Children of the Americas (COTA)

Despite the frustrations of the pandemic, COTA remains committed to providing much needed care to Guatemalan patients. COTA is full of people with big hearts who are committed to travel in early 2023 for our first mission trip in over three years due to global health concerns. Please consider donating to this very worthwhile cause!

Well it has been an very unexpected year with the pandemic!! Worldwide many who, to start, had little to no access to healthcare or food, now more than a year into the pandemic most are not better off. I am proud to say that COTA has adapted during this past year and a half to try to do what we can to fulfill our mission in new ways. Although our team will again not go to provide medical/surgical services in the coming year, we are doing what we can to help offset our target population's food insecurities. This is a perfect example of COTA and it's volunteers rolling up their sleeves and doing what they can and what the occasion calls for.... :-)

I’ve traveled to Guatemala 12 times with Children of the Americas. This team gives all their heart to the care of the women and children of Guatemala. But personally I can say, I receive much more than I give. It’s a very rewarding experience. The clients are so thankful.

COTA has the most amazing mission. I was so honored to have the education I earned and needed to give back. I started with COTA 16 years ago and have never looked back . The people of Guatemala are so gentle, respectful and gracious. They work very hard physically for their life and never seem to break under that role. They are so deserving of the small help I can give. COTA is ever adapting and changing and has found a way to continue to help these people despite the pandemic. I am proud and happy to be a part of it!

I lucked into this amazing organization by having a wife in the medical industry. I tagged along in her second volunteer year and was amazed by the amount of generosity, time and effort put forth by the wonderful team of COTA volunteers. It is very well organized, yet flexible enough to overcome the challenges it faces each year to benefit and care for the women and children of Guatemala. I'm proud to say I've been a part of such a great volunteer organization that is doing all they can to bring happiness and health to the underserved.

Even with the pandemic and the team not being able to travel COTA continued to provide support through a meal program. This is a caring and loving organization who adapted during these difficult times. I look forward to being onsite in the future.

I have worked with Children of the Americas for the last 25 years. It has been a pleasure to serve the women and children of Guatemala throughout the years. The organization has changed many lives and provided the gift of good health through volunteered services.

I have been a volunteer with Children of The Americas since 2015. It is an amazing organization with an even more amazing cause.
The women and children of Guatemala are some of the most wonderful, loving and grateful people I have ever had the privilege of serving. COTA works hard to put a team of wonderful volunteers with hearts of gold to help those in need. I wouldn’t volunteer anywhere else!

My wife and I have been volunteers with Children of the Americas since 2000. During that time we have seen the organization grow in number of volunteers from around 35 to well over 100 today. We have also seen it grow in the number of people served and in the effectiveness in serving them. But most of all, we have seen it grow in compassion for others and a determination to help as many children and mothers in Guatemala as possible. Each year when the medical/surgical team completes another successful trip, we are exhausted; but we are even more determined to do it again the next year. That determination comes from having watched a dedicated team of doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and support staff bring much needed and much deserved healing and help to the poorest and most needy people in one of the world’s most struggling countries. Having performed hundreds of surgeries and served thousands more in the clinic, the team begins immediately to plan for the next team trip.
We have established life long relationships with the staffs of the hospitals as well as many of the patients we have helped. It brings tears to our eyes when we remember patients who offer us an apple or a hand full of grapes to express their appreciation to us even though they hardly have enough to eat themselves.
The moments that remain in our memory include not just the children and women who were helped, but their families as well. When you see a father come into the clinic carrying a 12 year old child who has never walked and you know that the family has carried the child everywhere they have ever gone, and you watch them leave pushing the child in a new cp stroller or wheel chair with tears rolling down their cheeks, you know that life will be much improved for the entire family. We have always been so impressed with the families and how much they appreciate what COTA is able to do for them. We just can’t wait for another team to begin.

My first on site experience in Guatemala was 2019 and it was absolutely amazing to see the COTA team provide so many services to so many. So many women and children waiting and hoping it was "their time" For many, it was. Every woman and child in the clinic was heard; their medical issues addressed and their lives changed. During this current pandemic, the many resources and connections COTA has in the Guatemala communities helped in being able to provide food to needy families-COTA donations at work when we couldn't be there.

