Give children, like Sarita, not only the ability to participate in life but the opportunity to thrive!
We need your help to cover expenses at our Nutrition Center such as medications, surgeries, food, physical therapy, and 24/7 care.
$46,387 raised
$40,000 goal
We are no longer accepting donations on this campaign, but there are other ways for you to support us today!
You can be the lifeline for a child in need. As we prepare for the upcoming year, we need to secure funding to ensure all of the children who come to our Nutrition Center receive the care they need, whether for a short stay, or their forever home.
When Sarita came to us nine years ago, she was two and a half years old and weighed a mere 15lbs. She had severe respiratory issues and eventually was diagnosed with many infections in her blood, lungs, and brain. It was clear Sarita needed a team of specialists to address her immediate healthcare needs and develop a plan for long-term care.
Hearts In Motion arranged and funded four critical surgeries for her, including when a shunt or valve was placed in her skull to relieve pressure due to toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease; the pressure on her brain caused by the infection became so great that she lost her sight and suffered some mental impairments.
Living with a disability is hard. Children living with a disability in Guatemala are the poorest of the poor, facing incredible hardship, increased vulnerability, and isolation.
Being born into poverty increases the risk of disability, and having a disability deepens poverty. This vicious cycle, coupled with the barriers to mobility, and the cultural and societal barriers, are enormous, even with support from family and friends.
Hearts In Motion's holistic programming model gives children facing these incredible hardships not only the ability to participate in life but the opportunity to thrive.
Sarita would now require constant assistance and monitoring. It was then we knew she would become a permanent part of the Hearts In Motion family. She continues to reside at our Nutrition Center, which provides wrap-around care that holistically addresses her mental, emotional, and physical wellness. For children like Sarita, Hearts In Motion is her only family.
With COVID-19 restrictions lifting in Guatemala, we are now accepting more children into our Nutrition Center for ongoing medical care and a safe place to call home, either for a short stay or forever.
To cover expenses such as medications, food, specialized education, medical equipment, and a clean and safe place to sleep, along with trained staff, for children like Sarita, we need your help.
As you can imagine, caring for the chronically ill and managing a disability is expensive, and inflation is making it even harder. A rise in expenses by just a few percentages doesn't seem like much, but for programs like our Nutrition Center, these rising costs are cutting into our budget, and we want to continue to be there for Sarita and the children yet to come.
The truth is, this work is only possible with your support. This holiday season, please consider making a gift to Hearts In Motion to help us provide transformational and life-saving services for children who have nowhere else to go.
Watch this 4-minute video to learn more about our Nutrition Center.