Amiguitos  (EIN # 26-3394832) is a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and was formed by people of various faith backgrounds in order to work together and help vulnerable children and families, especially in Southern Mexico. 

Donations needed for 2010-2011 school year!
Dear friends (amiguitos) - Each year the families in the vulnerable neighborhoods of Veracruz struggle to send their children to the public schools.  Some can afford the schools fees, uniforms and supplies required to attend public school and many can not.  Without a uniform and the annual fees, students are turned away from school.  Last year Amiguitos sponsored 19 students in continuing thier education.  This year we need to provide scholarships for 37 children!  $135 USD will provide ONE FULL YEAR of public school education for a child.  Many of you already sponsor a child in Amiguitos feeding and homework support programs ($40/month).  Thank you for your support.  Please consider a one-time donation of $135 to help us keep our most vulnerable kids in school this coming year.

Checks can be made to "Amiguitos"  Memo: "Education" and sent to:

Or online donations by credit card.  Click the big yellow "DONATE" button to the left.  

Your help is greatly appreciated.    Our goal is to improve communities through the education of children.  We need your help.

Curtis

Students needing help this year are:

Ana                    Andres            Angel                Antonio


Augustine        Cesar                 Christian            Cinthia


Cristhoper         Danna                Emaliano        Enrique


Epifanio            Fernando            Gloria Ines       Jesus


Juan Carlos        Karla Chuy        Karla Paez        Lorena


Luis                    Luis Cesar        Magaly            Maritza


Mauricio            Melanie            Miguel             Mitchel


Omar                Ramon                Raul                Rodrigo


Rosa                    Sugey            Yesenia            Yoselin


William


Laguna Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's August 8, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:

This week the activities were normal with 67 students participating all week.  Saturday we had computer and English classes.  We also handed out uniforms and new backpacks for students to get ready for the upcoming start of public school.  Dr. Porfirio was ill with bronchitus and so will have the monthly health clinic next week.  Antonio hurt his arm and Ramon injured his hand.  Victor C. and Agustin continue to have trouble with their skin.

We have begun buying uniforms for the new school year

Click here for more photos
Goldi

Tarimoya Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's August 8, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:

The afternoons this week were spent in Tarimoya helping the children get ready for school by starting lessons.  30 children participated this week.  Saturday we had computer and English classes.
Click here for more photos
Goldi

Laguna Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's August 1, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:

This week the activities have been different.  Since  Friday we had the inflatable pool up for all the children.  Also we have had two children who have suffered accidents outside the community center: one is Andres and the other Agustin. Andres  burned his arm and chest in his house.  The arm was burned very badly but now already is better.   Agustin hurt his foot in the spokes of a bicycle.  With treatments and medicine prescribed by  Dr. Porfidio, he could after walk the following day and his foot had improved. We are already preparing for the week of Vacation Biblical schools that start next week. The attendance all the week has been  64 children. Saturday all had their classes of English  and computers.   Later was in my house a night to watch DVDs with the teens and we ate  popcorn.  Thanks to your support Maia Elena already has enrolled  in the University Jean Piaget majoring in the science of education and begins classes on the 7th of August. 


Maria Elena starts at the University Jean Piaget this week!

And Ana has enrolled in the baccalaureate program (High School). Thanks for everything .
Click here for more photos
Goldi

Tarimoya Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's August 1, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:

Saturday thanks to God the rain stopped and we had the normal activities  Saturday with attendance of 29 altogether .  We had English and  computer classes. We began the work this week of meeting all the afternoons and to also have a week of Vacation Bible School.  Thanks for your  support. 
Click here for more photos
Goldi

Laguna Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's July 26, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:

This week the activities have been normal. The attendance has been of 64 children had classes of English Yesterday and computation.  And in the strong rain was no activity in Tarimoya since the roofs have hole.  Sunday was the  bishop visiting the group of the center by the celebration of Santa Maria Magdalena.  
Click here for more photos
Goldi

Laguna Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's July 18, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:

This week the Laguna Amiguitos Center has been normal  since all the young ones already are on school vacations.   We continue to tutor students all year round and the teens are helping the younger children to improve in mathematical and Spanish  skills for the next scholastic year.


Teens try to stay cool as temperatures hit record highs this week

Also this week the teens used the small inflatable pool and enjoyed the water since Veracruz now is the hottest of the entire year. Saturday we had English and computer lessons.   Also we had a meeting with the parents and we gave donations of clothes, shoes, purses and other things. This week Raul, Enrique, Ana, Omar and Cesar took their entrance examinations to enter their new schools.