This was my first year volunteering with COTA. Working with the COTA team was fantastic. I made new friends and a lot of memories. I was very fortunate to be able to help and spend my time working along side very professional people. The people in Guatemala are very caring, patient and understanding. The COTA team changes people's lives forever. I would love to return to Guatemala with COTA.

This was my first year volunteering with COTA and I was impressed by the hardworking enthusiastic professionals and volunteers who have taken time away from their careers and family to help improve the lives of families in Guatemala. There were so many heart warmings stories and my experience has motivated me to return with a better grasp of Spanish so I can be of more help.

I have volunteered for several year with the group and find this the only one that gives 100% of their revenue towards there mission to Guatemala. Each member donates not only their time but also their money. There is not one paid position within the organization. This speaks volumes about their character and mission. Their dedication to the wellbeing of the Guatemalan community as well as their selfless nature as individuals and as a whole make this the only organization I would want to volunteer with. Their fiscal management and tranparency should be emulated by every non profit.

I have been associated with COTA since 2005. They have always worked in country to heal the people of Guatemala. This year with COVID-19 they have demonstrated their flexibility by coordinating a food giveaway program that feeds hungry families unable to leave home. Good work guys.

Volunteering for COTA was a wonderful experience and highlighted the need for our services in Guatemala. As a volunteer, I interpreted in multiple offices and spoke with a wide range of Guatemalan citizens, most of whom did not have the means to go to the doctor. While some were there for check ups, many had serious conditions that required surgery. COTA was able to perform life changing procedures, free of charge to many of the women and children we saw. There were quite a few middle aged women and elderly that had never received an exam in their lives and without COTA, they likely never would have. The work was not easy physically, nor emotionally, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

COTA provides me a close knit family atmosphere. I have always felt honored to have gotten the education I have. COTA gives me the ability to give back for that education. We provide medical surgical care for women and children in need. The talents of all of our members have given me the ability to have "family' with a common goal. In addition to being a board member I also participate in the care team. We have activities all year long that support our yearly mission week. Everything we do is standard of care and compassionate. The gratitude the Guatemalan people show us is evident in their smiles. They are a gracious country. It is so rewarding!

I have volunteered with COTA for 7 years in a row, because it is an extremely well run organization, that is very well integrated with the local community. They are meticulous about doing no harm and making sure that every patient gets the best possible care, and the appropriate follow-up they need, which is not true of all medical mission organizations. This is because they go only to Guatemala every year, so they have many local contacts who they communicate with throughout the year. They don't just fly in, operate, leave, and hope that nobody had any bad complications. They really care about their patients, and try to work collaboratively with the local hospitals, to achieve the best results.

This is an incredible non-profit organization that I have had the privilege of volunteering with.
They provide medical services to under privileged women and children in Guatemala. Incredibly dedicated and hard working people make up this non-profit.

I have been a Children of the Americas (COTA) team member for the last 16 years (WOWZA the years add up quickly). COTA works to provide medical and surgical care to indigenous women and children in Guatemala. On our previous teams, I have worked in the surgical recovery room. The care that we provide, and the team members that we work with have kept me involved over the last 16 years.

The COVID pandemic has impacted the entire world. While we (COTA) are not able to travel, we have made a commitment to assist in food distribution to indigenous communities in Guatemala. This is made possible by the development of a food distribution committee, and by our physical representation in Guatemala.

Once we are safely able to return to Guatemala, COTA will continue its traditional mission of providing medical and surgical care. In the meantime our mission may look a bit different, but the passion remains unchanged.

Children of the Americas is a phenomenal organization made up of the most caring and selfless group of volunteers. Every January, we have the amazing privilege of providing medical and surgical care to the women and children in a different Guatemalan village. It is a trip that refuels my soul in a way that nothing else in my life does.

One of the hardest and most rewarding 2 weeks of every year are spent giving back to humanity in various impoverished areas of Guatemala. The experience is a wonderful mental reset which creates awareness of just how blessed and fortunate we are and reinforces just how insignificant so many of our "first world" problems really are. While it is a physically and mentally exhausting experience, it propels us to want to be better people, teaches the importance of teamwork and makes one realize that we are all in this together. The world would be a far better place if more people participated in these types of humanitarian activities.

