{"id":8236953,"date":"2018-03-07T20:40:40","date_gmt":"2018-03-08T01:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/?p=8236953"},"modified":"2023-10-18T15:32:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T19:32:19","slug":"marc-anthony-henry-cardenas-maestro-cares-interview","status":"publish","type":"billboard_pro_post","link":"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/marc-anthony-henry-cardenas-maestro-cares-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Deeds You Can Touch: Henry Cardenas Talks About the Tangible Change of His Maestro Cares Foundation With Marc&nbsp;Anthony"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- do not apply CSS styles to this element! -->\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pmc-paywall\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>It started in 2011 with a visit by <a href=\"\/music\/marc-anthony\">Marc Anthony<\/a> to an orphanage in Dominican Republic. The home, Fundacion Ni\u00f1o de Cristo, which housed 50 boys, had long been a pet project of Anthony\u2019s good friend and longtime concert promoter, Henry C\u00e1rdenas &#8212; owner of CMN, the leading Latin concert promotion company in the country &#8212; and his wife Elena Sotomayor.<\/p>\n<p>Their involvement led them to take Anthony there during a Christmas holiday. He was enchanted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe would always talk about this orphanage that Henry had supported for over 10 years,\u201d Anthony told <em>Billboard<\/em> in 2014. \u201cAnd I came for Christmas, I had a staff party, and my whole staff was here, and they bought all kinds of toys and sneakers and stuff for the kids. And I walked into the orphanage and saw those kids and I was just shocked. It impacted me. I instantly looked at Henry and said, \u2018We need to do something.\u2019 We built a five-acre compound for the kids, and they each have their own bed, their own closet. It\u2019s so important for their dignity to have their own things. So we built this orphanage. We did it. We built it in less than a year.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"injected-related-story \/\/ lrv-u-display-inline-block lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-margin-t-2 u-margin-t-26@mobile-max u-margin-b-0.875@mobile-max u-margin-b-150@tablet u-border-t-12 lrv-u-padding-t-025 u-padding-b-1.313 lrv-u-padding-b-125@mobile-max lrv-u-border-color-black\" >\n\t\t\t<div class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  lrv-a-unstyle-link lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap u-font-weight-700 lrv-u-display-inline-block u-line-height-18px a-font-accent u-letter-spacing-0225 u-font-size-16 lrv-u-color-black lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-article-badge-underline a-article-esp u-display-inline-flex lrv-u-margin-b-1@mobile-max u-margin-b-9@tablet\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"injected-related-story-wrapper lrv-u-flex lrv-u-justify-content-space-between lrv-u-padding-tb-050@desktop a-children-border-vertical a-children-border--grey a-children-border-width-050\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"o-card \">\n\n\t\t\t<a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/marc-anthony-foundation-maestro-cares-bill-clinton-preview\/\" class=\"lrv-u-color-black:hover lrv-u-flex u-flex-direction-column@desktop\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-margin-b-075 lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\" style=\"\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/marc-anthony-orphanage-2012-billboard-650.jpg?w=237&#038;h=147&#038;crop=1\" alt=\"Marc Anthony\" data-lazy-srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\" decoding=\"async\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"o-card__content \">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<span class=\"c-span  lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap\">\n\n\t\n<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"o_category \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"c_title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-font-basic-fancy u-font-size-15 u-font-size-15.5@mobile-max u-line-height-22px u-padding-r-0.188@desktop u-word-spacing-0013 u-line-height-22.5px@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-4line@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-3line\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tMarc Anthony&#039;s Maestro Cares Foundation Transforms Children&#039;s Lives, One Concert at a Time\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<time class=\"c-timestamp  \"\n\tdatetime=\"00:00-YY-DD-MM\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\n<\/time>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"o-card \">\n\n\t\t\t<a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/selena-gomez-demi-lovato-friendship-1236370661\/\" class=\"lrv-u-color-black:hover lrv-u-flex u-flex-direction-column@desktop\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-margin-b-075 lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\" style=\"\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/selena-gomez-demi-lovato-rare-beauty-screenshot-billboard-1800.jpg?w=237&#038;h=147&#038;crop=1\" alt=\"Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato\" data-lazy-srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\" decoding=\"async\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"o-card__content \">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<span class=\"c-span  lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap\">\n\n\t\n<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"o_category \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"c_title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-font-basic-fancy u-font-size-15 u-font-size-15.5@mobile-max u-line-height-22px u-padding-r-0.188@desktop u-word-spacing-0013 u-line-height-22.5px@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-4line@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-3line\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tSelena Gomez Celebrates &#039;Ups &amp; Downs&#039; With Demi Lovato: &#039;I&#039;m Proud of What We&#039;ve Been Through&#039;\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<time class=\"c-timestamp  \"\n\tdatetime=\"00:00-YY-DD-MM\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\n<\/time>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"o-card \">\n\n\t\t\t<a tabindex=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/leah-barylsky-rufus-du-sol-camerwoman-inhale-exhale-tour-1236370639\/\" class=\"lrv-u-color-black:hover lrv-u-flex u-flex-direction-column@desktop\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image  lrv-u-margin-b-075 lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max\">\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\" style=\"\">\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Billboard_Rufus-du-Sol_Leah.jpg?w=237&#038;h=147&#038;crop=1\" alt=\"Leah