Thank you for registering to participate in the Pacific Paradise Pools and CA Smartscape 9/10 project. We're so excited you are volunteering to build a home with us! The following information will inform you of what to expect when volunteering for this construction project. 

Overview

• Review of COVID-19 Protocols
• Recommended tools and Personal Items to bring 
• Valid US Passports are required
• Ideas for house warming gifts 
• Schedule for a sample build day 
• About the family and the community

COVID-19 Protocols 

We updated our COVID-19 Protocols for Volunteers (06.01.2022).

To review Corazón's COVID-19 Protocols, please click here:

Tools and Personal Items

House Warming Gifts 

Welcome a family into their new home! (No money please)

• Bags of beans or rice 
• kitchen utensils 
• set of dishes 
• pots or pans 
• towels 
• bedding (standard size)
• curtain and curtain rods (3-3' and 1-2'x2')
• school supplies for children

Sample Build Day 

Meeting Locations:

Build Meeting Location A 
4AM Bus Meetup
18100 Brookhurst St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Google map and directions

Build Meeting Location B
6AM Bus Meetup
360 E H St
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Google map and directions

• 4 or 6 AM - Meet Up! Lead builders will inform you of important safety procedures, including COVID-19 Protocols. 
• 6:45 AM - Bus over the border together. 
• 7 AM - Arrive at the build site. Listen to Lead builder instructions. 
• 12 PM - Lunch and Learn
• 1 PM - Return to work
• 4:30 PM - Closing Ceremony (if applicable)
• 5-6 PM - Departure for border

About the Family and Community 

Salinas Ponce Family

The Salinas Ponce family is from Nayarit and has lived in Flores Magon for 20 years. They have participated in Corazón since 2018, when they discovered the programs that are carried out in the community. Gisela is cheerful, hard-working and persevering. She is an artisan, makes piñatas and clothes for dolls, and stays positive in the face of adversity. Her goals and dreams are to help her family move forward. With her participation in the community, the Salinas Ponce family wants to achieve a house construction to provide a safe roof for the children in the family. The family shares that monthly rent payments for where they live now are usually very complicated to make. This project will completely change the life of the Salinas Ponce family. They share their gratitude for your support, and they hope that this great gift will bless everyone.

Community

Your group will be helping the Salinas Ponce family construct their home in our Flores Magon community. Flores Magon is located in Tijuana, Baja California. 

Help a family build their new home!

Donate to our Education Fund today!

Tag us on social media!

Save Adult Summer Camp to Your Calendar!

What this month’s newsletter covers:

• Take a look at our April projects in our Program Highlights!
• We have an open build scheduled for May 21, 2022! Sign up online to volunteer for the Guevara/Tracy & Friends project!
• Summer Camp 2022 planning is underway - Find out how you can join our planning team in our Program Highlight!
• Meet Gloria in our Community Member Highlight!
• We're in need of sleeping bags and tents for our summer camp students - If you can donate sleeping bags and/or a tent for our students to use please contact our office!
• We’re learning about Mother’s Day in Mexico in this month’s !Corazón Classroom!

What this month’s newsletter covers:

• Read about our new build season and find out how to volunteer for a project in our Program Highlights!
• We hosted our very first Miss Primavera last month! Read about the event in our Program Highlights. 
• Meet Oscar, a Corazón Scholar since 2018, in our Community Member Highlight! 
• We’re learning about the Spring Equinox at Teotihuacán in this month’s ¡Corazón Classroom!

RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT

Thank you for purchasing tickets to attend our event! If you need to purchase additional tickets, please use the button below. 

Never seen Dueling Pianos in action? Visit their social media below! 

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW!

Unable to attend? Consider donating a new tablet!

What this month’s newsletter covers:

• Complete your end-of-the-year donations this month by helping us secure tablets and meals for families! Visit our website or contact our office if you have any questions.  
• We completed two house builds with volunteer groups on December 4th. Look to our social media to see them hard at work! 
• Find out how much donors raised on Giving Tuesday! Thank you for your donations.
• We’re learning about Mexico’s holiday season for this month’s ¡Corazón Classroom!

