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City government takes 360 people assisted by Social Services to a show at the Olympic Barra.
Published on 19/06/2026 - 16:54 | Updated on 19/06/2026 - 17:41
77 children attended the show, accompanied by 58 family members; Photo: Mariana Rocha / SMAS It was a morning of pure magic. Around 360 people served by programs of the Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance (SMAS) of Rio de Janeiro participated, on Friday, June 19th, in an event of the "Bridges to the Future" Project, which offers culture, fun, and learning to children, teenagers, and families in vulnerable social situations. The group attended a performance of the show "Disney On Ice: Family Party" at the Farmasi Arena, in Barra Olímpica, in the Southwest Zone of the city. After an hour and a half of show, with ice skating, acrobatics, special effects, music, and children's characters known to different generations, looks of enchantment spread throughout the audience.
– Being here, enjoying such a wonderful event, is a very special gift for all of us – said Vanessa Pereira de Almeida, 40, mother of Oliver, a 3-year-old child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with emotion.
Vanessa is one of the beneficiaries of the Carioca Early Childhood Card, distributed by SMAS and part of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall's Little Cariocas program, focused on child development. Thirty thousand low-income families in Rio de Janeiro with at least one child under 4 years old are entitled to the food card, recharged with R$ 200 every month. They must be registered in the Unified Registry (CadÚnico), have a monthly income of up to R$ 218 per person, and not be beneficiaries of the Bolsa Família program (a federal government program).
The professionals felt the same emotion.
From the group of families who receive the card, 77 children attended the show, accompanied by 58 family members (fathers, mothers, and other relatives) and 20 social assistance professionals. This was the fourth cultural event for card recipients, who also participated in a breakfast and celebration for International Women's Day in March; and visits to Sugarloaf Mountain and a special movie screening, both in May, Mother's Day month.
"It was very moving to experience this magical moment with the families; it was remarkable. This is social inclusion, and the children were very happy," described Vanessa Medeiros, advisor at SMAS responsible for monitoring the families.
Other groups served by Social Assistance enjoyed "Disney On Ice." There were approximately 100 participants (between foster parents and those being fostered) from the Foster Family Service, which provides temporary homes for children and adolescents who are victims of rights violations and have been removed from their families of origin by court order; and approximately 100 people from nine SMAS foster care units (seven serving children, one for adolescents, and one for adults).
– Seeing the sparkle in each child's eyes, the smiles, the emotion of the families, and the sense of belonging among the people was something that deeply touched me. I leave this experience with a full heart and the certainty that we are on the right path – defined Guilherme Nanni, coordinator of the Bridges to the Future Project, organizer of the event, which was made possible thanks to a partnership with the show's producers.