Barylsky onstage with R\u00fcf\u00fcs du Sol&#039;s Jon George\" data-lazy-srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\" decoding=\"async\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<div class=\"o-card__content \">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<span class=\"c-span  lrv-u-whitespace-nowrap\">\n\n\t\n<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"o_category \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"c_title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-font-basic-fancy u-font-size-15 u-font-size-15.5@mobile-max u-line-height-22px u-padding-r-0.188@desktop u-word-spacing-0013 u-line-height-22.5px@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-4line@mobile-max a-truncate-ellipsis-3line\">\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tMeet Leah Barylsky, the Woman Behind the Camera - And On the Stage -- During R\u00fcf\u00fcs Du Sol&#039;s Record-Breaking Tour\t\t\n\t\n<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n<time class=\"c-timestamp  \"\n\tdatetime=\"00:00-YY-DD-MM\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\n<\/time>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>From that single orphanage, Maestro Cares was born. The foundation, a partnership between C\u00e1rdenas and Anthony, is a rare example of philanthropy in perpetual, concrete action in a very short time. Conceived with the goal of improving quality of life for orphaned and disadvantaged children in Latin America and the U.S., Maestro Cares has already built or funded 11 projects in five countries, raising over $10 million.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur advantage is, we build,\u201d says the blunt-spoken C\u00e1rdenas. \u201cYou can go touch it and feel it. You can concretely see what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, Maestro Cares will hold its annual fundraising gala in New York City, this time honoring Deepak Chopra, fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez and Inter-American Development Bank president Luis Alberto Moreno. C\u00e1rdenas spoke with us about the foundation\u2019s upcoming projects and the secrets to its success. For more information on Maestro Cares, visit <a  href=\"http:\/\/maestrocares.org\/\"  target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noopener nofollow\"  >MaestroCares.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the purpose of your gala?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It allows people who support us to come and see what we\u2019ve done. We want to show them the three projects we finished this year and announce the next ones. And of course, we want to raise funds. Most of the people that come to the gala have been supporting us since our inception, and they even come to our openings. Our advantage is we build. You can go touch it and feel it. Here, you can concretely see what we do.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What have you done in the past 12 months?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We finished Hogar San Miguel in Ponce, Puerto Rico, which houses 20 special-needs children. It was a little destroyed by Hurricane Maria, and we already raised the funds to build it up again. We finished a community center in the mountains of Guatemala, and it has everything you can imagine: sports center, infirmary, day care. Parents drop off their kids in the morning and pick them up at night. We serve 70 children. And in Guadalajara, Mexico, we\u2019re finishing an orphanage that will house over 120 girls, like the one we have in Toluca.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where does your revenue come from? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Every concert we do &#8212; <a href=\"\/music\/nicky-jam\">Nicky Jam<\/a>, <a href=\"\/music\/ricardo-arjona\">Ricardo Arjona<\/a>, <a href=\"\/music\/maluma\">Maluma<\/a>, <a href=\"\/music\/bad-bunny\">Bad Bunny<\/a>, Alejandro Fernandez, all these superstars &#8212; they allow us to charge $1 or $2 extra, and that goes to Maestro Cares. We have three major revenue streams: The gala, what we add to each concert ticket sold by CMN [with the artist\u2019s approval, of course] and what Marc does. For example, every single concert Marc plays, we do a raffle for the chance to win a meet-and-greet with Marc, and people pay to participate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This is a Marc-Henry project, isn\u2019t it? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. I started with Marc and we\u2019ve done it together ever since. I took Marc to where the kids lived in Dominican Republic. It was a little three-bedroom home for 50 kids. And Marc said, &#8220;What can we do?&#8221; I said, &#8220;Let\u2019s build a place!&#8221; I created the foundation, Marc gave us a concert at Barclays, we got support from Goya, and we raised $2 million. And we thought that was it. But then some people from Colombia loved it and said they wanted to replicate it in Barranquilla. So we did another orphanage, and now, we\u2019re hooked. We\u2019ve raised over $10 million and built 11 projects.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s next for Maestro?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This year we\u2019re opening up in El Salvador. We\u2019re doing a couple of major projects in Cali, Colombia, and we\u2019re signing a contract for Chile. It grows every year. I could do 20 projects a year, but I have to run CMN, although I enjoy philanthropy more than anything. I work with people in need, and giving is better than receiving. When you get a smile back, it\u2019s priceless.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maestro Cares Gives back with artists&#8217; support. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8695206,"featured_media":9246412,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_exclude_post_from_river":false,"authors":[],"contributors":[],"styled_by":[],"_image_credit":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","pmc_selected_wwd_video_media":"","pmc_top_video_source":"","pmc_top_video_duration":"","wwd_top_video_source":"","wwd_top_video_duration":"","pmc_selected_featured_media":"","pmc_selected_video_media":"","pmc_selected_variety_video_media":"","variety_top_video_source":"","variety_top_video_duration":"","pmc_featured_media_has_alt_text":true,"_pmc_featured_animated_media_id":0,"_pmc_featured_video_override_data":"","_pmc_featured_video_override_url":"","_pmc_featured_video_response_data":"","pmc-gallery-linked-gallery":{},"pmc_list_item_description":"","primary_category":"","primary_vertical":"","_mt_pmc_exclude_from_seo":"","_pmc_opengraph_title":"","_pmc_opengraph_description":"","categories":8695068,"subcategories":8546629,"pmc-gallery":[],"thr_post_headlines":"","_variety-sub-heading":"","mt_seo_title":"Henry Cardenas Talks About Maestro Cares Foundation","mt_seo_description":"Maestro Cares Gives back with artists' support. 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