from the local F&B community. Also, participating in a school charity club trip to the center was an eye-opening experience. Witnessing firsthand the impact of the center’s work on these children inspired me to raise funds for food and supplies to keep their mission going forward. Because it really is a great cause!
How are the auction items selected? Are there any standout donations?
Dad asked his friends in the F&B industry. And they are the unsung heroes in Beijing as they ALWAYS support the local community and were happy to help. The standout prize has to be TRB’s donation of dinner for two at one Michelin-starred TRB Hutong or lunch for six pax at Iberico by TRB, which was worth over RMB 5,000.
What has been the community’s response so far?
It started out slow since most students don’t have a lot of funds to spend, but then my parents started to push it out to friends, and then their friends pushed it out. So, it has gained a lot of traction in the past couple of days.
Can people participate if they don’t want to bid but still want to contribute?
Absolutely! Anyone who wants to donate can add 宋宝玲 from (珍爱孤独症儿童康复中心). She’s the boss of the organization, and she’s an amazing woman. If you look at her moments, she is always transparent about any donations that she receives, and you can see that everything goes directly to the kids. You know what you donate is going to a good place and for a good cause.
What is your fundraising goal?
I would have been pleased with RMB 10,000 total. But today it went a little viral, and we are over RMB 12,000 already and still have a few days to go. Since this has been so successful thus far and we have had such amazing feedback, I plan to continue this online auction every Children’s Day going forward. Hopefully, I can get some more students involved and we can make it even bigger next year.
Do you have a personal connection to autism advocacy, or was there a specific moment that motivated this initiative?
Going to Beijing Cherish Autistic Rehabilitation Center and seeing the kids was a shocking and eye-opening experience. Once you have been there, reality hits you hard. Really hard!
What has been the most rewarding part of organizing this auction?
Helping the kids and giving back to the local community! I’m looking forward to working with Ms. 宋宝玲 and finding out what the children need. Then I will order the food and deliver it to the center before the end of the school year.
What message would you like to share with potential bidders and supporters?
If you would like to bid in the auction, it has a deposit of RMB 100, which you will get back after the auction. The auction will end on Jun 1 at 6.30pm. If you win, please pay within 24 hours; otherwise, it will go to the next highest bidder. If you would like to support Beijing Cherish Autistic Rehabilitation Center, you can add Ms. 宋宝玲’s WeChat and donate directly. They accept all donations, including food (especially rice, flour, and oil). And if you could, please tell your friends and share this auction and cause with them!
Images: Monica Cao, TRB Hutong, Preston Thomas, freepik
