Holy Child Charity is based on Christian principles
We pray that Jesus Christ guides us so that we may lead this entity and put your generous gifts to work according to His teachings.
Holy Child Charity is a non-profit entity formed in 2014 by Dr. Cesar Parra. As an accomplished pediatrician practicing for many years in Houston, Texas, Dr. Parra developed a special desire to care for underprivileged children. With that thought in mind, Dr. Parra felt that his next calling was to form a non-profit organization dedicated to the well-being of children.
Holy Child Charity is devoted to feed, educate and help children around the world
Born in Colombia, Dr. Parra and his wife have seen the disad- vantaged children in remote parts of that country. However, one does not need to travel far from Texas to see underprivile- ged children. In 2014, Dr. Parra and his wife visited Catholic Charities at Rio Bend. This facility houses refugee children in Richmond, Texas. They invited a few friends to visit the facilities and they all witnessed firsthand the neglected children right down the road. This group of friends understood Dr. Parra’s vision and they now form part of the Board of Directors of Holy Child Charity.
Meet our board of directors
The Holy Child Charity Board of Directors is formed by:
Cesar A. Parra
Founder, President, and Board Member.
Dr. Parra graduated from medical school in 1989. After a 2 year research program in Genetics, he moved with his family to Houston, where he finished his Pediatric residency at the University of Texas. Dr. Parra maintains a successful Pediatric practice in an underprivileged neighborhood of West Houston. As a member of Operation San Jose, a medical mission that specializes in repairing cleft lips and palates for the underserved children in third world countries, he has traveled to multiple Latin American countries. In the course of these trips, he has observed the lack of resources and neglect that many children suffer. In 2014, Dr. Parra worked with respected community members in Fort Bend County, Texas, to create the Holy Child Charity.
Mark Coppedge
Board Member.
Mark Coppedge graduated from Texas A&M University in 1993 with an accounting degree and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1996. He has worked in the oil and gas industry for over 28 years and is currently a senior finance manager for a major oil company in Houston. Mark is active in several ministries of St Laurence Catholic Church, including Family Night, Perpetual Adoration, ACTS, Catholic Men Called to be Saints, and marriage preparation. He also serves on the St Laurence discipleship council. Mark believes strongly that the family home is the domestic church, a place of grace, prayer and a school of human virtues and of Christian charity.
Rocío Parra
Co-Founder and Board Member.
Rocio Parra was born in the city of Cali, Colombia, and moved to the United States in 1993 with her husband and first-born child. She has an Associate’s Degree in General Studies. She dedicates her time to raising her children, volunteering at their schools, and volunteering at St. Laurence Catholic Church. In addition, she has volunteered at the Pregnant Resource Medical Center of Fort Bend County, where she helped organize donations and care for children. Rocio has always had a passion for helping the underprivileged. The founding of the Holy Child Charity was her family’s “dream come true” to give back to the people around the world. Rocio also serves as Vice President for the Cesar Parra Medical Clinic.
Jose Rodríguez
Board Member.
Jose Rodriguez graduated from the University of St. Thomas in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Psychology. During his time at the University of St. Thomas, he served as the President of the Latino Medical Student Association, Vice-President of the American Chemical Society, Mentor for the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program, Representative for the Diversity and Inclusion Council, and Public Relations Officer for the Pre-Health Professions Society. Jose is driven towards a career in medicine to reduce the disparities experienced by underrepresented and socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals in Houston. He has volunteered actively with Houston Methodist Hospital, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Bread of Life, Project C.U.R.E, and clinics in Honduras.
José M. Parra, MPH
Board Member.
Mr. Parra was born in Bogota, Colombia and immigrated to the US in 1993, with his family, after his father was accepted for pediatric residency at the University of Texas. Raised in Sugar Land, Mr. Parra attended elementary, middle, and high school in Sugar Land and chose to stay local after high school, attending and graduating from HBU in 2016 with a BA in Psychology and Biology. Later, Mr. Parra attended Brown University in Providence, RI, where earned an MPH degree in 2018. Following this, Mr. Parra worked in Medical Education Research at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, MA, from 2019-2021. Finally, Mr. Parra enrolled and is currently in the process of earning an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, from Houston Christian University, and is expected to graduate in early 2024. Throughout his time in academia and the work- force, Mr. Parra has been involved in volunteering efforts in Houston, Warwick, Cranston, and abroad, with his focus being on providing necessities to marginalized populations of low socioeconomic status. Outside of his career, volunteer, and academic pursuits, Mr. Parra enjoys learning about and collecting watches, fishing and all forms of watersports, cooking and grilling, doing yoga and meditation, and spending time with his family and puppy, Oliver.