New Helping Hand Projects

Thanks to a welcome nudge and reminder from one of our new customers, Grandway has contacted our Humanitarian Manager and asked her to actively pursue the next several helping hand projects that will provide a direct benefit to women at risk.  We will post the new project as soon as it's completed!  Thanks again to C. F.

HELPING HAND- AUGUST 2012- XIOMARA GODOY

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: Xiomara Godoy is a newly single mother of 4 boys after her husband left them about a year ago. Xiomara sells tortillas to make ends meet for her family.

 

HELPING HAND NEED: Xiomara has 3 boys that are in school and is struggling to keep them in school to give them an education. Xiomara had a simple request and just wanted help buying more supplies to sell. We stocked her up on corn, tortilla’s, firewood and then put a small grocery store of eggs, soda, sugar and bread in her home.

 THOUGHTS FROM XIOMARA: “Thanks to God for you and all your help. This really means a lot to me, with this help I can sell more and get more profit to help with my children’s education. God bless you all and please keep helping more families like us.”

 

HELPING HAND- JULY 2012- YOLANY PERALTA

Helping Hand Recipient: Yolany Peralta heard of our organization and came to us asking for help. She is a 22 year old woman that struggles with two embarrassing problems since she was just a little girl. One condition unfortunately puts Yolany in diapers, causing her ridicule and embarrassment and causes people to turn away from her. She also has a neurologic condition of the feet that causes hammertoes, calluses, pain when standing or walking and unstable feet which often times leads to sprained ankles and many other problems.  The foot condition progressively worsens and is very painful.

Helping Hand Need: Some of Yolany’s needs were so simple but because of her and her mother’s financial situation they have been unable to attain some of these simple things. Yolany really needed some special orthotics, special shoes more incontinence supplies and they needed help with food. These requests were simple and we were happy to help.

Thoughts from Yolany: “ I am very grateful for all that my parents have been able to help me with growing up but after my father died it has been an even bigger struggle for my mother and I. Thank you so much for responding to my request and providing us with some things that we were in need of. I am so grateful, god bless all of you.”

HELPING HAND - JUNE 2012 - JOSEFA PASTRANA

WRITTEN BY IRIS

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: Josefa Pastrana is 45 years old and has three daughters who are all in school. Josefa is a hard worker and runs a small business selling potatoes, bananas and onions.

HELPING HAND NEED: Several years ago, Josefa, could sell her grocery items in the street to make money to support her and her daughters, but recently she started to be affected by her osteoporosis. It became hard for her to walk even short distances so she started using a wheelchair to get around. Because she is not as mobile, it became impossible for her to continue selling her goods in the street.

Now she runs her business out of her house. Her neighbors were continually asking her for grains because there was no one close that sold those items. For Josefa to be successful and increase her business from her house, she needed to sell beans, rice and corn. While we were talking with Josefa we noticed other items that people were asking for that she did not have. We not only bought her beans, rice and corn but also spaghetti, seasonings, eggs, oil, salt and some sugar.

THOUGHTS FROM JOSEFA: Please tell the foundation owners that they will be blessed for doing all this to help the people of Honduras. Personally I am so grateful for this help. Now I can have more income and give my daughters education. God bless you and all your families. Thanks for your noble heart.

HELPING HAND - MAY 2012 - OLIVIA ZELAYA

PREPARED BY ISIS

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  Olivia Zelaya is a lady of 67 years old who loss her husband last year. She lives in a humble home and has for the past 13 years.  The owners of the house are allowing her to stay until build additional homes on the land.  To provide for herself, Olivia runs a small grocery store, and sales firewood. 



HELPING HAND NEED: While we were in her home we noticed how many people in the neighborhood appreciate her and they buy supplies in her small grocery store although there are others grocery around her. She does not make enough money to buy a lot of product to sell. It is also hard for her to stand for long periods of time or walk far distance because of injuries she suffered in an accident 3 years ago. In order to make her more money and for her neighbors to continue to buy from her store we felt that she needed additional products and more of what she is already selling.

THOUGHTS FROM OLIVIA: Miracles do exist and you are part of them. Maybe you do not realize the impact that this help has in our lives. I hope that you can always help people, families and children. I pray for you and I know that God will always bless you so that you can continue to help more people

HELPING HAND- APRIL 2012- NICOLAS PEREZ

WRITTEN BY IRIS
HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  Nicolas Perez is a 37 year old man with special needs. He was born with growth problem but is fully capable of understanding all that is going on around him. Nicolas resides with his 68 year old mother, Virginia. It is painful to see Nicolas struggle but it was an unforgettable and heartwarming moment to hear him communicate and smile.

HELPING HAND NEED: Nicolas and Virginia share a bed, but this bed it more than uncomfortable with no mattress on the bed. Virginia simply just needed a mattress. We also bought Virginia a supply of food to help with her small business where she sells fried banana slices.

THOUGHTS FROM VIRGINIA:   Virginia immediately started crying when we asked her thoughts on the mattress and food. “My only concern is to see that my son has enough to eat and that he is doing ok, I felt bad because I could not give him a comfortable place where he can sleep ... thank you for this help, thank you for the food and helping my business. I am already an old lady and I have fear to leaving my son alone someday, I work so I can have an account for him so the help to my business goes so far. Thank you and God bless you for help my little angel Nicolas.”

HELPING HAND- MARCH2012- GUTIERREZ FAMILY

Prepared by: Isis

Gutierrez Family

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  With 5 children under the age of 12, Guadalupe and Lorena Gutierrez have a lot of responsibility to provide for their family and have the constant worry of being able to do so.  Guadalupe picks melons from 6am- 6pm daily with a daily wage of $4.00 per day, a wage that makes it possible to feed his family but does not leave extra income for other things that the family needs.

HELPING HAND NEED: We planned a visit to the family with the intention of buying all the children new shoes after seeing they were attending school in bath slippers, but after visiting the family home realized they had more needs that we could help out with. Once we arrived at the home we found out that the children were sleeping on the ground because of the lack of beds in the home. Our time with the Gutierrez family turned into a bit of an impromptu adventure as we took the family into town to shop for shoes for the children and also purchased some beds for the home. The children had never left home to explore the city so our shopping trip turned into a little family fun day as we spend the day out shopping, eating out, etc. We also bought a little supply of food to stock up their house for some needs in the future.

THOUGHTS FROM LORENA: “Nothing makes me happier than to see my kids happy. My husband is a good, hard worker and very responsible but the company he works for is seasonal and the money we receive does not cover everything to meet my children’s needs. I am so grateful for this help and for your willingness to help families like us.”

HELPING HAND-FEB2012- CABRERA FAMILY

Prepared by Isis-

HELPING HAND RECIPENT:  As a mother of 4 children living in Choluteca Honduras, Gladys Cabrera works hard cleaning houses and washing clothes, to provide for her family. We actually met Gladys in a park, we were observing her happy, playful children and just happened to ask them a few questions regarding their schooling. They informed us they do not attend school because their mother could not afford the fees associated. We asked the children to introduce us to their mother.

HELPING HAND NEED: After meeting Gladys, we realized her struggles are ones very common to Honduras, she lacks the funds she needs to send her children to school. After speaking to Gladys she did invite us to her home and then we took her shopping for uniforms and all the necessary school supplies for her children.

THOUGHTS FROM GLADYS: “I was thinking about the season of school and I did not know how I could possible let my 4 children attend. I had taken my children to the park near a house I was cleaning, and I am just so grateful that you met my children. I am so grateful for this help and mostly to see how happy my children were and the smiles on their faces when they found out they would be attending school. It is so amazing how God works, bless all of you and I hope you can continue to help more families like us.”

HELPING HAND-JAN11-JACKY LINARES

Prepared by Isis-

HELPING HAND RECIPENT: Having lost her husband to AIDS about a year and a half ago, newly widowed Jacky Betancourt Linares, has struggled to raise her two beautiful daughters now on her own at just 25 years old. Jacky also contracted AIDS from her late husband, which has made it extremely difficult to find a job in Honduras. Jacky has been washing clothing for others to try and make ends meet. Jacky is blessed to have a mother that has been able to help her out but she is desperate to try and do this on her own.

HELPING HAND NEED: Although Jacky washes clothes, she actually has a great trade that she has been unable to utilize, Jacky can sew. Jacky has been unable to show off this skill, only because she cannot afford a sewing machine. It was a simple request and we were happy to provide Jacky with the sewing machine she would need to generate business to be more independent and bring in the income she needs to raise her two young daughters.
 THOUGHTS FROM JACKY: ”I really thank you for this huge gift, I don’t even have words to describe what I feel I just want you to know that all these things that you do for the people in Honduras is so important and God will bless you for all your help to us. Thank you for the sewing machine I will work so hard and will be able to raise my girls and provide for my family.”

 THOUGHTS FROM JACKY’S MOTHER: “I was talking with Jacky two weeks ago and she was telling me how much she wanted a sewing machine and how much she was going to have to work to try and save the money for one.  I am just so impressed how God answered her prayer so fast, II definitely know that God is working and answered prayers through you. Thank you for helping us and for helping that people in Honduras, God bless you.”

HELPING HAND- DEC2011-LUCIO GARCIA

Prepared by Isis

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:  Lucio de Jesus Garcia started his trade at just 17 years old, now 11 years later at 28 he has mastered the skill and is an excellent mechanic. Lucio is a family man that is eager to provide for his wife and his 7 year old son that has special needs. Lucio’s son is unable to walk and is not able to consume solid food. His son is on a special liquid diet that is very expensive.

HELPING HAND NEED: Lucio works in a local mechanic shop but is unable to work enough hours to earn enough to really make ends meet. Lucio is asked frequently to do side work for people on their cars to really make it a full time career but has been unable to fulfill these requests as he lacks the right tools to do this outside of the mechanic shop. Lucio requested the tools necessary to start his own full time business, which we were happy to provide. Lucio received a specialty tool set that included all he would need to make his work profitable and more consistent to be able to provide for his family.

THOUGHTS FROM LUCIO: “I am very thankful with God and with you that you helped me. For me this is a huge help you don’t even know how happy I am. I always dreamed about to have my own business now it is no longer just a dream.  Now, I will look for a place and put my own car repair shop. God bless you and this great foundation so that you can be able to keep helping a lot of people.”

HELPING HAND- NOV 2011-JUAN LINAREZ

PREPARED BY ISIS

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: At 60 years old, Juan Linarez and his wife Leonor have stepped up for their family in a big way, they are raising their 3 grandchildren (Daniel, Alex and Joel) after the lost their daughter in a car accident. Six months ago Juan was diagnosed with Chagas disease, also known as Trypanosomiasis in the US.  Trypanosomiasis is a tropical parasitic disease in vertebrates. Chagas is typically transmitted to humans by an insect vector, the blood-sucking insects of the subfamily Triatominae mainly in Latin America. The disease is responsible for 21,000+ deaths a year.  Although some symptoms and conditions can be treated, 20% of the people with this disease will eventually develop life-threatening heart and digestive system disorders. Juan has been affected with an enlarged heart and other heart related problems that have affected his energy and work ability. He was laid off at his job because he was just not able to work as hard due to the strains of the disease.

HELPING HAND NEED:  Juan came to us with his concerns and shared his worry for his family and their money needs. Juan needed an opportunity to work from home to provide for his family but did not have the means to start his home business. We helped Juan start a small grocery store within his home where

THOUGHTS FROM JUAN: “With this help i will be able to provide income to the house, in addition to my wife selling tortillas. This is a help that I am so grateful for. God bless all of you for this humble and enormous labor. I will pray that this foundation continues to help people in need.

HELPING HAND-OCT2011-JUAN ORTIZ

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:   Juan Ortiz is a 40 year old man living in Choluteca, Honduras.  At age 14 Juan was accidentally stuck by a bullet in his home while his father was cleaning a gun that he thought was empty. The tragic accident left Juan paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Juan is involved in a Honduran Association and additional programs that reach out to the people of Honduras to provide for his needs but Juan still needs additional income.

HELPING HAND NEED:  Juan is skilled at appliance repairs but has struggled to make it a full time career because he lacked the tools necessary to do the repairs. Juan just needed a little help acquiring the tools necessary to keep steady work and we were happy to help. Juan was given many tools including value tester, seal burners, etc. to make his work profitable and consistent.

THOUGHTS FROM JUAN: “For me it is so important to have all this tools because this is the only way that I can support myself and help my mother out. This is a gift you have given me, to know that my mother and I will have everything we need. God bless all of you”

HELPING HAND- SEPT 2011- BLANCA LINARES

Prepared by Isis

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: Blanca Rosa Linares is a single mother with 3 children. Blanca works hard selling tortillas to provide for her children and to make sure that they have an education.

HELPING HAND NEED:
Blanca came asking for help after hearing of Helping Hands. Blanca has a piece of land near the river and recently starting building a house. Her funds are meager so she has built that house out of cardboard and plastic, because of the severe weather near the river this was not holding up properly for her family.






The helping hands team in Honduras assisted by reinforcing the Linares family home with sturdier walls that could protect her family from the conditions. The Linares family also was lacking a bathroom, so a bathroom was added as well.

THOUGHTS FROM BLANCA: “I am so impressed on how different my house looks. I am so happy and thankful for Helping Hands. My income goes to support my children, their education and our food so I never thought I would be able to fix my house. You do not know how much this help means to me and my family, we are greatly appreciative.”

HELPING HAND- AUG 2011- CARMEN GAMEZ and DANNIS ZEPEDA

*NOTE- This month we were able to fulfill two requests and share two stories. The people of Honduras live humble lifestyles and their requests often seem so simple but they make impact on their lives and we are always happy to help.
(1)HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: Carmen Gamez is a hard working woman who has been dedicated to her two boys and to her job in order to provide for them alone.

HELPING HAND NEED: Carmen has been able to provide for her family by selling mango's, banana slices, donuts, juice, etc from a cart. The cart Carmen relies on to sell these goods has proven to be a burden for her. The tires are constantly going flat, often leaving her stranded late at night as she is unable to move the cart. Carmen's request was simple and we were happy to help her by purchasing tires of a higher quality that do not require air so she can continue to provide for her family. We also were able to do some other small repairs to her cart including helping her with some protection from the rain when the weather turns on her.

THOUGHTS FROM CARMEN: “For me it was so hard to work with my cart because of the tire and weather difficulties. This cart is what helps me bring food to my home and for that I am so grateful for this help.”

********

(2)HELPING HAND RECIPIENT: Dannis Annet Zepeda is a 27 years man who works at the factory in Honduras. He is an extremely dedicated employee and a hard worker. Dannis and his wife are expecting a baby and she has been unable to work, making it difficult for them to survive off one income.

HELPING HAND NEED: Dannis has worked hard in the hopes of providing a home for his family. He was able to get a loan from the bank to go ahead and make that dream come true. Dannis has now finished the building of the house but has been unable to afford the electricity in their home. It is very difficult to get electricity in Honduras because of the expensive equipment necessary to have the electricity. We were able to buy the necessary meter and help with the connection in order for the Zepeda family to enjoy electricity in their new home.

THOUGHTS FROM DANNIS'S WIFE: "We are a happy family and we are waiting for our first child and we were so worrieed about the electricity, we were thinking about our son. It would be so hard to give him the things he needs as a newborn with no electricity. Thank you for the help, for us it is a big help that you have given."

HELPING HAND- JULY2011- JEFFRY REYES

Prepared by Isis

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:Jeffry Reyes is a 5 year old boy. He lives in Choluteca Honduras with his mother, Aminta Avila, father, Gilberto Reyes and his 12 year old sister, Yilda. At 5 months old Jeffry was diagnosed with Werdnig-Hoffmann disease. Werdnig-Hoffman disease is a spinal muscular deterioration which leads to muscle weakness. A person with Werdnig-Hoffman disease has a lack of motor development and poor muscle tone.