What this month’s newsletter covers: 

• Join us and volunteer for a house build.  Please visit our website to register today.
• Exciting news about our September Scholarship Campaign!
• Meet Ana, a Corazón scholar and community member, in our community member highlight! 
• We’re welcoming Julie, our Executive Director, and a new office! 
• We’re learning about the significance of Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, in this month’s ¡Corazón Classroom!
• Giving Tuesday is on November 30th. Read below to find out how you can donate. 

What this month’s newsletter covers:

• Our September Scholarship Campaign is extending to October 14th! You can still donate to get your scholarship donation matched! Visit our page to support Corazón students. 
• Congratulations to Sabrina Gannon for winning the 2 Night Getaway with Zenaida Cellars! 
• We’re recognizing Johanna and Marco for this month’s community member highlight.
• We have three construction projects scheduled for this month! If you’re a member of these build groups don’t forget to sign up and read our COVID Protocols!
• We're moving! Read our Latest News for our new location. 
• We’re learning about Xochimilco, where the flowers grow, in this month’s ¡Corazón Classroom!

What this month’s newsletter covers: 

• Donate to our scholarship campaign this month! Follow us on social media to support this month’s fundraiser. 
• Meet Manuel Eduardo, this year’s recipient of the Don Mersch Scholarship! 
• Read more postcards from Corazón Summer Camp.
• We’re learning about Chichen Itza, a historical city in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico., for this month’s Corazón Classroom! 

Overview 

• Read an introduction to Flores Magon from a Corazón committee member.
• Learn how a decrease in income has affected the education of Flores Magon students. 
• The pandemic continues to affect the mental health of community members - Read their stories. 
• Community members reflect on their experiences from last year as they move on in 2021. 

Summer Camp 2021

Postcards located below.

We’re Back from Camp!| Our Goal this Summer

Our challenge this year was trying to figure out how we could continue our annual summer camp amid an ongoing pandemic. Our volunteers and staff worked virtually to plan for workshops and the student’s graduation ceremony. Here’s what they have to share with you!

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Summer Camp 2021 Theme

You may have noticed that this year’s summer camp theme was Navigating through Technology! In addition to the workshops we highlight below, our summer camp leaders taught students how to navigate technology and the internet safely throughout the month of July. With education moving to a remote format, learning safety tips for internet use is key.

Virtual Workshops

Our virtual workshops ran for two weeks, with multiple sessions of every workshop each week.

I Learn to Recognize And Name My Emotions and Managing My Emotions 

Children and teens are experiencing difficult times due to the pandemic - anxiety, stress, and depression frequently occur. Addressing these concerns was of the utmost importance to participants. 

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

In collaboration with mental health experts, Corazón developed two workshops - ‘I Learn to Recognize and Name my Emotions’ and ‘Managing my Emotions’. The purpose of these workshops was to 1) provide resources for the students and 2) let students know that there are people in their community who genuinely care for them and their emotional well-being. Students talked about their feelings, learned how to address them, and found a safe space in these workshops. 

Caring for Myself and Caring for Ourselves During COVID

Caring for ourselves and others is especially important right now. That is why this workshop covered physical and moral values. Children participated in several physical activities to continue exercising from their homes. They also discussed topics such as empathy and respect for others in this workshop. 

I Learn How to Play Chess!

Chess helps players improve their concentration, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Not only is chess excellent for enhancing one’s mathematical skills, but it is also an activity that is shared among different generations. Grandparents, parents, and children can each share, teach, and learn from each other through activities like chess. Chess was a wonderful experience for children to do just that during their virtual workshop. Students even showed off their chess skills at their graduation ceremony! 

Graduation 

A total of 118 students participated and graduated from this year’s summer camp! Thanks to our sponsors, students enjoyed a safe graduation ceremony- featuring food, games, and prizes! 

