An oasis for children, homeless families and those in need
This
facility was built by the Children’s Foundation of Cabo San Lucas to provide
resources to children and families of the homeless and severely impoverished. All the staff at this facility are local volunteers. When I visited Casa San Juan Diego, I talked
with a volunteer teacher and psychologist, both who work at the center four hours or more almost daily. This center is overseen by the local Catholic priest but operates only on donations.
The primary focus of Casa San Juan Diego is summarized below:
The primary focus of Casa San Juan Diego is summarized below:
1. 100-200 children per day come here for a meal
in the morning, to participate in activities and have a safe place to engage in sports and activities. To use the facility the older children (age
9-17) must attend one class. These classes vary from teaching basic values, social skills, education
about drugs, abuse and violence, and English/Spanish language class. The classes are held right after
breakfast. The children are always
welcome to spend time at the facility during the day, if they aren’t attending
school. Many children also
participate in sports and games at this facility after school. Casa San Juan Diego is a safe place for
children to be. Most of these children
live in severe poverty situations and some live on the streets.
2. At Casa San Juan Deigo there is a small space
for homeless families to live for a limited amount of time, usually a few days
to a week. They must apply to the
foundation to show their level of need.
3. Anybody can come to Casa San Juan Diego to
have breakfast, but an agreement is made that if they participate in receiving
the meal, they must also attend a class to learn employment skills
(carpentry, hairstyling, etc.). Another
requirement is they must give back to the organization by helping at the facility: preparing meals and cleanup, cleaning the
facility, taking care of the grounds, or babysitting small children while their
parent(s) are attending a skills class.
4. The staff at Casa San Juan Diego try to help with offering connections to other needed resources. Mental health counseling is also offered by one of the volunteers there.
It amazes me how many resources are available to people who use this center, but how little it operates on. Costco and Walmart contribute food once a week. Charity and donations from other sources are minimal.
4. The staff at Casa San Juan Diego try to help with offering connections to other needed resources. Mental health counseling is also offered by one of the volunteers there.
It amazes me how many resources are available to people who use this center, but how little it operates on. Costco and Walmart contribute food once a week. Charity and donations from other sources are minimal.
The
list of needs and projects to help with at Casa San Juan Diego is long.
Supplies
needed are:
* Any kind of technology (computers,
printer, calculators, television, DVD player).
These are used in the classrooms for the children
These are used in the classrooms for the children
* Art supplies of all kinds: paper, copier paper, glue, paints, crayons,
pencils,
markers, clay/play dough, scissors, construction paper, felt, etc.
* Books for ages 9-17 years
of age
* Sports equipment (soccer
balls, basketballs, softballs, bats, playground balls for
younger children)
* Playground equipment for
the older children. The metal playground
equipment
they currently have is falling apart and is actually dangerous).
* Playground equipment for
the younger children. They currently
have cheap
plastic equipment that is falling apart and unusable.
* Toys for babies, toddlers
and young children (including riding toys)
* Cribs
* Playpens/baby enclosures
* Small chairs and tables
for pre-school age children
* Diapers, baby wipes,
diaper ointment
* Medicine, vitamins
* Shampoo, hand soap
* Head lice shampoo and lice
combs
* Toilet paper
* Food of any kind,
especially the basics (flour, cornmeal, cooking oil, canned
and boxed milk, sugar, rice, beans)
and boxed milk, sugar, rice, beans)
* Milk and infant formula
* Cleaning supplies: soap (hand, laundry, dishwashing, general
purpose), bleach,
disinfecting solution
* Paint
* Chicken and rabbit food
* Shovels, rakes
* Clothing and shoes for all
ages, children to adult
* Materials for the
carpentry shop to make small items that can be sold to sustain
Casa San Juan
Diego
* Tools for carpentry
class: skill saw, jigsaw, drill, tools
Services
and projects volunteers could participate in:
* Teaching any kind of skills to adults
* Teaching how to create a
garden and compost
* Fixing and expanding pens
where over 70 rabbits and 80 chickens are housed
in one small pen for each, building nesting boxes for laying hens, figuring
out a way that manure can be used for the community garden that hopefully
someone can help establish
in one small pen for each, building nesting boxes for laying hens, figuring
out a way that manure can be used for the community garden that hopefully
someone can help establish
* Teaching children any kind
of skills
* Maintenance repairs
(electrical, plumbing)
* Teaching children how to
do a craft project
* Teaching sports games
* Teaching any kind of
hairstyling skills, pedicure process, manicures, spa
services
services
* Repairing and painting two
large rooms where infants and toddlers are taken
care of while parents attend one of the skill classes. The area is currently
dark, unattractive, with small tables or chairs. Toys need to be discarded
and replaced, nothing bright and stimulating is on any of the walls
care of while parents attend one of the skill classes. The area is currently
dark, unattractive, with small tables or chairs. Toys need to be discarded
and replaced, nothing bright and stimulating is on any of the walls
* Any kind of interaction
with the children, reading books, songs, music, playing
with toddlers and
holding infants
* Constructing and/or
reconstructing the playground area
* Counseling/trauma therapy
(EMDR or EFT), help with work around abuse issues,
self-esteem, education about
anger management, addictions
* First aid/minor medical
procedures and evaluations
If you would like to help by donating items, time or service, contact me or the director below.
If you would like to help by donating items, time or service, contact me or the director below.
Contact information
Address:
Casa San Juan Diego
Prolonacion Leona Vicario,
Col.
Meza Colorada
Parroquia
Av. Lopez Mateos/Prologarciòn
Morelos, Col.
E Jidel
Director: Prof. Augusto Marròn
augustocaloo@hotmail.com
Casa
San Juan Diego phone: 624 12 45 978
Staff:
P.
Arturo Garcia Fernandez, volunteer teacher
624
12 16 009
Evelia
Martinez Solis
624
16 86 041
Hours: 8:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Activities
until 5 p.m. for children (most children are there for the morning hours and
return after 2 p.m.)
 |
| The volunteer kitchen crew cleaning up |
 |
| Unsafe playground equipment |
 |
| Small shop where participants learn carpentry skills |
 |
| Are that could be used for an organic garden. |
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| Infant and toddler room, barren and sparse. |
 |
| The toys for young children to play with while parents are attending a skills class. Most of it needs to be thrown away. |
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| The same room as the toys (above), sparse and bleak. |
 |
| Rabbit pen |
 |
| Someone donated 76 chickens, this area needs help. |
