March 6, 2011

Hola from Mayan Families Canada.  As everyone anxiously awaits the coming of Spring, we thought we'd fill you in on what Mayan Families Canada has been up to.

Our 2010 Goals Were All Met!

Thanks to your generosity, 2010 was a very successful year for Mayan Families Canada.  We managed to continue the education sponsorship of 28 children, bought and installed dozens of fuel-efficient stoves, collected and distributed suitcase upon suitcase of clothes, shoes, hygiene items, and toys from home, and met the various emergency requirements of the many families that were hit so hard by the summer storms and floods.

 

 

 

We also raised enough funds to build a new home for Jose and Otoniel. These brothers are so committed to succeeding in life and we are happy to say that construction of their house is being carried out right now!

 

 

 

Springwood Middle School Students show off their Star of Hope Christmas ornaments.   These ornaments sold at craft fairs all over Vancouver Island and the profits helped to build Otoniel and Jose’s house.

 

Guatemala Humanitarian Trip - July, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

2010 volunteers deliver new beds to a sponsored family.

 

Our 2011 Humanitarian trip is fully booked.  We will be taking 15 wonderful people to Guatemala with us in July.  They will help to install energy efficient stoves, hand out chickens, distribute clothing and basic supplies, visit our sponsored students in their homes, and learn about the culture and life in a third world country.  These individuals will return home with a real global perspective and the knowledge that they’ve made a huge difference in the lives of the Guatemalan people.

 

We are now taking applications for our 2012 trip.  Don’t let the chance of such a life changing experience pass you by!  Click here for more information.

 

Fundraising

To make our July trip to Guatemala successful, we’re presently collecting donated items and raising funds for the purchase of chickens and fuel-efficient stoves.  Our volunteers will distribute the donated items and chickens to needy families and will install the stoves in homes that are now heating and cooking with dangerous open pit fires.

 

 

 

A 2010 volunteer helps a little girl find new shoes.  We now have three drop spots for donated items:  Parksville, Edmonton and Toronto.  If you have items to donate, please contact us for further information.

 

 

A happy family has just received a basket of chicks.  The meat and eggs from these chickens will give them the much-needed protein that is lacking in their diet.  Eggs will also be sold to provide extra income.

 

A 2010 volunteer installs a fuel-efficient, ventilated stove in the house of a Mayan family.  This stove significantly decreases the amount of time spent on wood collection and properly venting smoke out the roof greatly improves the families’ general health.

 

 Please click the following links to find out more about Donating Items, Donating Funds and Fundraising.

 

 

Upcoming Fundraisers

Please keep an eye on our website for the dates of upcoming fundraisers.  We are planning several coffee houses and of course, another Girlfriends’ Retreat in June, as everyone had such a fun time last year!

 

April is once again our Food For Thought Dinner Drive.  This was highly successful last year and we hope that you will join our cross-Canada fundraiser by hosting a dinner with family and/or friends and raising a few dollars for needy Mayan families.  For more information click here.

 

 

 

Thank you again for your ongoing support of Mayan Families Canada.

 

 

For further information about any of our projects please visit our website at: www.mayanfamiliescanada.org

Or email us at:

info@mayanfamiliescanada.org