Juan Pablo Gnecco’s accomplishments take place in Atlanta, Georgia, where he lives and works. His compassionate efforts yield big results for children in Bogotá, Colombia, where Juan Pablo was raised. These efforts benefit the victims of the ongoing war in the region, specifically children who have been injured and/or displaced from their homes.
Since 2000, Juan Pablo has mobilized prominent Colombian professionals in the Atlanta area and asked for their assistance in addressing the war children of Colombia. Formally, Juan Pablo began his work in June 2001 when his organization, Colombianitos, was granted tax exempt status.
He first began his work by changing the lives of children who were in need of prosthetics and rehabilitation due to near-fatal contact with land mines. Over the years, his efforts have widened to include all children in Colombia who are victims of terrorism and violence. Colombianitos has several programs currently underway, including the Land Mine Program, the Soccer Club Program, the Sponsorship Program, and the Caraluna Music Program.
Colombianitos’ Soccer Club Program transformed a violent neighborhood into a peaceful family-centered community. Their street, once filled with terror, is now safe for more than a thousand children who play soccer and fill the environment with positive energy.
In 2003 the program received the Mentor Innovation Award from Queen Sylvia of Sweden for the “most promising project for the prevention of drug misuse by children and young people.” Colombianitos' soccer program in Ciudad Bolivar, one of the poorest districts in the capital city, requires children to stay in school if they want to participate in the sport. The Mentor Foundation called the group's premise a "simple, yet elegant and effective philosophy."
Using his resources as a respected creative force in the Atlanta design community, and as the founder/CEO of StudioCom, Juan Pablo has encouraged his friends, family, clients, and employees to help further Colombianitos’ mission: improving living conditions for underprivileged children in Colombia. Often you can find Juan Pablo’s children and wife by his side on weekends and during vacations helping his cause.
In 1995, Juan Pablo and his family moved to Atlanta where he had one friend and no job. Through his optimism and love of his home country, Colombia, Juan Pablo created and developed a very successful interactive agency with 44 employees. Once he was established, Colombianitos was born. Juan always has a positive attitude despite the circumstances. He works non-stop, seven days per week, helping to realize many dreams for Colombian families. Juan Pablo never stops looking for new opportunities and new possibilities to help these children.
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