News from GRACES

Each November and December, every family at Escuela Integrada, including the teachers and staff, receive a food bag to get them through the months when school is not in session. In every food bag, families receive: 5 lbs bag of rice 5 lbs bag of beans 5 lbs bag of sugar Pancake mix 4 sticks of margarine 2 bags of pasta A bag of milk A bag of a protein/vitamin…

Did you know that Guatemala has the 2nd highest rate of moderate or severe food insecurity in all of Latin America and the Caribbean? More than half of the population suffers from food and nutrition insecurity, which results in maladies such as stunted growth, susceptibility to illness, mental health difficulties and loss of structural brain development. We know from research and observation that hungry kids do not learn. A recent…

A lifelong impact What happens to a student after they graduate from Escuela Integrada? With the school now in its 21st year, we are seeing the cyclical change that can occur in families simply by completing an education in Guatemala. As an organization we are working to improve our data-tracking capabilities so that we can provide quantifiable outcomes of an Escuela Integrada education. Currently, one of our former students is…

Did you know that the academic year in Guatemala runs from January to October? This means school is almost out for summer for the kids and teachers at Escuela Integrada! The end of the year is an exciting time of celebration for the students, families and teachers. This week, students are completing their final exams to determine if they pass the year and can move onto the next year. The…

As we recently wrapped up our Annual Sponsorship Appreciation Week, I wanted to take some time to reflect on and address some important aspects of our Sponsorship Program. GRACES Sponsorship Program is different from other sponsorship programs with large nonprofit organizations. This is an intentional difference and it centers on the concept of relationship building. It is something that we are passionate about, and it is the reason we offer…

Nearly ten years ago, a small group of people from the U.S. and Guatemala met in Antigua to discuss how they could continue to fund Escuela Integrada—despite extreme financial challenges. A newly-formed nonprofit, GRACES, sought to keep Escuela Integrada afloat. That moment became known as the first Supporters Gathering. Year after year, the practice of bringing supporters together in Guatemala to talk about the future of the school continued, and…