What is Pasitos de Luz?
“Pasitos de Luz” stands for “Little Steps of Light” in Spanish. This amazing non-profit daycare center provides assistance for low income families in the Bay of Banderas area who have children suffering from severe physical or psychological debilitating conditions. Pasitos was founded more than eighteen years ago by a determined group of mothers who were desperate to have a place where their special children could receive decent levels of care and attention. Today Pasitos is a lifeline for more than 120 families who rely on them to care for their children during the day so that they can work and survive.
What services does Pasitos de Luz provide?
Pasitos offers a huge range of essential services, including physical rehabilitation, psychological care, speech therapy, nutrition, medical attention, and much more. Since most of the children at Pasitos are not able to participate in the public mainstream educational system, they have educational specialists on staff in separate classrooms at the new Casa Connor center who provide for the wide variety of ability levels. These teachers work on activities ranging from puzzles, games and artwork to basics such as learning the alphabet, colors, numbers, and even reading. In addition, they help the children with daily life skills including shoe tying, dressing, brushing teeth, etc.
Children’s Shelter of Hope Foundation is currently providing monthly funding to pay for staff salaries and other educational and health related needs.
Does Pasitos de Luz charge for these services?
NO, all of the children who receive support, nutritious meals, and care at Pasitos do so completely free of charge to the parents. The staff conducts frequent fundraising events and activities, and depends on support from volunteers plus local and foreign benefactors, such as Children’s Shelter of Hope Foundation.