On January 13, 2001, El Salvador was hit with an earthquake that left more than 700 people dead, almost 4000 injured, and thousands of buildings, churches, and houses damaged. Creative Learning responded to this disaster by initiating a fundraising drive to help those with the most urgent need. CREA/El Salvador, one of Creative Learning’s affiliates around the world, managed these funds. The direct recipients of these efforts were CREA/El Salvador’s employees, their families and their communities. Funds were used for the immediate needs of those employees, their families and their communities most affected by the earthquake. The success of the first fundraising effort, prompted Creative Learning to start another. Again managed by CREA/El Salvador, the second effort was earmarked for 24 families in a very poor, neglected village within the municipality of San Juan Talpa, a community that was not targeted as a priority by the government.