“We would always talk about this orphanage that Henry had supported for over 10 years,” Anthony told Billboard in 2014. “And I came for Christmas, I had a staff party, and my whole staff was here and they bought all kinds of toys and sneakers and stuff for the kids. And I walked into the orphanage and saw those kids and I was just shocked. It impacted me. I instantly looked at Henry and said, ‘we need to do something.’ We built a five acre compound for the kids, and they each have their own bed, their own closet. It’s so important for their dignity to have their own things. So, we built this orphanage. We did it. We built it in less than a year.”
Tuesday’s gala, where Marc Anthony performed, helped raise funds for the foundation. In addition, Henry Cardenas works with artists that allow his concert promotion company to charge an extra dollar that is absorbed into the ticked price. Last year they presented 180 concerts and collected over $1 million in donations for Maestro Cares, which is how they continue to grow.
The gala honored Bill Clinton, Dominican icon Juan Luis Guerra and businessman F.J. Pollack, president/CEO of Tracfone Wireless. Various celebrities were present to show their support, such as Victor Manuel and Whoopie Goldberg. The Maestro Cares Foundation continues to bring the much needed resources children need in these countries in order to improve their quality of life and education.
