Casa Corazón Playground Summary & Proposal

Expressing the Christian Faith Through Acts of Compassion!

Deeds of Love

Playground for Casa Corazón de la Misericordia,

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

The purpose of this Deed Project was to build a playground for the children cared for by Casa Corazón de la Misericordia (La Casa). La Casa is home to 31 children who are poor and who are either HIV positive or have developed AIDS. All of these children have lost both parents from AIDS related illnesses or were abandoned and neglected because of their infection with the virus.

Thanks to the contributions of very caring people, we were able to construct a security fence around the perimeter of the area available for the playground and build or install playground equipment. The equipment includes a slide made in the shape of an elephant, a seesaw, monkey bars, and two separate sets of swings - one that the kids can use for leg muscle development and another with rings where they can lift themselves for arm development. We also built three sets of picnic tables and a sidewalk along the inside of the fence where the kids can walk, skate, or be pushed in play cars. A small area is also available for the children to play volleyball or kick a football around.

Your generous and loving support made it possible for over 30 precious kids to have a place where they can freely play and enjoy the simple, but priceless and loving things the Lord intended for all of us to have.

Deed Project Summary — Summer 2006

Deed Project Proposal — Fall 2005

The purpose of this Deed Project is to build a playground for the children cared for by Casa Corazón de la Misericordia (La Casa). La Casa is home to 31 children who are poor and who are either HIV positive or have developed AIDS. All of these children have lost both parents from AIDS related illnesses or were abandoned and neglected because of their infection with the virus.

This playground will provide the children the opportunity to play outside in the open air; all the children are currently confined to play inside the home. This playground will also serve many of the children from the community at large who themselves are very poor and have no other facilities available.

The playground will include a needed fence for security, swings, sea saws, exercise bars, basketball hoop, open space to play soccer, picnic tables with umbrellas, and lighting.

Background

Casa Corazón de la Misericordia is a residential community of children and youth living with HIV/AIDS. “La Casa” or “La Casa de los Niños” as it is commonly known, was opened because of the crisis of children who are orphaned or abandoned due to the spread of HIV. In its 10 years of history, La Casa has been the permanent home to over 50 children. La Casa is located in a small sector called Colonia Perfecto Vasquez outside of the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

La Casa was opened on December 8, 1995 by Sister Masbely Del Cid, RSM, a Sister of Mercy from Honduras. Originally built to care for 10 children, La Casa now houses and cares for 31.

The following are the mission objectives of La Casa:

· To optimize the quality of life of each child living at La Casa

· To provide good, nutritional meals and appropriate clothing

· To oversee each child's health care needs and to insure that each receive antiretroviral drugs and other medications to help relieve symptoms of opportunistic infections

· To provide regular health care examinations

· To assist each child to develop as fully as possible, emotionally, socially, and spiritually and in the knowledge of their Faith

· To offer support to children and staff when a child dies

· To insure that each child has access to education just like any other child so that she/he might reach her/his maximum potential, develop life skills and achieve social integration

· To provide staff support and the opportunity for personal and professional development

How can you help?

Deeds of Love ask for your loving support in order to raise the $7,300 needed to fence in the property for security and to build the playground. This project will not only be a “treat” for the children of the orphanage and the community, but will also serve as an essential element to the children’s physical and emotional development. Please don’t delay and help us to continue giving these wonderful children in need a place where they are welcomed, unconditionally loved, and a place they call home.

Green area where the playground will be built