Friends Of The Poor

Programs: For many years, friends of the poor has supported efforts in san pablo tamahu, a village located in the remote mountains of guatemala. Friends of the poor established and supported a preschool for 120 indigenous children of tamahu, so that they would be adequately prepared for entry into primary school. The children received typical preschool instruction, as well as instruction in spanish (along with their indigenous languages) and the social and learning skills necessary for success in school. All children received a complete medical exam at the time they entered preschool, also thanks to the donors to friends of the poor, two highly nutritious meals every school day. In 2014, friends of the poor opened a pediatric dental clinic to serve the children of tamahu. A dentist provided routine dental care such as cleaning, extraction, and prevention. Friends of the poor also built and operated a nutritional clinic in tamahu, in service to children dying of malnutrition. Services included nursing care for infants, government-approved infant formula and medications, education for mothers, and community outreach. During 2016, the remaining funds in this activity were donated to wiechers foundation to continue the efforts in improving the lives of poor people in san pablo tamahu.

casa de los pobres is an urban relief center in tijuana, which offers food, medical care, clothing, and educational aid to the very poor. With assistance from friends of the poor, casa serves more than 264,000 hot meals per year, and distributes 30,000 bags of groceries. More than 14,400 people annually receive needed medical attention. In the distant colonias, casa also serves those who cannot make the trip to central tijuana by taking staple foods, clothing, tarps and other necessities directly to poor families. The hospital san ignacio de loyola is an in-patient mental health treatment center near rosarito, mexico, that is an extension of the casa de los pobres. It was established in response to the immense need for psychiatric and substance abuse services among the poor, for whom there were literally no services available. The typical in-patient stay at hospital san ignacio is six weeks, and to insure long-term successful outcomes, patients and their families continue to receive support through outpatient services after the patient has been discharged. Donors to friends of the poor support hospital san ignacio by paying the salaries of the professional staff. Over 300 patients were treated at hospital san ignacio in the 2016/2017 fiscal year.

friends of the poor began construction on the village of maryhaven in 2011, and dedicated it to the care of orphans as a self-sustaining complex in minna, nigeria. Due to extreme poverty and high mortality rates, many children are orphaned or sold into slavery where they are overworked, mistreated or sexually abused. Here, they are protected, loved, nurtured and educated. Farm crops and animals provide a renewable food supply. The starting class numbered 200, the school has now grown to 400 students. The following components were built and maintained by friends of the poor: 1 - stella maris academy, a k-6th grade boarding school (all operating costs, including teachers' salaries, are funded by friends of the poor and middle and high school classrooms are now under construction); 2 - trade school - job training will augment the high school curriculum, allowing students to graduate with marketable skills or trades. During 2015-2017, animals and seeds for farming were purchased to provide famine relief in the area. Other accomplishments in africa are: science center, a state-of-the-art addition to the kupiec academy for girls (boarding school built by friends of the poor which saw its first graduating class in 2015); job training centers, built for young mothers struggling to raise their children and support their families; the marriott daughters day care center, provides critical daycare to mothers attending the job training centers; in idah, two convents are being built after the destruction of the convents in boko haram, in northern nigeria; a new hospital is being built in idah. Earlier accomplishments include: hiv clinic and hospital (2005), clean water projects (2004 - present), home health care services where home health care workers are provided with mopeds and medical supplies to administer in-home care to critically ill patients who are unable to travel, an orphanage, teen center, and the initial project in africa, st. Paul's cathedral.