From Houses to Homes

by Joe Collins

From Houses to Homes was founded in September 2004, and we began operations in Guatemala in January 2005 under Asociación De Casas A Hogares. From Houses to Homes aims to strengthen community harmony in Highland Guatemala by building lasting, healthy homes, improving access to health care and education, and inspiring participation between the poor and civil society.

Accomplishments

We have built 412 homes for the less fortunate in the communities surrounding La Antigua Guatemala. Each house costs approximately $1,750. We build a 13×19 foot home, made entirely of concrete block, with cement floor, corrugated metal roof, skylight, a metal door with lock, and a metal-framed window with glass. The home is stuccoed and painted inside and out with colors chosen by the homeowner. We are now including a bunk bed in every home. Every week we welcome volunteers to assist with this very important work. As one volunteer said, “The hardest thing they asked me to do was leave.”

Thanks to a very generous donor, we will dedicate Clínicas Médicas San José in Pastores on April 7. The clinic will provide health care, dentistry and education for “our” families and for the community of Pastores.

We are in the planning stages for our next project, a new green school for the children of Santa María de Jesús.

How to help

Besides our ongoing need for financial support we also need medical supplies, specifically antibiotics and an X-ray view box, school supplies, and, of course, volunteers to assist with building.

Contacts

• Joe Collins, founder & executive director, 7832-5074
• Oscar Mejía, De Casas a Hogares, project director, Calle del Hermano Pedro #9, La Antigua, 7832-5074, cell 4063-9881
• Kristen A. Hettrick, Clínicas Médicas San José, administrator, 2a. calle 1-19 A, Pastores, 7831-0178, cell 4265-2211
• In the U.S., Judy Baker, From Houses to Homes, director, P.O. Box 85, Mt. Tabor, NJ 07878-0085, cell 973-214-1119
• • Website: www.fromhousestohomes.org