Andrew Stein founded the Orphaned Starfish Foundation in 2001 to help orphans, victims of abuse, survivors of trafficking, indigenous populations, refugees and at-risk youth worldwide escape their cycles of poverty and abuse through education and job training. From humble beginnings building a small computer vocational training center in an orphanage for young victims of abuse in Santiago, Chile, he has built the Foundation to now serve 18,000 children in 80 programs in 33 countries: American Samoa, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, The Congo (DRC), Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad, United States & Uruguay. Andy has partnered with local organizations in each of these countries, including Save the Children, Rotary Club, and USAID.

Around the world he is known as Tio Andy or Tio Mago. Andy makes yearly visits to each Orphaned Starfish program. Mago is Spanish for Magician. He brings a magic show complete with balloon animals for all the children. (His highest amount recorded was 1,000 balloon animals in one sitting.) His visits also allow for a personal connection not only to the children but to the institutions and their directors and teachers.

For his work helping the children of the favelas of Brazil, Andy was awarded an Honorary Citizenship in Rio De Janeiro by their Congress. In the United States, he has also been awarded the Jefferson Award for Community Service, the key to the city of Miami Beach, and several other state and local honors. He and the Orphaned Starfish Foundation have been featured on CBS News, Fox News, ABC News, Telemundo and Univision as well as in the Wall Street Journal, Miami Herald, Star Ledger, Jewish Week and US Magazine. Andy has also been a member of the Benefit Committees for Aleh Foundation, National Academy for the Arts, US Doctors for Africa, and Harlem’s Playing 2 Win Foundation. Prior to his work with Orphaned Starfish, Andy was active in Special Olympics, Rotary Club and Counterpart International.

From 1993 – 1996, Andy was based in Manila, Philippines as the Joint Head of Corporate Finance for Chase’s (formerly Chemical Bank’s) Manila Branch. During his tenure in Manila, Andy developed the Bank’s project finance and hospitality expertise in the Philippines. Andy also was instrumental in the execution of the Brady Plan bonds, which restructured the bank debt of several Latin American and Asian countries.

Andy holds a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from the University of Virginia. Andy has two sons, both very much involved with Orphaned Starfish Foundation. Andy spends his time between New York City and Miami when not traveling for the Foundation.