Donate to Corazón Youth

Our Corazón Youth program is home to our scholarships and interactive learning experiences like Summer Camp. We’re honored to continue providing these resources for students, but we can’t do this without your help.

Donate to our Education Fund to help students continue their education.

Thank you for your continued support.

Postcards from Corazón Students! 

About Corazón Scholarships

As part of our Corazón Youth program, Corazón offers accessible tutoring and scholarship opportunities for students in our communities to excel in their academic endeavors. Currently, there are 3 levels in our scholarship program: 

Basic Level - preschool, primary, and secondary grades 

Middle and Upper Levels - high school, university, and postgraduate

How do students join our scholarship program? 

Students who join at the basic level (preschool, primary, and secondary grades) are usually children of parents already participating in Corazón. Students from the middle and upper levels (high school, university, and postgrad) sometimes join Corazón on their own. 

Students register with Corazón Youth at one of our community centers where they are provided with the information necessary to apply for a scholarship. Once registered, students begin to actively participate in our program to volunteer in their community. 

How do students participate in our scholarship program? 

Basic Level 

Students at the basic level attend tutoring sessions given at our community centers at least twice a week. Students at this level also register to participate in an educational workshop. 

Middle and Upper Levels

Students in the middle and upper levels volunteer in community projects and events such as - summer camps, tournaments, construction projects, and workshops. Students are eligible for a scholarship when they register for the program and contribute hours that support their community.

Tutoring - Older students in the program volunteer to tutor younger children in their studies. The role of Corazón tutors has been especially important, as younger children in the program continue to request help with their online learning.

Summer Camp

Annual Summer Camp - Summer camp is a space for students to strengthen their values through play, sports, workshops, talks, and reflections. Our annual summer camp fosters healthy spaces and a self-sufficient community for the students in our communities. Summer Camp is for children ages 6-18 years old. Examples of past summer camp themes include Mini Olympics, Superheroes, Art, and Science. Summer Camp 2021 focused on navigating technology - highlighting the changes children and teens continue to experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn more about Summer Camp.

Donate to Corazón Scholarships

You can sponsor a student's education by donating to Corazón's Education Fund. Donations to our Education fund are used to help students pay school-related expenses including tuition, school supplies, uniforms, and other school-related costs. 

Corazón Scholarships are heavily dependent on donations we receive from our donors. Please consider donating today.

What this month’s newsletter covers:

• Construction is back with the Friends of Dat House build! Read our construction updates in this month’s Program Highlight.
• We’re recognizing our Summer Camp 2021 volunteers!  
• We’re learning about Basketry of Mexico in this month’s, ¡Corazón Classroom!

Overview 

• This week we’re focusing on Cumbres, a Corazón community located in Tijuana, Mexico. 
• 50% of families shared that their greatest need is in assistance for their children’s education.
• Participants share how losing their job and leaving university affected their mental health.   
• Community members explain why 2020 felt like a missed opportunity. 
• Finally, Cumbres members share some of their thoughts about hope, family, change, and new opportunities. 

A committee member from the community shares their introduction of Cumbres with you today. 

What this month’s newsletter covers:

• Students from Cumbres are volunteering in their community by initiating new garden projects and cleanups. Read more in our program highlight.
• This month we recognize Kenia for her effort in leading workshops and her enthusiasm towards volunteering. Read more about her experience in our Community Member Highlight.
• Learn about our Scholarship Program, updates on social media, and more in our Latest News section. 
• We’re learning about traditional markets in this month’s ¡Corazón Classroom!

Overview

Two weeks ago, Corazón sent out an email introducing the culture of Cerro Azul - describing how their community has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020 up till now. To achieve this, Corazón sent out an anonymous community survey to each of our six communities.

Flores Magon COVID-19 Impact 2020-2021
Posted by Eva Rivera · September 02, 2021 11:52 AM

Cumbres COVID-19 Impact 2020-2021
Posted by Eva Rivera · July 19, 2021 4:17 PM

Cañon Carretas COVID-19 Impact 2020-2021
Posted by Eva Rivera · June 17, 2021 2:05 PM