Saturday the teens helped at Tarimoya with English and computer classes.  We helped 25 children.  I want to report that starting July 26 we will be helping students in Tarimoya every afternoon and Saturday morning to help the kids prepare for the upcoming school year.

Click here for more photos

Goldi

Pénjamo, Mexico Update:
Here is Maria Elena's July 17, 2010  update from Pénjamo, Mexico

Hello  friends,
We are all doing fine here in Penjamo.  The kids in the orphanage are great and now are on summer vacations for those who go to school. The staff who look after them are going a little bit crazy with 26 kids to look after for the entire day without breaks.  Finally 5 of the kids are now elibible to be adopted, they are now legally separated from their parents (A sad thing, yet hopefully a new beginnnig for the kids).  The 5 are hoping that all of them can be a dopted togother, because they are all siblings, two boys, and three girls.  Please pray for Carlos 8, Ramona 7, Lupita 5, Sergio3 and Carla 1.  It is going to be difficult for all of them to be adopted together. They went two weeks ago to say goodbye to their mother.  It seems that they were not sentimental about her ( you can imagine why) but she said she regreted what she had done and just wanted to say goodbye. [NOTE: All children in this center have been removed from thier original homes because of severe abuse].

We took the center a  highchair because they have a new girl of almost 2 years old who needs a chair to eat. Anyway, Carla is such a joy, and all of the kids,.  We took them a box of cookies, and now all of them want their own box.  There was a boy named Juan who was in time out as we arrived for our visit, who raised his hands and called me mom.  They never refer to me like that so it was a surprise.

This week, we'll have a movie evening and will  probably watch Toy Story.  I will keep you posted.  Maria Elena



Laguna Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's July 10, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico:
This week we had many activities.  We started Monday with clinics at the center and Dr. Porfidio treated all the children and parents plus 3 people from the community that came in. 


Wednesday was the school programs of Omar, Danna, Rodrigo, Paola and Ana and after I went with the teens to take a walk by the Pier and to eat at McDonalds to celebrate. Saturday we had English and computer classes without Saul because he had to present the accounting for the Audit of the diocese office.  Later I gave pencils to all the children and the donated deodorant to all the teens.   We have received some new children this month of vacations.  If they remain in the program, I will send photos. The attendance was 60 children all the week and today was no work in Tarimoya.
Click here for more photos
Goldi
Reflections on Veracruz by Lisa McMath
Here is Lisa's July 4, 2010  reflection on time in Veracruz, Mexico:
A week of helping build a community center and tutoring children in Mexico was a life-changing experience for my 18-year-old son and I. We have a new appreciation for those who survive on so little.
 

Lisa's son Riley at the Amiguitos Community Center

Most of the families in the Laguna and Tarimoya slums live crowded into makeshift structures with corrugated metal roofs and dirt floors. Water is pumped from shallow wells tainted with fecal matter. With no sewer system or trash pickup, the dirt streets are strewn garbage and rivers of dirty water.


A cart on the streets of Laguna in Veracruz, Mexico

Against this backdrop, nearly everyone took care to be well groomed and clean. They were quick to smile and laugh, welcomed American goodwill and were eager to converse with visitors. During an impromptu visit with a neighborhood family, they served us juice and homemade tamales. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to sustain dignity, cheer and hospitality under such strained conditions.
 
While we were there, Maria Elena, a beautiful and outgoing teenager, became the first person in Laguna to finish high school and the first to take the University of Veracruz entrance exam—all with the help of Amiguitos. When she’s admitted to college, Amiguitos will help with tuition. Maria Elena is a shining example of the Amiguitos philosophy: changing the expectations and aspirations of children, motivating them to embrace education and think beyond a life of poverty.
 
Working side-by-side with Mexicans and Americans, Riley and I made many new friends. Although our adventure lasted only a week, we are keenly aware that these harsh living conditions constitute our Mexican friends’ everyday reality. We returned home with a changed perspective and a renewed commitment to helping those living on the edge.

Click here for more photos from the streets of Veracruz, Mexico

 
Warmly,
Lisa McMath
June 2010 Amiguitos work trip


Laguna Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's July 4, 2010  Laguna update from Veracruz, Mexico
This week the activities have been normal as the majority of the children are on vacation from school.  We have had our English and computer classes.  The teens enjoyed lifting weights and exercising.  


Maria Elena (right)  pumps iron!

