Support Needed for an Essential Feeding Program in Playa del Carmen
Seaside Rotary’s feeding program, Feeding the Future, was initiated in 2017 in the Torres de la Paz, a village just outside Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Torres de la Paz is a remote settlement that has grown from a few desperate families living in tents, under the high-tension power lines, to a community of over 2,500 people.
The majority of these families are desperately poor. The living conditions range from one-room cinder block homes to shelters pieced together out of scrap wood and old tarps. The situation is dire and most of the residents are just barely getting by, living hand to mouth.
There are no public schools in this area, but even if there were, the majority of the children would be unable to matriculate because they do not have the correct documentation nor the funds to purchase the required uniforms, books and supplies. In an attempt to address the needs of the children and families living in the settlement, a small community school was built.
In this school, Seaside Rotary has set up a solar-powered clean water filtration system, a biodigester and a small kitchen. This is where we run our ongoing nutrition program, Feeding the Future.
Ensuring that children have access to nutritious meals is vital, especially in communities where poverty limits their daily intake. In this small, underserved community in Playa del Carmen, where our Feeding the Future project operates, many of these children rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition. For some, it may be the only meal they receive all day. This reality makes the project a lifeline, not only in terms of physical sustenance but also in helping these children develop the focus and energy they need to thrive.
Good nutrition is directly linked to better concentration, memory, and overall school performance. When children are hungry, they struggle to pay attention in class, often falling behind in their studies. This affects not only their academic success but also their future opportunities. Feeding the Future ensures that these children have the foundation they need to excel in school, which can ultimately lead to breaking the cycle of poverty they are born into.
Currently, we are providing 90 children with healthy, nutritious meals 3 days a week at a cost of $1,200 USD per month. While this may not seem like much, for our small club, with limited fundraising opportunities, it is a struggle to sustain.
When we began this feeding program, the school received additional support from various local organizations and businesses. Sadly, the economic devastation of the coronavirus pandemic ultimately caused these benefactors to pull out, leaving only Seaside Rotary to support the efforts of the school.
Thanks to the goodwill and good friendships we have cultivated with Rotary Clubs in the United States and Canada, we have been able to find several clubs who were happy to help by supporting this valuable project. Some have taken on Feeding the Future as an International Project. Others have run fundraisers on our behalf. Some of our support comes from individuals who visit the Riviera Maya often and want to do something to help the community.
We are asking for a commitment of $1,200 USD to sponsor 90 children for one month. If you are a member of a Rotary Club and this is a project your club would consider participating in, we would love to hear from you to discuss our feeding program and related logistics in more detail.
If you would like to make a donation of any amount (no gift is too small) you may do so through our secure payment form HERE. If you would like to make alternative payment arrangements, please email info@playaseasiderotary.org and one of our committee members will be happy to help.
We invite you to watch a short video about Torres de la Paz so you can see for yourself, the impact your donation can make: https://youtu.be/egJiyN-ojyE
Your support of this project is essential. By providing these meals, you are investing in the future of these children and their community. With your help, we can continue to offer hope, nourishment, and the chance for a brighter future. Every meal matters, and every donation counts in making sure these children have the energy to focus on learning, growing, and dreaming of a better tomorrow.
Photos courtesy of Fundacion Contando con un Amigo AC.
