To Give HO.P.E. provides a variety of services to the community. Children participate in after-school programs to enhance their learning and continue to develop skills that can help them to break the poverty cycle. At the center, many of them are also able to receive health services that include dental check-ups and less complex treatments. Moreover, psychological services are provided to help build a better relationship between parent and child. Our approach helps promote a nurturing relationship not only at home, but within the community we serve. We have also been fortunate to count with the support from hairdressers, nutritionists, psychologists, clowns, musicians, craftsmen, etc., who are essential to the services we provide. With their help, we make it possible to ensure the integration of parent and youth activities. This enables our kids and parents to enjoy themselves and forget about their daily struggles.
Our center expanded beyond children to directly support parents as well, in order to take a holistic, family-centered approach to change in the community. The center reached out to parents, offering workshops on positive parenting, personal empowerment, disease prevention, personal hygiene, nutrition, and education. The community center also hires locals to serve on its staff, giving them a stake in their community and giving much needed jobs to impoverished families.
Below is more information about our current programs offered at To Give HO.P.E..
Joy of Learning
Is a sheltered and positive environment where children engage in educational activities, meals, showers, and tutoring. All critical in the lives of impoverished children who would otherwise have very little means to personal hygiene such as tooth brushing, skin care, and hand washing. Many children are the victims of neglect and having a caring group of teachers and staff to guide them and instill values of respect, peace, and love are a refreshing change to their many times violent and oppressed lives.
Health Services
Medical, vision, and dental services are provided at To Give HO.P.E. by volunteer physicians and dentists. Medical care is available and cost of prescriptions for families who cannot afford it are covered by To Give HO.P.E.. Vision services are provided to all children who are in need of eye glasses, who are also given the opportunity to choose a new pair. Dental services are provided though a dental mobile clinic offering children an exam and any extractions and/or fillings necessary to ensure good oral care.
Women’s Empowering Programs
This program helps to educate and prepare women in the poor Quito community of Santa María to better provide for themselves and their families. Women are encouraged to participate in various training and educational programs offered by TGH in a variety of topics to help them overcome the obstacles they face in their daily lives. In doing so, they are also empowered to become leaders in the community and to improve their role workforce. In doing this, we will bring greater prosperity to the community as a whole.
Public Health & Prevention Services
Public health volunteers focus their efforts by providing nutrition, violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, infectious disease prevention, and overall health education. In economically deprived communities such as those served by To Give HO.P.E., malnutrition is particularly prevalent. For this reason, our interns have greatly emphasized their focus on this issue. Beyond merely the availability of the proper foods, it is equally important that the public is educated from an early age as to what best food choices to make given their limited resources.
Field Trips:
This is a list of some of the places we have visited over the years :
- Yaku Water Museum
- Interactive Science Museum
- Planetarium
- Guajalito River Reserve. Guajalito River Reserve is a reserve that we have been going to for four years for a weekend from Friday to Sunday. The kids years ago planted trees and every time they visit they see how they have grown. There is a river and children learn about animals and plants. It’s a very interesting reforestation project. There was $2600 donated to the foundations for children to learn how to learn how to help the planet.
- City Museum
- Attended a game at the Soccer Stadium of The University Sports League of Quito
- La Carolina Park
- Pools at Cumandá Urban Park
- Pools in the Cunuyacu Spa
- Swimming Pools of the Sports Club de Pichincha
- Día del Niño at Colegio El Sauce
- Theatre functions at Casa de La Cultura Ecuatoriana de Quito
- Metropolitano Park
- Attended movies at Multicines and Cinemark
- City of Ice
- Paseo San Francisco
- Museo Arqueológico
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