HELPING HAND NEED: A local Telethon Foundation in Honduras provided Jeffry with an opportunity to receive physical therapy which has helped him to have more movement in his body and his extremities. Because of his muscle weakness Jeffry is carried by his mother to the bus stop which is 2 ½ miles from the family’s home. Jeffry is getting older, taller and heavier each year and this has become an increasing difficulty for his mother and Jeffry to get to their destinations. Jeffry has very week muscle control in his ankles and feet and an AFO Dynamic which is a brace that helps with ankle and foot movement and stabilization would help Jeffry in his physical therapy to achieve the goal to walk. We provided Jeffry with the AFO Dynamic brace as well as a stroller so that Jeffry and his mother can get to where they need with ease and less worry.

THOUGHTS FROM JEFFRY'S MOTHER:“I am so thankful with this help for my son. You are angels sent by God. My son is my life and I worried about him but God has helped me every moment that I needed. Now with therapy and the AFO brace, I know that he is going to walk."

HELPING HAND- JUNE 2011- CORRALES ESPINO FAMILY

Prepared by Isis

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:
The Corrales Espino family is a wonderful family that lives just south of Choluteca Honduras. There are 7 members of their family; the father, 37 year old Santos, the mother, 35 year old Vilma and their 5 children: Katy 12, Evelin 10, Michelle 8, Viviam 3 and a new baby. Santos works as a guard and his wife, before she had the baby, cleaned homes. With 3 of their children going to school it often they have financial difficulties, paying for school, their home and other of life’s necessities.

HELPING HAND NEED:
About a year ago during the winter season all of the Correles Espino’s children got sick. The home in which the family lives was in bad shape and the walls were falling apart and they had holes in the aluminum sheets, which is what is used as the walls at their home. In Honduras during the winter, they receive a lot of rain and when it would rain there would be a river of water that ran through the family home. It was a very hard winter for the family because the children were so sick, due to the cold and wet from the rain. The family didn’t have the money available to pay for the medicine that was needed or to fix the walls to prevent future illness. We purchased some wood and supplies, a local church helped with the labor and we were able to make the walls of the home solid so the water from the winter rains would no longer enter the home and the family could stay warm and healthy.

THOUGHTS FROM SANTOS:
“When I saw you coming I was looking at the sky thinking the winter is here and my kids will get sick again. I didn’t have any idea what you were coming for but when you told me that you were going to help my family, I felt so happy and the first word that came to my mind was Thanks God. Now that my house has new walls, I will sleep well without thinking about my kids getting sick. Thank you for your help; I don’t know how to pay you back, God Bless You.”

HELPING HAND- FERNANDO- MAY 2011

Prepared by Isis

HELPING HAND RECIPIENT:
Fernando Diaz is a 43 year old man living in Choluteca. He and his lovely wife Jobita have 6 children together, ranging in age from 10-21. Fernando has a small field he works on near the river in Choluteca. He plants corn, beans and bananas that he can sell in order to provide for his family and home. A few years ago Fernando’s field was devastated by a hurricane causing Fernando to have to start fresh. He is an extremely hard worker that is committed to paying for his children’s education and supporting their future.

HELPING HAND NEED:
On a daily basis Fernando can be seen walking around the neighborhood and around the city selling the beans, corn and banana’s he has so carefully grown. After speaking to him, Fernando expressed his need for quicker transportation in order to sell his items and would love to eventually have a bike of his own. That was an easy request and we were happy to help Fernando get that bike to ease the task of selling and hauling his items around. Fernando and his family were extremely grateful for the bike and were excited to use it for some other tasks to make life a little easier.

THOUGHTS FROM FERNANDO:
“It was a great surprise when they told me that they were going to give me a bike. My children were so excited they started jumping up and down. I thank you for all your help and believe me, this bike will be so important to me so I can sell my good quickly. Thanks and God bless you.”