I have traveled annually with Children of the America’s for many years as a nurse. This year the team is showing it’s versatility. When Covid struck the people of Guatemala, the COTA organization stepped up to the plate and provided an abundance of medical supplies. They are currently supplying food every week to around 100 families during this time of crisis. Amazing people, I’m always honored to be a part of the team. Valerie Howlett, Lexington Ky

This was my 4th year with the COTA team and it is something I look forward to all year long. The team of professionals that volunteer their time and energy to this non-profit have become a second family to me. Additionally , the interactions with the patients and their families are always cherished. I cannot expressed how much COTA has altered perceptions of human compassion.

Wonderful program. Well organized and provides opportunity for surgical/dental/primary care to women and children of Guatemala.

This is a very caring organization. My daughter and I went with COTA to Huehuetenango in Guatemala last January. My daughter helped in triage where her team saw more than 1,500 patients! I worked in the OR where we were able to perform 129 surgeries. The Guatemalan people are so kind and friendly. Their smiles and thank yous will stay with me forever. I have been able to see some of the kids that have had cleft lip repairs by COTA in the past and the difference is amazing! These kids have less of a scar than I see many kids in the states after the same surgery. I love how many families that have been helped by COTA in the past, take time to volunteer with COTA on these trips. There is no sense of entitlement, just heartfelt appreciation for COTA changing their lives for the better. My daughter and I can't wait for January to come so we can volunteer with the COTA team again!

I volunteered as logistics support (read: cooked in the hospital kitchen) for this year's Children of the Americas mission to Huehuetenango, and the experience was unforgettable. This is a team of people who care deeply about the population they serve and have a lot of experience doing so. This was apparent in all aspects of my experience with them: pre-trip communications were detailed and gave me a good idea of what I could expect, and the trip itself was very well planned, organized and executed.

Because I was back in the kitchen, I didn't have much contact with the patients that the medical team served this year. I did have a number of great conversations with some of our local translators, though, who by and large were clients on past trips. I think it's fair to say that COTA had a dramatic impact on these peoples' lives.

After 4 years I look forward to working with the talented, caring, and dedicated medical and non-medical volunteers who go to Guatemala to provide medical care and surgical procedures to the underserved women and children

The 2017 trip was my first year with COTA. I went with the group as an interpreter.
This is a remarkable and extraordinary volunteer group of caring, dedicated and hard working people and I feel honored and blessed to have been a part (albeit small) of this trip and to be able to help where I could. COTA is very well organized and it is truly amazing to see what was accomplished and how many women and children were helped in the space of 5 days.
I consider it an honor and privilege to be part of this organization and look forward to next year and many more to come.

This is a wonderful organization dedicated to providing healthcare and services to the people of Guatemala. I was fortunate to be a volunteer on the trip in January and returned even more in awe of this hardworking group of people than I was last year. Time and resources are devoted entirely to delivering care to patients who come from miles away for services they might not ever receive if not for this weeklong program.This is a team of people who make serving others a core part of their lives in both the US and abroad.

I went on my first medical mission 14 years ago. I had been in Central America before while I was in the Army. This was just gonna be a adventure for me. But I got here and saw the need and I was hooked. Then came me two boys. They are happy and healthy. I'm blessed and have a duty to give back.

Again this year a group of 120 non paid volunteers headed to Guatemala to join with the caring people in Retalhuleu to help those who need medical care. With members from Guatemala, Ohio, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and numerous other states, these people joined together to lend a hand. Many on this team have worked together for years and others were strangers. That's why it was so amazing when they immediately became such a united group all serving each other and the people of Guatemala. I have worked with Children of the Americas for twelve years and am always amazed at how this many people can pull it together in one week to set up a medical team that will see nearly 2000 patients requiring consultation with a primary care doctor, surgery, dental care, ultra sounds, prescriptions, and orthotics. We are all blessed to be a part of this endeavor.

I have been to Guatemala five times with this organization as an interpreter. Truly caring people, well-organized, and they do a ton of good work. I plan on volunteering with them for many years to come.

Amazing organization that truly helps those in need. Very well organized and full of big hearts.

I went with this team for the first time this year and it was much better than I expected. It was greatly organized and I could the get help or answers I needed quickly. I am currently expecting to go again! Can't wait to go help more people in Guatemala.

This January will be my sixth mission trip to Guatemala and to say I am hooked is an understatement. Working with this group of volunteers is amazing, everyone is there for the right reason and that is to play a small or large part in making life a little better medically for the women and children of Guatemala. The medical staff see many many patients and the surgeons perform surgeries that are life changing and life saving and to be part of that is just awesome. Every year I come home feeling yes we did make a difference and realize how fortunate we are. I am very proud to be part of the support staff that helps this team do what they do best and that is to render medical treatment to those that would other wise have a more difficult life.

As an organization COTA gets 5 stars in ALL areas. Organization is the constant concern of the Board and b/c of that commitment the concern filters down through all areas and allows the individual providers in their contacts with patients to take advantage of many other areas of COTA so that it's not just a stream from the Board down but can be diverted so that the patient can actually be the primary concern and all that filters back up to the Board and it's decision making.

Salama was my 12th COTA team! The committment and love for the women and children of Guatemala is the common bond shared by each COTA volunteer on every team. Every year I am amazed by the warmth and kindness shown to our team by the gracious people of Guatemala. I am humbled by the women we serve as they care for their family, seeking knowledge and reassurance from medical professionals and support staff. I look forward to serving on another team!

It has been an honor and privilege to be a volunteer in this wonderful organization. With very limited financial resources they are doing amazing things, changing the lives of indigent children and their mothers in Guatemala. It is an all volunteer organization, one that is worthy of your support.

I have been a COTA volunteer on the pharmacy team for the last 7 trips. Every year I am amazed at how 125 peiole from different disciplines, backgrounds and regions come together with limited resources in nearly unimaginably difficult working environments to provide exceptional healthcare for the women and children of Guatemala. All of this takes place without rehearsal, without meetings, without manuals and with rookie volunteers in critical roles every year. I have studied organizational theroy for twenty years and I have never seen anything that approaches this level of productivity. I work with amazing champions who are motivated by a greater good and who truly touch the lives and whose lives are forever touched by the indigenous population of Guatemala.

what a remarkable organization to be a part of. as a member of the clinic staff, we saw great numbers of women and children waiting patiently for their time to "tell their story". These families are so resilient and humble they put us to shame. It was an honor to take time to hear what was important the them and support their goals for better health for themselves and their families. They were so interested in learning how to be healthier and so happy to receive reassurance and affirmation. The most important gift we can share is time and compassion...isn't that what everyone needs. Thanks for the chance to share time with such beautiful people - the people we serve and the great staff we work with.

COTA medical mission of 2016 was very successful! We had all supplies we needed! Adequate OR staff. PACU limited space and staff slowing down our turn over of our room! The only obstacle to overcome on this trip and previous trips! Need OR's with better air conditioning when evaluating future sites.

Another fantastic medical mission trip in 2016 with this exceptional team of approximately 120 who give of their time and skills to treat those in need. I am very proud to work in a support capacity on their behalf.

Every time I have been able to volunteer for the well-planned week in Guatemala that COTA arranges, I have experienced a change in my attitude toward my own life here in America. The efforts of COTA to make a difference in this country should be recognized and supported by anyone who is familiar with this organization. The volunteers are dedicated to their jobs, share their knowledge and skills with the residents and fellow volunteers. Thanks to the ones who work so hard to make this a successful pilgrimage.

January 2015 was my first trip with this organization. The week was one of the most rewarding experiences and the help provided by the talented and dedicated team makes a positive impact to the people served. The medical attention to the women and children in Guatemala is greatly needed and COTA provides this welcomed opportunity.

I was introduced to COTA in 1997 through my sister, who has served in many capacities for the organization. I have 100% confidence in the sincerity and effectiveness of this non-profit. It's incredible to see how much good can be done by this group with limited funds. I have no doubt that every dollar contributed is used wisely. The COTA volunteers are truly amazing.

