David Popovici Helps Raise Over $600,000 for Charity Benefitting Romanian Orphans

Romanian superstar swimmer David Popovici has participated in a fundraiser that helped raise almost €600,000 ($620,000 USD) to support orphans in Romania.

The organization is called Hope and Homes for Children. Popovici works with the Romanian arm of the global non-profit NGO that aims to change for the better the life of institutionalized children from Romanian orphanages by providing suitable homes for them in houses with professional care.

“Romania’s orphanages don’t exactly have a great reputation in terms of environment and care,” Popovici told SwimSwam. “These guys raise awareness but also money for kids that need the help. They aim to close all orphanages in the country – I think they are almost done,” Popovici said.

The latest round of fundraising surpassed its goal of €400,000 by almost 50% with Popovici’s support. He said that this project built a house for 11 children with medium and severe disabilities who were institutionalized either because they were orphaned or abandoned.

“They needed a place that suited their special needs and care, also with a big yard,” Popovici said, adding that some are not able to move to go to a park or to experience nature away from where they live. “Before this, the 11 children lived in 2 small apartments.”

• Donations can be made to Hope and Homes here.

Late last year, Popovici donated his Olympic gold medal podium outfit from the Paris Olympics to a raffle for the organization that raised over €160,000 in just 10 days – exceeding its goal by 39%.

Popovici, 20, won Olympic gold in the 200 free and bronze in the 100 free at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, one of Romania’s three Olympic medals last summer.

• Read Also: Popovici: The Face of a Whole Country

In 2022, he won the 100 free and 200 free at the World Aquatics Championships, making him the first swimmer to do so at the same edition of that meet. Later that year, at the European Championships, he set the World Record in the 100 free in 46.86.

See Popovici’s introduction on slide 2 below: