For the “wonderful,” we would like to thank all of you who opened your hearts to the children of RISE and Pasitos and made their return to school an exciting experience. With your support, our Back to School Matching Funds Campaign was a huge success. Like you, we believe that education is the key element for the future of these children. Without education, they will have little opportunity to fulfill their dreams for a brighter tomorrow.
With the amount donated, the staff at RISE bought $530 worth of new shoes and socks; $175 paid for new uniforms; and $160 was spent on backpacks, school supplies, registration fees and books. At Pasitos, $200 was used to buy new puzzles and books.
But that’s just the beginning:
Chely, a lovely young woman (the oldest of five siblings) will be attending the UNIVA High School. $1435 went to pay for her registration, uniform, books and tuition through December. Chely is very focused on her education and is a good role model for the other children.
And there is more:
With your help, we are sending two of the boys from RISE to a school that will help them with their special needs. They are both bright, with the ability to excel, but they were struggling in public school. Even though one of them is receiving a scholarship, the tuition for both is over $375 per month, and the amount for registration, books and uniforms was another $1200.
But we’re NOT done yet:
Many of you who have spent time at RISE may remember Carmen and her sister Lucia. Although Carmen left RISE several years ago, we learned in August that she has been struggling to support herself. Philippa Vernon Powell of New Life Mexico helped Carmen register for a school to become a beautician. There she will learn not only about styling hair, but also how to give manicures, pedicures, etc. With the kind assistance of Philippa, Carmen was able to secure a scholarship to pay for part of her tuition, and with YOUR help we are paying the balance of $350 for her tuition and the supplies she needs through the end of December.
And it keeps getting better:
One of the obstacles of communal living is finding a quiet corner for homework or seeking out a staff member to answer questions about assignments. So with YOUR help, we are now paying a portion of the salary of those employees at RISE and Pasitos whose time is spent encouraging and assisting the children who would possibly fall even further between the cracks without this extra attention.
BUT ALL of this was only possible because of you, our donors. As you read through the list of accomplishments, I hope you also noticed that most of the funding for these worthy causes has been paid only through December. So, yes, you will be hearing from us again when we ask for your support for the remainder of the school year.
Whether or not you participated in our Back to School Campaign this time, if you agree with our vision for these children’s future, we hope you will contribute to our cause for these children’s “second” semester.
Through the generosity of donors like you, RISE has been transformed into a wonderful testament of what can be accomplished together. Although projects like new bathrooms and playground equipment are completed, we must never lose sight of the fact that this is NOT just a beautiful, empty building….instead it is the home for many children. This “home,” this “refuge,” this “haven,” will be where their childhood memories are formed, their values strengthened and for most, their education completed. That is why your continued support is so vital!
This past Spring CEA (Camp Athletic Evolution) invited the toddlers and kindergarten-age children at RISE to participate, free of charge, in a rigorous health and sports development program at their new, modern, well-equipped facility in Nuevo Vallarta. Their “Boot Camp” is an innovative, stimulating, structured training program emphasizing the fun of physical activity and sports participation. Several of us from Children’s Shelter of Hope Foundation, have had the opportunity to go along and observe these young children as they crawl through tunnels, jump over hoops, and walk on balance beams, while they giggle in delight.
And, through the summer months, Boot Camp training, under the direction of Sports Manager Eduardo Figueroa and his capable staff, is being offered to the school-age children from RISE as well. What a wonderful way to promote physical conditioning and exercise to insure a brighter future of hope for these special children.
Hope sometimes requires a little pre-planning. Such is the case with“Back to School” needs for the children at Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza (RISE) and Pasitos de Luz (PDL). Thirty-four children from RISE in mid-August will start a new school year in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school or high school, and many more at PDL will attend classes at the center. For some, tuition is needed for different schools that are best able to address special learning issues for individual children. For most, backpacks, school shoes, notebooks and pencils, school uniforms, etc. will help prepare them for the challenges of a new school year. And always, the consistent, caring support of tutors and educational staff at RISE and PDL is essential to offer individual intervention, encouragement, and assistance with homework assignments and educational activities.