As a full time volunteer in the Highlands of Guatemala, I went as a translator in Jan-2014 to Solola which is about an hour from where I volunteer. The way these folks are from the beginning of the huge health campaign…the organization, the details, the love, the shoes, the comrades, the experts in their field, the previous recipients now the givers, the high quality care, the willingness to adapt, the honoring system and respect for the local culture, the generosity of every single person on the team, the kindness, the sacrifices,…I can go on and on. I've worked here 5 years and to date have not found finest volunteers with so much talent and heart! Kudos to the Board of Directors and everyone that carries such a smooth and fruitful operation. Special thanks to Jody Greenlee who loves unending and passes on such joy and passion to all that meet her.

Many groups go to Central America and hand out tracts, vitamins, clothing, etc. But Children of the Americas goes a step further with life-changing surgery. We take children and women who are basically outcasts in their villages, and help turn them into socially accepted, hard-working individuals. It truly changes lives for the better.

COTA is an extremely well run mission that provides health care to more than thousand mothers and their children each year including complicated and life saving surgeries in the US. The missions provide services and medicines that these families would never receive otherwise.

Children of the Americas is comprised of passionate, dedicated and caring individuals motivated by the mission to offer much needed medical care to women and children in Guatemala. Having volunteered for this group on a medical mission trip, I was moved by the compassionate clinicians and volunteers that helped change the lives of those we served. It was a privilege to serve with this nonprofit and I've recommended the experience to my colleagues and physicians as a wonderful, reliable organization with an outstanding history.

The triple care approach of COTA is one of the non-profit's most remarkable qualities. The organization has a mission to treat women and children on site in Guatemala, provide ambulatory devices as needed, and then goes above and beyond by selecting a few of the most vulnerable children to travel to the United States for lifesaving surgeries. All of this is accomplished by volunteers spread out across the United States who have other full time jobs. I can't think of a more rewarding group to be a part of. Children of the Americas is walking the walk to make life better for families in underdeveloped nations.

COTA is a wonderful organization. COTA and its cadre of highly qualified and passionate volunteers provide medical and surgical care to marginalized and under-served women and children. Having been on a medical mission trip with COTA and having attended its Board meetings, I can attest firsthand to the quality of this organization and the services it provides. It takes multi-disciplinary efforts from physicians, nurses, other clinicians, translators, logistics personnel, and a bevy of others to accomplish what COTA manages to do well so consistently. It all works seamlessly because all involved share the singular focus of helping those in need. I am blessed to know and to participate in the activities of this great organization.

Cota is an organization that has over 20 years helping the poor people in Guatemala. The group of physicians from different specialties, nurses, prosthetists and orthotists and many, many volunteers make a monumental work, helping people from different regions of the country. I was unable to participate and observe the great work they perform donation in all fields. Operations of different types, dentists, special care for children with common disease, etc, etc.. I have no more to say Cota is a simply wonderful and efficient organization.

I was impressed with the Children Of The Americas based out of Kentucky from the day we went to work in Guatemala. I work for a lean manufacturing company as my real job and I liked the fact that everyone had a job with specific expectations with minimal overlap so it was structured to make us highly efficient. It was my first year as with others and the seasoned members of COTA insured that we were safe and briefed as to what we should be doing and shouldn't be doing. The rewarding part is that the medical, dental, orthopedics, teams and others gave the women and children life saving and quality of life changing medical care. If anyone wants to work for or donate to an amazing organization I suggest you devote some time and check COTA out on the web or seek out a member to ask questions to to hear about the great things they do.

Awesome organization changing lives forever! I can't imagine going a year without volunteering!

My experience with Children of the Americas spans thirteen years and a lifetime of personal change. The challenges of volunteering in Guatemala have been instrumental in growing me as a person. Fostering two children with the organization enlarged the focus of our family, and allowed us to consider Central American concerns as important as our own. Adding 100 volunteers to my list of friends every year has grown my circle of concern from New York to Washington state. I continue to be inspired by the amazingly altruistic men and women who hold our organization dear to their hearts.

