Newsletter of February 2008
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In today's world, there are millions of forgotten children. They are deprived of healthcare, education, and other essential services. They are the poorest, the most vulnerable, the exploited and the abused. Honduras is the second poorest country in this hemisphere and the vast majority of its population are forgotten children living in deplorable conditions. The vision of The Hope for Honduran Children Foundation is to support the countless children rescued by 81 year old Maria Rosa Leggol of Sociedad Amigos de los Niños. Together we work to instill the desire and provide the tools so that these children will become self-sufficient, caring, and responsible adults. Please join us in our efforts and remember that "to the world you might be one person but to one person you just might be the world."
Karen Donovan Godt - Executive Director - February, 2008
Child Sponsorships
We are campaigning to find sponsors to help raise the necessary $14,400 annual cost to maintain Hope House, the teenage girls home in Nuevo Paraiso. This is the annual cost to maintain the home (water, electric etc.) and provide the necessities of food, clothing, education, supplies, medical care to 12 underserved girls living under the care of one adult “auntie” (supervisor). At Flor Azul we are on a campaign to find sponsors for each of the 85 boys living on the farm. Only through the generosity of sponsors are we able to help support the annual $36,000 allowance to feed the boys. Please help us.
Change a life with Spare Change
Please send your spare change to HFHC each month. A small donation of $10 - $20 - $50 makes an AMAZING difference in the lives of these underserved children.
Scholarship
HFHC believes that only through education will a sustainable difference be achieved. As our programs grow, so too do our needs. We began scholarship aid four years ago by purchasing school supplies – pencils and paper. This year our carefully monitored program is assisting 33 students reach their dreams. We have gone far beyond those initial pencils and now need your help. Please consider supporting our $40,000 scholarship program by sending even the smallest donation.
Micro Enterprises
HFHC believes that by assisting in the development and maintenance of small sustainable businesses that we will enrich the lives of the children and at the same time, teach them the skills of owning and managing a business. This year we have begun several micro enterprises - Flor Azul Coffee, the Flor Azul tilapia farm, the Learning & Technology Center, and the Corsaro Center Convenience Store.
Café Flor Azul is about much more than coffee! The purchase of one bag of coffee provides enough income to feed three boys for a day. We encourage all visitors to purchase at least 5 - 15 bags of Flor Azul coffee. Under the direction of Moises, the boys are making a profit and have already repaid their original loan. Please come home with a suitcase filled with that gift that keeps on giving - your family, co-workers, and friends will find it a treasure. Each bag is sold for $8 at the Corsaro Center Conveneince Store located just inside the gates of Nuevo Paraiso, adjacent to the Learning techonology Center.
The Learning & Technology Center provides internet-access and long distance telephone for all visitors. It is managed by Militon of Flor Azul and all profits are directed to the food budget of the farm. Phase Two has begun – the construction of a distance-learning classroom. We are hoping to receive several computers from a generous donor and arrangements are currently being organized for instruction via several US universities, schools and museums.
The Corsaro Center Convenient Store is the newest addition to our micro-enterprise programs. Through the generosity of the Corsaro family (Katie and Sarah visited last July – Susan this January), in less than two months the shop was built, shelves stacked and the doors opened for business on January 27th. Please visit and purchase – coffee, souvenirs, candy, sodas, Oreos, water, Gatorade, post cards etc. It is another project of Flor Azul and is managed by 15 year old Ricardo
The tilapia farm is about to be inaugurated. We have greatly benefited from the expertise of the Misters Terry Harmon and Mark Krieger of Cleveland's University School for Boys and Suyapa and Dan Meyer of the nearby Zamorano campus. The timing was delayed in order to enable several boys to attend tilapia classes at the Zamorano Institute.
THE MAGIC OF IT ALL “… Thank you with all our hearts”
December 30th was an evening of pure magic! Our first benefit dinner dance was held in Cleveland at the Shaker Country Club. This sell out, standing room only gala was an unprecedented evening It was a tribute to all those who generously contributed their time and efforts to make it such a star studded spectacular event. Kudos, platitudes and gracias to the fantastic committee members, Andy Tabar’s web assistance, the Hermanos Flannigan band and everyone who came and lent their fantastic support. In the loving words of Daniel Lopez – the orginal boy of Flor Azul…”We are so very grateful for all you do for us – you are so loving and generous - without each one of you, Flor Azul would never exist. Thank you with all our hearts.”
Travel Programs - January 2008
Our amazing and dedicated group of 26 arrived in Honduras on January 26th – Seven curious Moms of students who had traveled with us in 2007, came to experience the journey that captivated their children and the rest of the group was comprised of parents, students and alums of Elon
University. Words cannot possibly describe a single moment of this incredible week. Flor Azul was filled with joyous laughter from sun up to sundown. Spearheaded by hard-working Tara Moore and Kelly Lawrence, the team from Elon University brought clothing and goodie bags for every one of Sor Maria Rosa’s many children. We officially opened the Corsaro Center Convenience Store and together with boys from Flor Azul we built the new computer lab classroom. 
Two afternoons were also spent playing with the dear children of the Pedro Atala Homes and the ladies and Raquel from Elon went on a shopping brigade to acquire an abundance of much needed and fabulous supplies. Each of us was deeply humbled by the overwhelming and sincere gratitude of the boys, teenage girls and the children. We sang, danced (yes, even the Hokie Pokie), laughed, cried, opened the Corsaro Center Convenient Store, built the computer lab, made many new friends, touched beautiful new hearts, journeyed far and moved mountains!
July 2007
The Learning & Technology Center opens! Our group of 22 (including many from University School, Laurel School, Elon University) inaugurated the LTC Center, built beautiful sidewalks, analyzed water, studied the feasibility of water filters from Potters For Peace, taught English, prepared Hope House for move in of the teenage girls, and helped with additional construction projects.
March 2007
The endless maze of bricks, suitcases, fiesta and fish! Our group of 39 (including Alex from Spain, Tom from Connecticut, a mix of people from Cleveland and students from Elon University, and Laurel and University Schools in Cleveland) initiated the building of our second micro-enterprise, the tilapia farm of Flor Azul.
January 2007
We were a group of 12 incredibly dedicated students from Elon University. Some went on medical brigades, others helped refurbish the house for Anival at Flor Azul and all of us taught English each day and played lots of soccer. The first micro-enterprise was created, Café Flor Azul. The profits from each $8 pound bag of pure Honduran coffee directly benefits the owners of the business - the boys of Flor Azul.
Don't Miss All The Excitement
Future 2008 Travel Dates - March 23 - May 15 - June 8