We are grateful for YOU.

Casas de Luz Newsletter November 2020

Happy November! We are so excited to share this November newsletter with you as we have heard so many stories that truly encapsulate what this month is about: gratitude. Our hearts are bursting with love and excitement, and we hope to express our gratitude towards you for continuing to support Casas de Luz and make dreams come true.

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Month of Gratitude

We are grateful for...

The ability to remain connected with our communities in Tijuana without needing to cross the border.
The unwavering support from our sponsors, donors, volunteers, and everyone in our Casas de Luz community.
The opportunity to pursue a project building sleeping cottages in San Diego - something we have always dreamed of.

Though we have many more reasons to be grateful, we would love to share our gratitude with others. What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Despensas de Luz

Heaven on Earth NOW

As part of their Good for You Groceries program, Heaven on Earth NOW is sponsoring a bag of healthy groceries for 50 families at Faro de Luz for the months of October, November, and December! Their program strives to provide families experiencing food insecurity with healthy options as opposed to the old cans we typically donate from the back of our pantry. While fresh produce and whole-grain options tend to be more expensive, Heaven on Earth NOW is working to make them accessible to families all around the country and in our communities in Mexico. For the first time ever, families at Faro de Luz received fresh fruit in their groceries. By just adding a can of vegetables to rice, families are able to transform the meal into not only being delicious, but nutritious with all of the important vitamins. Thank you Heaven on Earth NOW for providing our families with access to nutritious meals!

Special Delivery

In May 2018, we built our 100th home for a single mother and her three kids. What's so special about this family? All three kids have one extra chromosome of love. Because individuals with down syndrome are at increased risk for Covid-19, their family has been especially struggling during the pandemic. Luckily we had the opportunity to deliver groceries to alleviate some of the stress and were able to see them living in their home. Moments like these remind us of how grateful we are for every house we have built because families have a safe & warm place to call home in these uncertain times.

TJHB of SDSU

Tijuana Home Build is a project based out of SDSU that has been actively involved in supporting the community in Tijuana and have an undeniable energy and passion for change. Recently they committed to funding meals for the school program at Faro de Luz for 10 months. Most kids at Faro de Luz will only eat one meal a day and therefore don't have the brainpower to focus on their schoolwork. By providing the kids with meals three times a week, TJHB is not only supporting their health, but maximizing their potential to learn. As you can see on the right, the kids LOVE cereal and milk. While it's such a common food for us, cereal and milk are typically more expensive than what most families can afford. In addition to milk, we provide fresh fruit to give all of the young students the vitamins to build strong bones and fuel their brains! Thank you TJHB for your never-ending enthusiasm and support of our communities.

Get Involved

PPE Drive

Wearing a mask is definitely something we all had to get used to. Now it's such a vital part of daily life that some of us have to have matching masks for our outfits! However, it's been hard for communities in Tijuana to take care of themselves as much as we would like. Therefore we are asking for donations of hand sanitizer, gloves, and masks to supply our communities and allow them to take care of themselves and one another. Donations can be dropped off at 604 Santa Helena Drive in Solana Beach.

Family Update

Dr. Esmeralda Gonzalez

In October 2018 our women's build team built a home for a widow and 2 of her t3 daughters. Before the build, we knew this family was unique. Both girls, Evelyn and Esmeralda, had a glimmer of fierce motivation in their eyes. Just a year before the build their father passed away in a tragic accident, leaving them the beginnings of a house he dreamed to build.

At the time Esmeralda was studying medicine with a small light in the corner while her mom and sister slept. The house allowed her to have her own room to study and continue working towards her dreams. Now Esmeralda is in her internship at the Hospital General de Tecate and is on her way to becoming a doctor. She just finished her pediatric rotation and although she says the kids were cute, pediatrics is not for her! In the meantime, Evelyn has finished high school and is working as a nanny. Evelyn loves working with kids and is planning to study English to open more opportunities to advance her career. Finally, Hermelinda continues to work hard to support her daughters in achieving their dreams and welcomes them home with open arms on the weekends. We are so proud of Esmeralda & Evelyn and their perseverance to achieve their dreams.

Donations

Donation Sheds at St. James Catholic Church

Sheds are at the end of the parking lot of the church if coming from the North. If you are coming from the South, take Via de la Valle and drive towards the ocean. On Del Mar Downs Road, turn right and continue until the end of the road where you will turn left. Drive left up the hill and the sheds will be on your left! There is a rope protecting our sheds from being a dump zone, so feel free to drop off your usable donations right there! Please contact us so we know to expect it!

CASAS DE LUZ | A UUFSD social action program.

www.casasdeluz.org