As a surgical nurse, I volunteer with COTA to help serve the children and families of Guatemala. I am very proud of this organization and all that they accomplish during a week. Others in the organization work throughout the year to make things run smoothly. COTA is a worthwhile organization that deserves support.

As a pediatric plastic surgeon, I have participated in multiple mission trips with various groups. They have all been excellent trips, but there is a reason I continue with COTA. The factors which make me go year after year are as follows. The self hard work philosophy among everyone, the breadth of the patients, and the focus of everyone on the kids and adult patients. Also our focus on giving to the communities and coexisting with the health providers there is much more appealing than the "gringo group" who goes down to operate, treat, and then leave without true consideration to those whose lives and communities we have entered. This is a group I'm proud to be a part of and look forward to continuing the work COTA makes possible.

This is a wonderful organization of caring people who are skilled medical professionals giving to people in need. They are well organized and utilize their time and resources more effectively than any non profit I have been associated with. The organization literally makes life changing surgeries happen for people that would not otherwise have any opportunity to benefit from these resources.

Great cause run by a top notch group of managers!

My wife and I have volunteered with COTA since 2007 as part of the dental team. The work although demanding, is rewarding and the need is very great. We find it inspiring and a privilage to work with such a dedicated group of giving individuals. COTA works to relieve suffering and improve the lives of individuals that otherwise would have little chance of receiving care. We are grateful to be a part of the COTA family of volunteers and to have the opportunity to serve with them.

I have been a volunteer with COTA since 1994. Though I have volunteered with many non-profits throughout the years, none has captured my heart in quite the same way. The amazing accomplishments on behalf of the women and children in Guatemala are a testament to the dedication and commitment of its volunteers. I consider it an honor and privilege to be part of this organization.

Over 100 people from diverse backgrounds travel annually to Central Amercia for a week long medical/surgical mission. The logistics can be daunting as this is the largest Team that travels to Guatemala. Challenges encountered build camaraderie, resolve and a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Team members return year after year, not only to help the people of Guatemala, but to grow individually and collectively as part of the COTA family. COTA Volunteers prepare year-round for this trip, but also maintain an active Stateside program to connect children in need from developing countries with specialized medical care here in the States. I'm extremely proud and honored to be a part of this wonderful organization.

I am very proud to be associated with COTA. This is a group of volunteers who travel to Guatemala, work under difficult conditions, treat all patients we can and refuse all payment. All money raised for COTA goes to patient care; we have no paid personell.
We come from diverse cultures, diverse religions and all economic levels. We wokk together only to provide the best possible medical care for this needy population.

Having the opportunity to go to Guatemala as a registered nurse is very rewarding. Only knowing 6 persons on my first trip to meet approx 100 skilled , talented & giving people to work & make a difference in less fortunate women & children. To know how organized and hard working people are and with limited resources is astounding. It is a reminder to me how blessed I am. To much is given much is expected.

Bonnie Bennett

I am an orthopedic surgeon who has done charity work in the U.S. for decades, all the while looking for an organized, dedicated, and efficient organization with whom I could share my expertise abroad. Children of the Americas is just what I had been looking for and I am honored and gratified to work with such a wonderful team. My first mission with this team was so well organized, I was able to perform 31 surgeries in four days for people who otherwise would not have had access to such care. I do believe that we have changed countless lives forever and feel blessed to have had the opportunity. I am returning to Guatemala in three weeks to provide follow-up care and, no doubt, will return on many more COTA trips in the future.

I have spent approximately 20 years working as a nurse with COTA in Guatemala. To meet the families who come to be cared for is extremely humbling. Many travel several hours to get to the site, either on a "Chicken Bus" or in the back of a pickup truck, just for a chance to be seen. Every year we see situations which are easily and readily treated in the US, such as hernia repairs, burn scar releases, wound care. We in the US take this care for granted. To many in Guatemala, because of the economics and difficulty traveling, that care is not available.
Especially heart wrenching are the malnourished children and elderly we see each year. Many are so malnourished, they are not candidates for anesthesia and surgical repair. We work to get them connected to a nutrition program so they can have surgery either later with our team or with another surgical team who works in their area.
Our rewards are the hugs and smiles we receive from the families when they have been given some help and some glimmer of hope.