Connecting Families to the Home
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Not all heroes wear capes—some carry paperwork and knock on government doors.
As we prepare to open the doors to the John Gullo Home for Children in the coming weeks, Facility Director Belén Meza Sandez and Assistant Facility Director Sara María Esparza Lucero have been working tirelessly to ensure that the families who need us most are connected to the home.
Over the past two weeks, Belén and Sara have been traveling across Baja California Sur, meeting with key institutions that support vulnerable families. They have visited:
✅ DIF (Mexico’s child welfare agency)
✅ Hospitals and social workers
✅ Women’s foundations
✅ The BCS Cancer Registry Association
✅ The Pediatric Oncology Unit at IMSS
These meetings have strengthened relationships with the agencies that will refer children to the home and reassured families that their children will be safe, cared for, and supported while they undergo treatment.
Belén expressed her deep gratitude to the donor community, saying:
“To our donor community, I want to express my most sincere and heartfelt thanks. It’s very emotional and reassuring that you come here as a foreign community and contribute to this great work. Thank you, on behalf of the families that truly need you.”
To further spread awareness, Belén and Sara have been invited to participate in a radio broadcast in La Paz to discuss the home and reach more families in need. We hope this will lead to additional opportunities to accelerate the process and welcome children as soon as possible.
Thank you for your continued support—you are making this possible!
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PARTNER UPDATES
Líderes Para Dar / John Gullo Home for Children
Last month, Belen Meza Sandez, our Director of Facilities along with Sara Maria Esparza Lucero, Assistant Director of facilities and Director of Campus at the Telesecondary School in El Cardonal, met with the Directors of education to coordinate and prepare for the arrival of these children so that they can enter classes at the schools in El Cardonal (depending on their age, needs and abilities, and availability.)
These incredible people - all of whom are prestigious leaders in our community and I’d also like to point out are all powerful and intelligent women - were given a tour of the facilities and were shown how to access the pages, information, and resources on our website designed specifically for families in need and their supporting organisations.
Also at the meeting, was the Director of community sport who will work in close collaboration to voluntarily help with sports activities for children and sporting events.
From all of us here at Leaders2Give and Líderes Para Dar and on behalf of our entire donor community we would like to express our sincere gratitude to:
- Manuela Amador, Director of Primary School
- Benita Juárez, Director of Telesecondario School
- Patricia Murillo, Principal Telesecundaria
- Daniela Núñez Lucero, Adminstration and Subdelegado Liaison Telesecondario
New Creation Kids (NCK) Children’s Home
At the beginning of every fiscal year, Roberto and Alma Osuna - the folks that run the facility - have to make a report to Nuevo Creacion AC on the year's activities to protect vulnerable children. When I first mentioned this to some friends they were confused? Don't Roberto and Alma run Nuevo Creacion A.C? Who are they reporting to? Actually, Nuevo Creacion AC is a larger organization, headquartered in Tijuana with operations all across Mexico.
The children's home in La Paz - a temporary home for children whose families are experiencing a crisis such as a single parent in prison, domestic abuse, addiction or extreme poverty - is called Nuevo Creaction Albergue Infantil and is only one of the facilities under the purview of Nuevo Creacion AC.
There is also 'Nuevo Creacion Comedor Infantil' a Food Security program and outreach centre in Los Cabos.
There is 'Centro Rehabilitador Nuevo Creacion' in La Paz which is a drug and alcohol treatment centre for adults and other similar facilities for both vulnerable children and adults across the country.
All of this work is overseen by volunteers. There is very little funding. Our work here at Leaders2Give is focused on providing funding to cover the basic operating expenses such as food, propane, water and education for the children that live at Nuevo Creacion Albergue Infantil. There are many other groups that get involved either directly or in partnership with us.
Leaders2Give does not oversee the operations, nor do we have any legal responsibility for this facility or any other facility under the leadership of Nuevo Creaction, AC. The only way we can help is by receiving donations from generous people like you.
As of right now we have enough funds to cover approximately a year of funding and encourage you to make a donation today.
The East Cape Health Center
East Cape Health Center (ECHC) continues to provide valuable support to the John Gullo Home for Children. Recently, they donated a fully stocked medical first aid kit—including bandages, gauze, wraps, cough syrups, and pediatric pain relievers—so minor injuries can be quickly treated by staff.
They have also committed to replenishing supplies as needed and are available 24/7 for medical advice.
