News from GRACES
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Thank you, Lucas!
After several years of dedicated service in Guatemala, GRACES Sponsorship Coordinator Lucas Hertzberg is moving back to the United States. Lucas first joined us in 2019 as a summer intern and returned in 2021 to work with us. “Lucas grew and led the sponsorship program, and I am so grateful for his hard work,” said Hannah Nadeau Girón, executive director of GRACES. “He was able to learn quickly and was…
Our 2023 Annual Report
Dear Friends, You might or might not be surprised to know that 54% of the population in Guatemala lives in poverty (less than $2.15 a day). I live in Guatemala—which has been amazing and beautiful in so many ways—but I feel the weight of the need here. I feel it with the families we work with, and I feel it when I walk outside my front door. It can be…
Welcoming a new GRACES staff member
English classes expand opportunities for junior high students Last month, Escuela Integrada kicked off the 2024 school year with an exciting new opportunity—English classes for all junior high students! In partnership with Academia de Lideres Futuros (AFL), every student in 7th-9th grade will take English for an hour at the end of every school day. In 2023, GRACES provided scholarships and transportation for up to 15 students to take English…
It’s the start of another school year at Escuela Integrada!
Dear friends, I want to extend a huge “Thank You!” to each and every one of you who donated to our year-end campaign in December. This campaign quite literally puts food in the mouths of children who live in poverty. For the coming school year, the Meal Support program costs a total of $120,000. I will be honest with you—this keeps me up at night! The year-end campaign directly impacts…
GRACES needs your help to fund meals for kids
The amounts we often take for granted make a significant impact in Guatemala Did you know that the average person spends $166 per month on dining out and $12 per Starbucks visit? A routine trip to McDonald’s weighs in at $7.77 per person per trip, and DoorDash food delivery costs the average American $37.28 per month. Let’s say in one month, you ate out, went to Starbucks four times, visited McDonald’s three…
“This week, I didn’t have anything to feed my children”
Guatemala’s malnutrition rate is the highest in Central America and the fourth highest in the world. The hunger crisis has reached such a dramatic threshold that the government is unable to meet the needs of its own people. In 2021, National Geographic published a story with statistics that show the rise in food insecurity in Guatemala from minimal to crisis between February 2020 and June 2021, with the majority of…