Emergency Relief in Guatemala and El Salvador
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Sister Parish IncRaising relief funds for Sister Parish communities affected by the coronavirus emergency.
$15,240
raised by 51 people
$25,000 goal
August 2020 Update
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our emergency fundraiser. Both the economic and the health needs continue to be urgent. The virus is spreading quickly in both Guatemala and El Salvador right now, health systems are completely overwhelmed and under resourced, and both countries have decided to re-open the economy taking limited measures to protect public health.
We are distributing the funds to communities and many have already handed out baskets of food and hygiene supplies to those most in need. The support has been prioritized for single mothers, elders, differently-abled people, people in mandatory quarantine, unemployed workers in the informal economy (no safety net), and families who lost their crops due to the drought last year. Tierra Nueva 2 has also supported the two local health clinics with masks, thermometers, and electrical repairs. (Pictures below: 1. No-touch thermometers are donated to a local health clinic; 2. Repairs allow the local clinic to re-open; 3. and 4. Food aid and basic supplies are distributed to those in need.
Visit our blog to see more pictures and to follow how communities are using the aid to make a difference.
We are incredibly grateful for your support in times of crisis,
Sister Parish Staff, Board, and Communities
All Sister Parish communities in El Salvador and Guatemala will all be affected by the pandemic. Contributions on this page will be used for emergency aid to Sister Parish communities. The details of the aid will be decided by the southern communities based on their needs, but could include food aid, hygiene kits, medical supplies, or agricultural products.
In the short-term, we are seeing an immediate need for food and basic supplies in urban and semi-urban areas, as well as rural communities affected by the drought last year. A drastic rise in lay-offs, the sudden lack of tourism, the drop in remittances from the U.S., and the lack of public transportation have left communities already living in poverty at risk of further hunger and illness.
As the virus spreads and the global economic impact sets in, the pandemic will affect everyone and expose all preexisting inequalities and other deadly "pandemics", including racism, hunger, malnutrition, homelessness, lack of access to water, and lack of access to health care. This is, of course, also true in the U.S.
In the context of this emergency, we are called to help our neighbors, near and far, however we can. Wherever possible, we will seek out collaboration with other organizations and mutual aid solutions. As an organization that focuses on relationships, our members in Central America will still have decision-making power about relief efforts in their communities.
In Sister Parish, we are one family and we will care for each other despite borders. In this time of uncertainty and hardship, may we find new ways to care for people in our communities, our families, our sistering relationships, and ourselves. This is how we get through this together.
How much does aid cost in Central America?
(Based on aid being distributed in communities now)
$10-25 = A small basket of food and basic supplies for 1 family
$35 = 1 can nutritional supplement for people with special needs
$55 = 50 disposable face masks or 18 N-95 face masks
$75 = 1 kit of medicine to treat COVID-19
$100 = 1 no-touch thermometer for a local health clinic
$225 = Bags of food and basic supplies for 15 families
$400 = Electric repairs for the local health clinic
$465 = Cost of food for one month for a family of 4 or 5 in Guatemala
About Sister Parish, Inc.
Sister Parish exists to foster mutual understanding and commitment to peace and justice among people in the United States and Central America. This objective is pursued through intentional linking between churches and Christian communities in the United States and Central America. Delegation travel to the North and South with home stays is an essential aspect in enhancing awareness and understanding, and nurturing closer relationships.
Where we work:
Guatemala
- Chinautla - Guatemala
- Villa Nueva - Guatemala
- San Andres Itzapa - Chimaltenango
- Cunen - El Quiche
- Chichicastenango - El Quiche
- Ixcan - El Quiche
- El Estor - Izabal
El Salvador
- Guarjila - Chalatenango
- San Antonio Los Ranchos - Chalatenango
- San Jose la Montaña - Chalatenango
- Potrerillos - Chalatenango
- Zaragoza - La Libertad
Photo: Urban community in Chinautla, Guatemala. By Life Image, LLC. https://lifeimagellc.com/