We also very much enjoy having water cold water as we now have a refrigerator in the center. The attendance has been  56 during the week. 
Click here for more photos
Goldi

Tarimoya Center -Veracruz, Mexico Update:
Here is Goldi's July 4, 2010 Tarimoya update from Veracruz, Mexico: We were in Tarimoya Saturday and the attendance  was 25 children.  We also gave clothes and shoes to needy families.


Donations of clothing were distributed in Tarimoya

We had our English and computer classes with many on vacations.   We also had support of math and Spanish exercises
Click here for more photos
Goldi

June 2010 Work Trip Blog

 Update:"Shared Voices of Amiguitos"
Here is the April 17, 2010  update from Boulder, Colorado USA

The fourth Amiguitos work team has completed its work trip in Veracruz for 4 medical clinics in December 2009 and began construction of a strong retaining wall to prepare the permanent site for the Laguna Amiguitos center/school in Veracruz, Mexico.   Click here to read our BLOG of all the brief updates  from the team during the work trip.   Please scroll to the bottom to see the latest updates!  Thank you for all your support.

The third Amiguitos work team has completed its work trip in Veracruz for 8 medical clinics and one medical clinic in Penjamo in June 2009.   Click here to read our BLOG of all the brief updates  from the team during the work trip.   Please scroll to the bottom to see the latest updates!  Thank you for all your support.

Curtis

                                                    * * *

Click on the video below to see a short  presentation about the work in Veracruz, Mexico.

For those new to our website:  Amiguitos is building a network of partners.  I ask you to visit the websites of our growing circle of friends.  See our "Links to Partners" on the Newletter and Resources  page.   Groups from Pheonix are helping to make the community centers in Veracruz expand with new land, water systems, scholarships and medicine.  Friends in Castle Rock are looking to expand their outreach activities and are looking at Amiguitos for opportunities for more hands-on work.   Congregations in Boulder  and Thornton are supportive also.  People in Glen Rose Texas and Leadville Colorado  have made significant contributions for medicine, transportation and building materials.  The people of South East Mexico are working hand in hand with Amiguitos to make the vulnerable communities of Vericruz stronger.

Amiguitos is a diverse group of individuals from various faith communities working together to assist children and families in struggling neighborhoods of Veracruz, Mexico.   Amiguitos organizes trips to Veracruz to conduct medical missions, construction projects and educational programs (next trip is in December 2009 and planning is starting for our June 2010 trip). Amiguitos provides funding for community centers which are providing infant care (to allow single parents to work), feeding programs for schoolchildren (who have no nutrition), formation of neighborhood schools (opening pre-school Fall 2008 ) and basic medical supplies (see Programs for more details).  These centers under the direction of Goldi Santana Mera are key to enhancing the health, education and welfare of neighborhood children and families. 

Amiguitos moved to a new location for its Community Center in Laguna (starting September 2009)

The first center is in the neighborhood of Laguna (lakes) was established in the front yard of a resident in 2006.   Then another resident loaned a house to the center for two years.  And starting September 2009  the center has moved to a new location where the kids have access to the whole property and building.  In December 2009 we began construction on a permanent center/school in Laguna and hope to move to a very simple center in 2010.

Efforts are underway to continue construction of a permanent community center  on our land purchased in June 2009 which will eventually house a school, kitchen & feeding program, water purification system, and health clinic. A water purification system will be installed as soon as possible.

Our teams  visited Pénjamo Mexico in June 2009 and started another community center there and are excited by the programs started there by our new director, Maria Elena Arredondo.  We hope to continue expanding centers in vulnerable areas.

Amiguitos is based in the United States of America,  promoting hands-on participation in support of the community centers which Goldi, Maria Elena and others are creating. Trips are planned for each June and December (in one week segments).  In addition to becoming good friends (amiguitos), participants find their lives changed as they experience the joy and perseverance of vulnerable children and families living in Mexico.  All are welcome to participate. 

We highly encourage you to bring your children or grandchildren on trips with Amiguitos as it can be a profound experience that shapes their perspective on life and can be a great bonding experience.  Children who have participated in Amiguitos trips have had very positive experiences and have coped well with being in new environments.  I invite you to learn more about Amiguitos. Please read our  Newletter and Resources, look at our Photos, see  How to Help , come to one of our events (see Calendar for more details) or invite us to come talk to your organization.  I especially invite you to come to Mexico on our next trip. 

Thank you for your interest in this important work.

Curtis Wait
Executive Director, Amiguitos

Amiguitos (EIN # 26-3394832) is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt public charity
Amiguitos © 2008; web site by kevin@kinneavy.com

info@Amiguitos.net
303.518.2446 (Curtis)