- PFC designed, developed, coordinated and led a service trip for 16 individuals to India in January 2008 to inspect the impact of past donations. The trip included visits to schools, orphanages, Women’s Empowerment Centers, basilicas, churches, and monasteries in the cities of New Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Dehradun, Rishikish, Hardwar, Hubli, Mundgod, Chennai and Sendivakkam. The delegation was able to see, first hand, how their donations had affected many underserved communities.
- PFC members and supporters were special guests of the Kuten La and Medium of the Oracle of Tibet at a two day gathering with His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the opening of the Deyang Drepang Monastery. Sponsored by PFC in 2007, all funds raised during the visit and tour by Kuten La and were used to complete the monastery for its opening. PFC also provided funds to support the newly arrived children of the monastery and equipment upon which the children could play. Computer communications facilities also were provided to the monastery by funders introduced by PFC.
- The completion of the Franciscan Women’s Empowerment Center in Sendivakkam, India was celebrated with PFC and the Bon Secours Convent. Funds raised by PFC over a 2-year period enabled the buildings to be completed and the equipment of sewing and embroidery machines to be installed. Trainers and counselors are able to teach life altering skills to 50 women every 6 months.
- PFC identified funders to install a water purification system at a residential facility and school for 150 girls orphaned by the Tsunami in 2004. In partnership with the Bon Secours Convent, which operates the school, funds were delivered and the water system was later upgraded in 2008.
- PFC attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. A partnership was formed with The Dilenschneider Group, a leading PR and strategic development group, to further the work of PFC.
- PFC visited Assisi, Italy and the Porziuncola built by St. Francis. This visit led to the involvement with the Nuova Porziuncola built in San Francisco and the formation of the Knights of Saint Francis at the National Shrine of Saint Francis in San Francisco.
- PFC Board of Directors, Diane Patton Federico, and Jacqueline Miller, visited Egypt on a humanitarian and animal rescue mission. PFC provided support to the Brooke Animal Hospital and impoverished families in Luxor, Egypt.
- PFC’s Jacqueline Miller and Andrew Michael officially became Knights of St. Francis (along with Robert Kennedy, Jr.). The Board of Supervisors honored Jacqueline Miller and Andrew Michael at City Hall. St. Francis is the patron saint of the city of San Francisco and protector of animals and the environment. St. Francis fought for social change, social justice and peace.
- Partnerships For Change’s, Andrew Michael, was honored to carry the Olympic Torch for the 2008 Beijing Olympics during the torch relay in San Francisco, CA. Andrew Michael was featured on the homepage of AOL, front-page of London Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Marin Independent Journal, and several international television broadcasts.
- Cyclone “Nardis” devastated the country of Myanmar, formerly Burma. Despite the resistance of the Union of Myanmar military generals to accept aid from outside their country, PFC’s previously established relationship with the monastery in 2001, allowed quick funding to be dispatched to the monk in charge thus enabling repairs to be made to the damaged facility in addition to the dispersion of food, rice, and money.
- PFC was invited to celebrate the 150th anniversary jubilee of the founding of the Franciscan order of nuns in India known as the Bon Secours Convent. The visit to India provided an opportunity to explore partnerships between the Tibetans in India and the Bon Secours Convent and to forward the “Technology in Service to Humanity Project”.
- PFC sponsored a clean tech company, Natural Systems Utilities headquartered in New Jersey, which provides an innovative holistic water filtration system to urban and rural settlements worldwide.