JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A group of men from Jacksonville have been making a big difference thousands of miles away in Colombia.
Bernard Minter Jr., Antonio Morel, and Max Morel are all a part of the nonprofit “Reaching the Unreached,” and shared with News4JAX how their mission has grown to provide for those in need.
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Morel explained how the idea for the organization came about. “Essentially for us, especially my brother and I, our family has always given back,” he said. “One of those things that we noticed is the disparity between where the tourists are and where the locals actually live,” Max said.
During their initial visit, they decided to buy toys and deliver them to children in a local neighborhood; however, the number of children far exceeded their supplies.
“We brought enough toys for X amount of kids. We had to turn away way too many kids,” Max said. “I think that’s the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
From there, the group formed Reaching the Unreached with a commitment to never turn a child away again. They began regular visits up the steep hills of the La Maria community in Cartagena.
Over the course of three trips, they’ve distributed more than 7,000 pounds of food and numerous toys. On their most recent trip, every child received a gift.
For the men, the rewards have been deeply emotional.
“We kept giving more stuff, and they gave love back and appreciation,” Bernard said. “That’s the type of currency that I like.”
Max shared how meaningful it was to connect with the children directly. “We had 145 kids sitting in front of us,” he said. “When you see these kids and you are giving them that glimmer of hope, you see the brightness in their eyes.”
Antonio Morel called the experience humbling.
“These people have very little, and they are big believers in their God. They have so much faith,” he said.
Now back in Jacksonville, the men are looking for ways to grow their efforts through sustainable programs. Their vision includes building facilities like a Boys and Girls Club to support literacy and education for local children.
“How can we give back? How can we build a Boys and Girls Club or do something more with the organization that already exists?” Max said. “Making sure that these kids now have literacy—that they can read and write.”
Reaching the Unreached serves as a reminder to those in need that they are not forgotten. For more information or to support their mission, visit www.reachingtheunreached.org.