Looking ahead, ECHC has a busy few months planned. In March, they will host a fundraising event, followed by their annual Rotary-sponsored health screening in April. Visiting volunteers from U.S.-based Rotary groups will join them to provide screenings for community members and schoolchildren.
ECHC remains dedicated to ensuring high-quality medical care for the East Cape region. They recently recruited a registered nurse with expertise in emergency and ICU care, wound management, and paramedicine. Their pediatric dental programs continue, offering hygiene education, extractions, and braces to local youth.
To stay at the forefront of medical care, ECHC has expanded its continuing education for staff, keeping them updated on the latest treatments, medications, and specialized wound care, particularly for patients with special needs.
In addition to traditional medicine, ECHC integrates science-based functional medicine techniques, including counseling, nutrition programs, and vitamin supplements. With new endocrine and hormone lab equipment, they are increasing their focus on preventative care for both men and women, particularly those struggling with midlife changes and hormone imbalances.
Feeding The Hungry
You can’t feed everybody in the world who is hungry, but you could provide food for a struggling family for a year for way less than the cost of a daily Starbucks coffee.
The Los Barriles Feeding the Hungry organization supports the least fortunate among us by regularly supplying them with vouchers to buy food.
Consider giving US $2 a day to change the life of a local family.
Donations to Feeding the Hungry can be made by clicking any DONATE button on this page and selecting Feeding the Hungry from the drop down menu.
SNAP - Spay, Neuter, and Prevention
Video Grand Prize Winner
SNAP recognizes the importance of education in fostering a compassionate and responsible community for animals. To encourage this, the organization launched a Video Contest, inviting young participants to create engaging and informative videos about pet ownership, animal rights, and the significance of spaying and neutering.
The contest welcomed participants aged 9 to 20, dividing them into three age categories. The creativity and passion displayed by contestants highlighted their commitment to animal welfare and responsible pet care.
Celebrating the Winners
The Grand Prize Winner and first-place recipient in the 17-20 age category was Kevin Jesús Gonzáles from Delegación de Santiago.
In the 9-12 age category, Valentina Rochin and Paulina Martínez Tamayo from Delegación de Los Barriles secured first place.
For the 13-16 age category, Maria Regina Geraldo Sandoval from Delegación de La Ribera was awarded first place.
Inspiring the Next Generation
This contest aimed not only to recognize talent but also to empower young individuals to become advocates for animals in their communities. By learning about responsible pet ownership, participants contributed to shaping a future in which more animals receive the care and protection they deserve.
SNAP extends heartfelt congratulations to all participants and winners. Their efforts continue to inspire the organization’s mission of creating a better future for animals in the region. Their voices and creativity have made a meaningful impact.
More initiatives and opportunities to engage with SNAP will be available in the future. With collective efforts, a compassionate and educated community for all animals can be achieved!
Crescent Moon Project - Art for Children
Starting in January, Crescent Moon Project classes will focus on a different art medium each month. This rotation exposes students to various techniques and materials, helping them become more versatile artists. While older students often gravitate toward painting, the goal is to introduce them to mediums they may not otherwise explore, encouraging creativity and innovation by stepping outside their comfort zone.
January is PAPER ART!
Some of the various projects the emerging artists have been doing include:
● Recycling materials such as old books and giving them new life by using them as a basis on which to paint various designs with watercolors and/or acrylic paint, from dotted designs, flowers, feathers, etc.
● Using the art of Eric Carle as a guide, exploring the combination of tissue paper, paints, and glue using a method of layering hand-painted paper to build vibrant, textured images.
● Collages are a form of art that involves assembling different pieces of paper, often from magazines, newspapers, or other sources, onto a surface to create a new composition. This easily provides a range of age-appropriate projects.
● Vision Boards: the high school students will start to envision their 2025 hopes and dreams through designing and creating individual Vision Boards.
UPCOMING EVENTS (follow us on Facebook for more information):
🗓️ February 13: Paint Your Partner
🗓️ April 12: Art in Bloom “See them Shine”
CAN YOU HELP?
● Fulfill a Wish: Choose from this Wish List, select Priscilla Duran’s address, and the gift will be delivered directly to CMP.
● Make a Donation: Click on the DONATE TODAY button below and choose “Crescent Moon Project - Art for Children” from the drop down menu.
To Donate to Leaders2Give and any of our Partners, visit our Donate page.