An online travel auction begins March 18 to raise funds for a family shelter for women and children in the Latgale region of Latvia, the U.S.-based Kids First Fund has announced.

The eBay auction will be available at KidsFirstAuction.com. The auction is expected to include about 100 travel-related offers from more than 30 airline, hotel and car rental companies. Offers include destinations in Europe, Russia, South America, the Middle East, Canada, the Caribbean and the United States, according to Jay Sorensen, president of Kids First.

This is the fifth year Kids First has run the auction.

Proceeds from the 2008 auction will help in the construction at Rugāji, Latvia, of a residential shelter for abused children and their mothers. The USD 1.4 million building will be supported by the Kids First, the Latvian Children’s Fund and the German Christian Children’s Fund.

Kids First was founded in 1999. Its headquarters is in Milwaukee, Wis.